Wagon Tongue dam
Wagon Tongue
Wagon Tongue, also known as Playmann Lake, is a private recreational reservoir located in Park County, Colorado. This earth dam was completed in 1960 and stands at a height of 32 feet, with a maximum storage capacity of 210 acre-feet. The dam, situated on Wagon Tongue Gulch, serves primarily for recreation purposes and has a surface area of 16 acres, offering a tranquil setting for outdoor activities.
With a high hazard potential and fair condition assessment, Wagon Tongue is regulated by the Department of Water Resources in Colorado. The dam has a spillway width of 21 feet and a maximum discharge of 2748 cubic feet per second, ensuring proper water management in the event of overflow. Despite its moderate risk assessment, the dam has been inspected regularly, with the last assessment conducted in October 2020, to ensure its continued safety and functionality for the surrounding community.
Overall, Wagon Tongue is a vital water resource for the area, providing not only recreational opportunities but also serving as a key component of water management in Colorado. As a private dam under state regulation, it continues to play a significant role in maintaining water quality and availability in the region while also offering a picturesque destination for visitors and outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy.
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 Wagon Tongue -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| South Platte River Near Lake George | 243 cfs | → |
| S Platte R Ab 11-Mile Canyon Re | 253 cfs | → |
| South Platte River Above Cheesman Lake | 263 cfs | → |
| Fourmile Creek Below Cripple Creek Near Victor | 5 cfs | → |
| West Cr. Abv Shrewsbury Gulch Nr Westcreek Co | 1 cfs | → |
| South Platte River Below Cheesman Lake | 229 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Wagon Tongue.
Boat launches
- Forest Road 96.I Park County
- Thirtynine Mile Road Park County
- Skagway Road Teller County
- Tarryall Road Park County
- Ahra - Parkdale Rec Site
- Ahra - Spikebuck Rec Site
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
- Elevenmile Canyon Reservoir
- Eleven Mile Reservoir
- Spinney Mountain Reservoir
- North Catamount Reservoir
- South Catamount Reservoir
- Crystal Creek Reservoir
Track Wagon Tongue 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 Wagon Tongue
Where does the data for Wagon Tongue 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 Wagon Tongue.