Beaver dam
Beaver
Beaver, also known as Enlargement #1 or Beaver Dam, is a privately owned water structure located in Paonia, Colorado. This earth-type dam, completed in 1958, primarily serves irrigation purposes for the surrounding area. With a height of 100 feet and a hydraulic height of 113 feet, Beaver has a storage capacity of 1,850 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 36 acres.
Situated on Minnesota Creek-TR in Gunnison County, Beaver poses a high hazard potential due to its fair condition assessment. Despite being regulated by the State of Colorado's Department of Water Resources, the dam lacks a spillway and relies on slide gates for water release. The inspection frequency is set at once per year, with the last assessment conducted in August 2020. Emergency action plans are in place, although their last revision dates back to June 2015.
Given its importance for irrigation and potential risks associated with its condition, Beaver serves as a focal point for water resource and climate enthusiasts in the region. The dam's location in a scenic area, combined with its historical significance and ongoing management challenges, make it a compelling case study for those interested in sustainable water infrastructure and environmental stewardship.
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 Beaver -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Creek Near Paonia | 4 cfs | → |
| North Fork Gunnison River Near Somerset | 836 cfs | → |
| Hubbard Creek At Highway 133 At Mouth Nr Bowie | 4 cfs | → |
| Terror Creek At Mouth Near Bowie | 2 cfs | → |
| Muddy Creek At Bardine | 99 cfs | → |
| North Fork Gunnison River Below Paonia | 49 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Beaver.
Boat launches
- Grand Avenue Delta County
- Bear Road Gunnison County
- Gunnison Forks
- Delta County
- South River Road Delta County
- Ponderosa Campground Gunnison County
Campgrounds
- Crawford State Park
- Williams Creek Dispersed Camping Area
- Paonia State Park
- Erickson Springs Campground- Paonia Rd
- Lost Lake Campground-Paonia Rd
- Lost Lake
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- West Fork Terror Creek
- Deep Creek
- Bogan Canyon
- Waterfall To Confluence
- The Painted Wall To The Black Canyon Gunnison National Monument-Gunnison Gorge Wilderness Boundary
- Curecanti National Recreation Area Boundary To High Water Line Of Blue Mesa Reservoir
More reservoirs
Track Beaver 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 Beaver
Where does the data for Beaver 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 Beaver.