Big Sandy Creek Watershed S-1
Big Sandy Creek Watershed S-1 is an earth dam located in El Paso County, Colorado, built in 1963. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Big Sandy Creek Watershed S-1
The primary purpose of Big Sandy Creek Watershed S-1 is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Double El Scd, Board (devin Schinzel, Board Presid (local government). It impounds the Big Sandy Creek near Ramah.
The dam stands 31 feet tall and stretches 2,590 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 42 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 481 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 5 square miles. Completed in 1963, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. The most recent inspection on record was 07/20/2020.
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Location
| State | Colorado |
| County | El Paso |
| Nearest City | Ramah |
| River/Stream | Big Sandy Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.06501, -104.40891 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 31 ft |
| Dam Height | 25 ft |
| Dam Length | 2,590 ft |
| Year Completed | 1963 (63 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 481 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 481 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 313 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 42 acres |
| Drainage Area | 5 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 4,070 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | DOUBLE EL SCD, BOARD (DEVIN SCHINZEL, BOARD PRESID |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 07/20/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CO01340 |
| Federal ID | CO01340 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |