Cattail Pond dam
Cattail Pond
Cattail Pond, located in Larimer County, Colorado, is a private irrigation pond regulated by the state Department of Water Resources. Built in 1900, this Earth-type dam stands at 7 feet high and stretches 1290 feet in length, with a storage capacity of 152 acre-feet. It serves the primary purpose of irrigation, drawing water from the Big Thompson River-TR.
Despite its low hazard potential and satisfactory condition assessment, Cattail Pond is subject to regular inspections every six years to ensure its safety and functionality. The spillway, which is uncontrolled with a width of 50 feet, can handle a maximum discharge of 900 cubic feet per second. The pond covers a surface area of 22 acres and has a normal storage capacity of 94 acre-feet, making it a vital resource for agricultural water management in the region.
Overall, Cattail Pond plays a crucial role in supporting irrigation activities in the area, with its moderate risk assessment indicating the need for ongoing monitoring and risk management measures to safeguard its integrity and ensure sustainable water resource management for the future.
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 Cattail Pond -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Big Thompson River At Loveland | 108 cfs | → |
| Buckhorn Creek Near Masonville | 39 cfs | → |
| Cache La Poudre R Ab Boxelder C | 155 cfs | → |
| St. Vrain Creek At Lyons | 241 cfs | → |
| St. Vrain Creek At Mouth | 307 cfs | → |
| Cache La Poudre River At Fort Collins | 148 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Cattail Pond.
Boat launches
- Chukar Boat Ramp
- Grand Avenue Delta County
- Gunnison Forks
- Delta County
- South River Road Delta County
- Orchard Boat Launch
Campgrounds
- Crawford State Park
- North Rim - Gunnison National Park
- North Rim Campground
- South Rim - Gunnison National Park
- South Rim Campground
- East Portal Campground
Fishing spots
- Crawford Reservoir
- Gould Reservoir
- Crystal Reservoir
- Morrow Point Reservoir
- Fruitgrowers Reservoir
- Chipeta Lakes Swa
Paddle runs
- The Painted Wall To The Black Canyon Gunnison National Monument-Gunnison Gorge Wilderness Boundary
- The Southern Boundary Of The Black Canyon Gunnison National Monument To The Painted Wall
- Gunnison Gorge
- West Fork Terror Creek
- Curecanti National Recreation Area Boundary To High Water Line Of Morrow Point Reservoir
More reservoirs
Track Cattail Pond 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 Cattail Pond
Where does the data for Cattail Pond 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 Cattail Pond.