Frank B. Watters dam
Frank B. Watters
Frank B. Watters is a privately owned dam located in Hinsdale, Colorado, on the Lake Fork Gunnison River. Built in 1966, this Earth type dam stands at 22 feet tall and serves primarily for recreational purposes, offering a surface area of 24 acres and a storage capacity of 287 acre-feet. The dam is regulated by the Colorado Division of Water Resources and has a low hazard potential with a fair condition assessment as of 2008.
With a structural height of 23 feet and a hydraulic height of 23 feet, Frank B. Watters provides a serene recreational spot for water and climate enthusiasts to enjoy. The dam, constructed with stone core and soil foundation, features slide and uncontrolled outlet gates. Although the dam has not been modified over the years, it undergoes inspections every six years to ensure its safety and compliance with regulatory standards.
Despite its low hazard potential, Frank B. Watters poses a high risk due to its location and storage capacity. The dam, situated in the Albuquerque District, does not have spillways and has a maximum discharge of 25 cubic feet per second. With a risk management plan yet to be detailed, the dam remains a captivating site for those interested in water resource management and climate impacts on recreational structures.
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 Frank B. Watters -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Fork Blw Lake San Cristobal Nr Lake City | 147 cfs | → |
| Lake Fork At Gateview | 259 cfs | → |
| North Clear Creek Bl Continental Reservoir | 17 cfs | → |
| Cimarron River Near Cimarron | 100 cfs | → |
| Uncompahgre River Near Ouray | 292 cfs | → |
| Animas River At Howardsville | 262 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Frank B. Watters.
Boat launches
- Devil's Creek Bridge Boat Ramp
- Rito Hondo Reservoir Boating Site
- Cr 11 Hinsdale County
- Cr 10 Hinsdale County
- Us 50 Sapinero
- Ouray County
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
- Lake San Cristobal
- Rito Hondo Reservoir
- Continental Reservoir Fishing Site
- Continental Reservoir
- Silver Jack Fisherman Access
- Silver Jack Reservoir
Paddle runs
- Curecanti National Recreation Area Boundary To High Water Line Of Blue Mesa Reservoir
- Below Rio Grande Reservoir (Sec 13, T40n, R4w) To Spring Creek (Sec 31, T41n, R2w)
- Curecanti National Recreation Area Boundary To High Water Line Of Morrow Point Reservoir
- Mineral Creek
Track Frank B. Watters 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 Frank B. Watters
Where does the data for Frank B. Watters 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 Frank B. Watters.