Montgomery dam
Montgomery
Montgomery is a locally owned dam located in Park County, Colorado, near the city of Alma. Built in 1956, this Rockfill type dam stands at a height of 108 feet and serves as a vital water supply structure along the Middle Fork of the South Platte River. With a storage capacity of 6100 acre-feet and a surface area of 95 acres, Montgomery plays a crucial role in ensuring water availability for the surrounding area.
Managed by the Colorado Division of Water Resources, Montgomery is regulated, inspected, and enforced to meet state standards for safety and functionality. Despite being classified as having a high hazard potential, the dam is currently assessed to be in fair condition. Regular inspections are conducted, with the most recent one in September 2020, to ensure the integrity of the structure and mitigate any potential risks. The dam also has an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 100 feet to manage excess water flow during peak periods.
Overall, Montgomery Dam serves as a key water resource infrastructure in Colorado, supporting the local community with a reliable water supply. Its strategic location and design contribute to the efficient management of water resources in the region. As climate change continues to impact water availability and usage, dams like Montgomery play a crucial role in ensuring water security for both current and future generations.
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 Montgomery -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Bemrose-Hoosier Diversion Near Hoosier Pass | · | → |
| Mccullough-Sp-Diversion Near Hoosier Pass | · | → |
| Monte Cristo Diversion Near Hoosier Pass | · | → |
| Blue River At Blue River | 25 cfs | → |
| Columbine Ditch Near Fremont Pass | 10 cfs | → |
| Tarryall Creek At Upper Station | 8 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Montgomery.
Boat launches
- Turquoise Lake Trail Lake County
- Matchless Boating Site
- Homestake Reservoir Boat Ramp Day Use Area
- Dexter Point Boating Site
- Red Rooster Boating Site
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
- Montgomery Reservoir
- Curtain Ponds
- Jefferson Lake
- Officers Gulch Pond
- Camp Hale Pond Fishing Pier
- Gibson Lake
Track Montgomery 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 Montgomery
Where does the data for Montgomery 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 Montgomery.