Howards Lake
Howards Lake is an earth dam located in Weld County, Colorado, built in 1920. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Howards Lake
The primary purpose of Howards Lake is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Aurora Organic Dairy (brian England) (private). It impounds the Owl Creek near Gill.
The dam stands 18 feet tall and stretches 1,800 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 36 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 506 acre-feet. Completed in 1920, the structure is over a century 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 04/22/2021.
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Location
| State | Colorado |
| County | Weld |
| Nearest City | Gill |
| River/Stream | Owl Creek |
| Coordinates | 40.49242, -104.55383 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 18 ft |
| Dam Height | 18 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,800 ft |
| Year Completed | 1920 (106 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 506 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 506 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 115 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 36 acres |
| Max Discharge | 30 cfs |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | AURORA ORGANIC DAIRY (BRIAN ENGLAND) |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 04/22/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CO02328 |
| Federal ID | CO02328 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |