South Lake
South Lake is an earth dam located in El Paso County, Colorado, built in 1973. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About South Lake
The primary purpose of South Lake is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by City Of Colorado Springs Parks And Recreation (local government). It impounds the Fountain Creek-tr near Colorado Springs.
The dam stands 65 feet tall and stretches 750 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 33 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 583 acre-feet. Completed in 1973, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. Its condition is rated satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 04/06/2022.
At 65 feet, this dam is taller than 96% of all dams in the United States.
Living Downstream
If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Colorado dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Colorado |
| County | El Paso |
| Nearest City | Colorado Springs |
| River/Stream | Fountain Creek-tr |
| Coordinates | 38.78500, -104.81058 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 65 ft |
| Dam Height | 60 ft |
| Dam Length | 750 ft |
| Year Completed | 1973 (53 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 583 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 583 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 319 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 33 acres |
| Max Discharge | 2,460 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | CITY OF COLORADO SPRINGS PARKS AND RECREATION |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 04/06/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CO01799 |
| Federal ID | CO01799 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |