Barren dam
Barren
Barren, also known as Reservoir #6 or Baron, is a privately-owned reservoir located in Cedaredge, Colorado. This historic earth dam was completed in 1886 and serves primarily for irrigation purposes, with a storage capacity of 977 acre-feet and a normal storage level of 759 acre-feet. The dam stands at 16 feet in height and spans 320 feet in length, with a surface area of 81 acres and a drainage area of 2 square miles.
Managed by the Colorado Division of Water Resources, Barren is regulated for inspection, permitting, and enforcement to ensure its continued operation and safety. The reservoir's spillway type is uncontrolled, with a width of 21 feet, and features outlet gates including a slide (sluice gate) and uncontrolled releases. Despite being assessed as having a fair condition, the dam poses a high hazard potential, with a moderate risk assessment rating of 3. Regular inspections and risk management measures are in place to mitigate any potential safety concerns and ensure the reservoir's continued functionality.
Water resource and climate enthusiasts interested in the historical significance and engineering details of dams will find Barren to be a captivating example of early irrigation infrastructure in Colorado. With its unique design characteristics and ongoing regulatory oversight, this reservoir serves as a testament to the importance of sustainable water management practices in the region.
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 Barren -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Surface Creek Near Cedaredge | 35 cfs | → |
| Big Creek At Upper Station | 12 cfs | → |
| Surface Creek At Cedaredge | 40 cfs | → |
| North Fk Gunnison River Above Mouth Nr Lazear | 594 cfs | → |
| Plateau Creek Near Cameo | 42 cfs | → |
| N.F. Gunnison R Blw Leroux Cr | 670 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Barren.
Boat launches
- Lakeshore Drive Delta County
- Ward Lake Boat Access - Grand Valley Rd
- Z Road Delta County
- State Highway 65 25261, Delta County
- Forest Road 125 Delta County
- Big Creek Reservoir Boat Launch Grand Valley Rd
Campgrounds
- Kiser Creek
- Crag Crest Campground - Grand Valley Rd
- Eggleston
- Ward Lake Campground - Grand Valley Rd
- Ward Lake
- Carp Lake
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Gunnison River Segment 2
- West Fork Terror Creek
- Roubideau Creek Segment 2
- The Painted Wall To The Black Canyon Gunnison National Monument-Gunnison Gorge Wilderness Boundary
- Deep Creek
- Roubideau Creek Segment 1
More reservoirs
Track Barren 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 Barren
Where does the data for Barren 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 High 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 Barren.