Barton Porter West
Barton Porter West is an earth dam located in Garfield County, Colorado, built in 2005. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Barton Porter West
The primary purpose of Barton Porter West is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Porter, Travis (private). It impounds the Alkali Creek (east)-os near Silt.
The dam stands 89 feet tall and stretches 790 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 25 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 1,309 acre-feet. Completed in 2005, the structure is relatively new.
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 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 06/21/2022.
At 89 feet, this dam is taller than 97% 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 | Garfield |
| Nearest City | Silt |
| River/Stream | Alkali Creek (east)-os |
| Coordinates | 39.52529, -107.43307 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 89 ft |
| Dam Height | 89 ft |
| Dam Length | 790 ft |
| Year Completed | 2005 (21 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,309 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,309 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,140 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 25 acres |
| Max Discharge | 3,710 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | PORTER, TRAVIS |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 06/21/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CO02861 |
| Federal ID | CO02861 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |