Newell dam
Newell
Newell, located in Albany, Wyoming, is a privately owned earth dam completed in 1969 for irrigation purposes along Cottonwood Creek. With a structural height of 31 feet and a hydraulic height of 26 feet, Newell has a storage capacity of 220 acre-feet, with a normal storage level of 130 acre-feet. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment is rated as poor, indicating a need for maintenance and repairs.
The dam is equipped with a single slide (sluice gate) outlet gate and an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 8 feet. The last inspection in August 2021 revealed its poor condition, prompting a moderate risk assessment rating of 3. While Newell has not been modified over the years and has no associated structures, its location in Torrington, 77 miles away from the Omaha District, underscores its importance for irrigation and fire protection in the area. With state regulatory agencies overseeing its permitting, inspection, and enforcement, Newell remains a critical infrastructure for water resource management in Wyoming.
In light of its aging infrastructure and the need for maintenance, Newell serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by water resource and climate enthusiasts in ensuring the safety and sustainability of dams. As efforts to address its poor condition and mitigate potential risks continue, Newell stands as a testament to the crucial role of private owners and state agencies in safeguarding our water resources for future generations.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Newell -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Box Elder Creek At Boxelder | 26 cfs | → |
| L Medicine Bow R At Boles Spring | 9 cfs | → |
| Sybille Creek Ab Mule Creek | 143 cfs | → |
| Sybille Creek Ab Canal No. 3 | 93 cfs | → |
| Deer Creek In Canyon | 26 cfs | → |
| North Platte River Below Glendo Reservoir | 5,710 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Newell.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
- Toltec Reservoir
- Wheatland Reservoir #3
- Wheatland Reservoir #1
- Rock Lake
- East Allen Lake
- Glendo Reservoir
More reservoirs
Track Newell in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Newell
Where does the data for Newell come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the Low hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Newell.