Chase Gulch dam
Chase Gulch
Chase Gulch is a rockfill dam located in Gilpin County, Colorado, specifically in the city of Black Hawk. Completed in 1996, this structure serves as a water supply primarily for the local government. With a dam height of 93 feet and a hydraulic height of 75 feet, the dam has a storage capacity of 1250 acre-feet and a normal storage of 602 acre-feet. The reservoir covers a surface area of 25 acres and has a maximum discharge capacity of 8664 cubic feet per second.
Managed by the Colorado Department of Water Resources (DWR), Chase Gulch Dam is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced by state authorities to ensure its safety and compliance with regulations. The dam features an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 32 feet and is equipped with slide gates for outlet control. Despite being classified with a high hazard potential, the dam is currently in satisfactory condition according to the most recent assessment conducted in August 2020. Overall, Chase Gulch presents an interesting case study for water resource and climate enthusiasts due to its design, purpose, and management under state jurisdiction.
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 Chase Gulch -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Fall River Near Idaho Springs | 10 cfs | → |
| Clear Creek Near Lawson | 128 cfs | → |
| Chicago Creek Blw Devils Canyon Nr Idaho Sprgs Co | 9 cfs | → |
| West Fork Clear Creek Abv Mouth Nr Empire | 55 cfs | → |
| North Clear Creek Above Mouth Nr Blackhawk | 5 cfs | → |
| Clear Creek Abv West Fork Clear Creek Nr Empire Co | 78 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Chase Gulch.
Boat launches
- Miramonte Road Boulder County
- Fairway Drive Evergreen
- Ralston Creek Trail Arvada
- C-470 Trail Lakewood
- Standley Lake Trail Westminster
- Fisherman's Trail Lakewood
Fishing spots
- Central City Park Pond
- Philadelphia Mill Site Open Space Park
- Fishing Is Fun #4
- Charlie Taylor Water Wheel Park
- Game Check Trailhead
- Fishing Is Fun #6
Track Chase Gulch 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 Chase Gulch
Where does the data for Chase Gulch 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 Chase Gulch.