Carter Lake reservoir
Carter Lake
Carter Lake is a reservoir located in Larimer County, Colorado, created by the construction of the Carter Lake Dam in 1950. The lake is used for drinking water, irrigation, and recreation, including fishing, boating, and camping. Water for Carter Lake is provided by both surface flow and snowpack, with runoff from the surrounding mountains filling the reservoir. The lake also receives water from the Big Thompson River. Agriculture in the surrounding area uses water from the lake for irrigation, and the reservoir is a popular destination for recreational activities such as hiking, mountain biking, and camping. The lake is named after Benjamin Harrison Carter, a settler who established a farm in the area in the late 1800s.
Daily levels at Carter Lake
Storage volume, pool elevation, and total release plotted from the operating agency's daily observations.
Storage
acre-ft · code 17
Pool Elevation
ft · code 49
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 Carter Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| St. Vrain Creek At Lyons | 141 cfs | → |
| Big Thompson River At Loveland | 77 cfs | → |
| Buckhorn Creek Near Masonville | 8 cfs | → |
| Left Hand Creek At Hover Road Near Longmont | 1 cfs | → |
| Left Hand Creek Near Boulder | 37 cfs | → |
| St. Vrain Creek Below Longmont | -999,999 cfs | → |
About Carter Lake
Where does the data for Carter Lake come from?
Daily storage, pool elevation, and release rates are sourced from USGS, USBR, and USACE monitoring stations. Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
Storage observations are updated daily by the operating agency. The 15-day weather forecast refreshes throughout the day. Snoflo caches and renders the most recent observation -- check the "as of" timestamp on the storage card.
What does the Hazard 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 below 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 reservoir, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.