Deer Retention Dam #1 is a gravity dam located in Mesa County, Colorado, built in 1960. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 27 ft27 ft tall and 549 ft long, taller than 59% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.
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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Location
| State | Colorado |
| County | Mesa |
| Nearest City | None |
| River/Stream | Horseshoe Canyon |
| Coordinates | 39.28245, -108.39336 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Gravity |
| NID Height | 27 ft |
| Dam Length | 549 ft |
| Year Completed | 1960 (66 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 97 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 97 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 97 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 97 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Debris Control |
| Owner | Doi BLM |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 09/11/2018 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CO03030 |
| Federal ID | CO03030 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |