Meadow Lake
Meadow Lake is an earth dam located in Larimer County, Colorado, built in 1957. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Meadow Lake
The primary purpose of Meadow Lake is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Big Elk Meadows Hoa (private). It impounds the W Fork Little Thompson near Pinewood Springs.
The dam stands 37 feet tall and stretches 271 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 7 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 145 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 19 square miles. Completed in 1957, 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 07/26/2021.
At 37 feet, this dam is taller than 84% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Colorado |
| County | Larimer |
| Nearest City | Pinewood Springs |
| River/Stream | W Fork Little Thompson |
| Coordinates | 40.26214, -105.41923 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 37 ft |
| Dam Height | 17 ft |
| Dam Length | 271 ft |
| Year Completed | 1957 (69 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 145 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 145 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 32 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 7 acres |
| Drainage Area | 19 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 7,499 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | BIG ELK MEADOWS HOA |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 07/26/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CO02717 |
| Federal ID | CO02717 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |