Deer Retention Dam #1

Deer Retention Dam #1 is a gravity dam located in Mesa County, Colorado, built in 1960. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.

About Deer Retention Dam #1

The primary purpose of Deer Retention Dam #1 is debris control. The dam is designed to catch sediment, rocks, and debris carried by flowing water — particularly important in areas prone to mudslides or heavy erosion. The dam is owned by Doi Blm (federal). It impounds the Horseshoe Canyon.

The dam stands 27 feet tall and stretches 549 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 97 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 97 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1960, 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. The most recent inspection on record was 09/11/2018.

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Low HazardNot Rated ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Not Required

Location

StateColorado
CountyMesa
Nearest CityNone
River/StreamHorseshoe Canyon
Coordinates39.28245, -108.39336

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeGravity
NID Height27 ft
Dam Length549 ft
Year Completed1960 (66 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage97 acre-ft
Max Storage97 acre-ft
Normal Storage97 acre-ft
Surface Area97 acres
Drainage Area1 sq mi

Ownership & Safety

PurposeDebris Control
OwnerDOI BLM
Owner TypeFederal
Hazard ClassificationLow
Condition AssessmentNot Rated
Last Inspection09/11/2018
Emergency Action PlanNot Required

Identifiers

NID IDCO03030
Federal IDCO03030
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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