Bear Creek is an earth dam located in Routt County, Colorado, built in 1966. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 10 ft10 ft tall and 400 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Bear Creek
The primary purpose of Bear Creek is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by City of Steamboat Springs (cosby;parks, Open Spac (local government). It impounds the Bear Creek-os near Steamboat Springs.
The dam stands 10 feet tall and stretches 400 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 8 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1966, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/29/2022.
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Location
| State | Colorado |
| County | Routt |
| Nearest City | Steamboat Springs |
| River/Stream | Bear Creek-os |
| Coordinates | 40.45001, -106.78668 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 10 ft |
| Dam Height | 10 ft |
| Dam Length | 400 ft |
| Year Completed | 1966 (60 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 8 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 8 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 5 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 1 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 168 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | City of Steamboat Springs (cosby;parks, Open Spac |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 08/29/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CO02793 |
| Federal ID | CO02793 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |