Apishapa

About Apishapa

The primary purpose of Apishapa is fish and wildlife pond. The dam creates habitat for fish and wildlife, supporting local ecosystems and potentially serving conservation goals. The dam is owned by Todd Huffman, (private). It impounds the Apishapa River-tr near Aguilar.

The dam stands 41 feet tall and stretches 720 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 18 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 434 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 4 square miles. Completed in 1892, the structure is over a century 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 unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 05/12/2022.

At 41 feet, this dam is taller than 88% of dams nationwide.

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.