Trinidad Dam dam
Trinidad Dam
Trinidad Dam, also known as Trinidad Lake, is a federal-owned structure located in Las Animas, Colorado, along the Purgatoire River. Completed in 1976, this earth dam stands at 203 feet high and serves multiple purposes including flood risk reduction, irrigation, and recreation. With a storage capacity of 164,930 acre-feet, Trinidad Dam plays a crucial role in managing water resources in the region.
Despite its success in reducing flooding, the dam still poses a high hazard potential due to the risk of uncontrolled spillway flows during emergency operations. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) actively manages this risk through regular inspections, maintenance activities, and risk communication efforts. A comprehensive risk assessment conducted in 2018 classified the likelihood of a dam breach as low, but emphasized the potential catastrophic consequences for downstream communities in the event of a breach.
USACE's risk management measures for Trinidad Dam include ongoing evaluations, maintenance activities, and communication efforts to ensure the safety and integrity of the structure. With a focus on reducing flood risks and ensuring public safety, Trinidad Dam remains a critical component of water resource management in the region while facing the challenges posed by potential emergency situations.
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 Trinidad Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Purgatoire River Below Trinidad Lake | 26 cfs | → |
| Purgatoire River At Trinidad | 30 cfs | → |
| Purgatoire River At Madrid | 10 cfs | → |
| Luning Arroyo Near Model | 0 cfs | → |
| Cucharas River At Boyd Ranch | 5 cfs | → |
| Eagle Tail Ditch Nr Maxwell | · | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Trinidad Dam.
Campgrounds
- South Shore - Trinidad Lake State Park
- Carpios Ridge - Trinidad Lake State Park
- Monument Lake Park
- Cordova Pass Picnic Area And Campground
Fishing spots
- Trinidad Reservoir
- Monument Reservoir (Trinidad)
- North Lake
- Wahatoya Lake Reservoir
- Daigre And Wahatoya Lake
- Martin Lake
Track Trinidad Dam 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 Trinidad Dam
Where does the data for Trinidad Dam 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 Trinidad Dam.