Taylor Park dam
Taylor Park
Taylor Park, located in Gunnison, Colorado, is a federally owned water resource managed by the Bureau of Reclamation. The primary purpose of this Earth dam, completed in 1937, is irrigation, serving the Taylor River with a storage capacity of 118,801 acre-feet. With a structural height of 206 feet and a spillway width of 180 feet, this dam plays a crucial role in water management and flood control in the region.
Despite its age, Taylor Park Dam is well-regulated and inspected by the Bureau of Reclamation, with a high hazard potential due to its proximity to populated areas. The dam has a risk assessment rating of 2, indicating a high level of risk management measures in place. While the condition assessment is not currently available, emergency action plans are in place to ensure the safety of downstream communities in the event of a breach. Water resource and climate enthusiasts will find Taylor Park Dam to be a fascinating example of historical engineering meeting modern regulatory standards.
Overall, Taylor Park represents a significant water infrastructure project in Colorado, showcasing the intersection of federal ownership, state regulation, and environmental stewardship. With its impressive storage capacity, strategic location, and ongoing risk management efforts, Taylor Park Dam stands as a testament to the importance of sustainable water resource management in the face of changing climate conditions.
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 Taylor Park -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Taylor River Below Taylor Park Reservoir | 148 cfs | → |
| Taylor River At Taylor Park | 173 cfs | → |
| East River Bl Cement Creek Nr Crested Butte | 542 cfs | → |
| Taylor River At Almont | 264 cfs | → |
| East River At Almont Co. | 425 cfs | → |
| Lincoln Creek Bl Grizzly Reservoir | 5 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Taylor Park.
Boat launches
- Boat Dock Road Gunnison County
- Boat Ramp Road Gunnison County
- Slot #2 Day Use Area/Boat Access- Gunnison Rd
- South Bank Day Use Area/ Boat Access- Gunnison Rd
- Red Rooster Boating Site
- Cr 390 Chaffee County
Campgrounds
- Lakeview - Almont
- Lakeview Campground - Gunnison Rd
- Lottis Creek
- Lottis Creek Campground - Gunnison Rd
- Rivers End Campground - Gunnison Rd
- Rivers End
Fishing spots
- Taylor Park Reservoir
- Spring Creek Reservoir
- South Fork Clear Creek
- Mirror Lake (Almont)
- Sayer's Gulch Trailhead
- Cottonwood Lake
Paddle runs
- Clear Creek Of The Arkansas
- The Upper
- Lower (Bottom Four)
- Pine Creek (Granite To Numbers)
- Numbers
- Oh Be Joyful
More reservoirs
Track Taylor Park 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 Taylor Park
Where does the data for Taylor Park 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 Taylor Park.