Beaver-Huffington dam
Beaver-Huffington
Beaver-Huffington, also known as Beaver Dam, is a privately owned structure located in Mesa County, Colorado. This earth dam, completed in 1957, serves primarily for irrigation purposes, with a storage capacity of 523 acre-feet and a maximum discharge rate of 676 cubic feet per second. The dam stands at a height of 42 feet, with a hydraulic height of 44 feet, and spans a length of 561 feet along the Escalante Creek-TR.
Despite being categorized as low hazard potential, Beaver-Huffington is subject to state regulation, inspection, and enforcement. Its condition was assessed as fair during the last inspection in 2008, with a risk assessment rating of high (2). The dam lacks a spillway, relying on slide and uncontrolled gates for outlet flow. While the dam's emergency action plan status is not specified in the data, its location and purpose highlight the importance of ongoing monitoring and maintenance for water resource and climate enthusiasts in the region.
For those interested in water resource management and climate impact, Beaver-Huffington provides a case study in the management of a privately owned irrigation dam in Colorado. The structure's design, construction, and maintenance history offer insights into the challenges and considerations involved in ensuring the safety and effectiveness of such water management infrastructure. With its location in a region prone to high-risk assessments, the ongoing monitoring and regulation of Beaver-Huffington serve as a reminder of the critical role that dams play in balancing water supply needs with environmental and community safety concerns.
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-Huffington -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| San Miguel River At Uravan | 225 cfs | → |
| Dolores River Near Bedrock | 2 cfs | → |
| San Miguel River At Brooks Bridge Near Nucla Co | 157 cfs | → |
| Dolores River At Bedrock | 7 cfs | → |
| Dolores River Near Gateway | 161 cfs | → |
| Uncompahgre River At Delta | 94 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Beaver-Huffington.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
- Aspen Leaf Cabin
- Columbine Campground
- Columbine Campground - Ouray Rd
- Divide Fork
- Divide Forks Campground - Grand Valley Rd
- Free Campground (The Ball Park)
Fishing spots
Track Beaver-Huffington 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-Huffington
Where does the data for Beaver-Huffington 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 Beaver-Huffington.