Brunelli dam
Brunelli
Located in Huerfano County, Colorado, the Brunelli dam serves multiple purposes including irrigation, fire protection, and maintaining stock or small fish ponds. Built in 1950 by the USDA NRCS, this private dam stands at a height of 25 feet with a hydraulic height of 33 feet. It has a storage capacity of 117 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 8 acres. Despite its low hazard potential and fair condition assessment, the dam poses a high risk due to its high discharge capacity of 100 cubic feet per second.
With its primary source agency being Colorado, the Brunelli dam is regulated by the DWR and undergoes regular inspections and enforcement measures to ensure its safety. It is situated along Bear Creek-TR and has a spillway width of 10 feet, although it does not have a spillway type. The dam's emergency action plan status and risk management measures are currently unspecified, highlighting the need for continued monitoring and preparedness in the face of potential climate change impacts on water resources.
Overall, the Brunelli dam remains a crucial structure for water management in the region, providing essential irrigation services to local communities. As water resource and climate enthusiasts, understanding the intricacies of this dam's design, purpose, and risk profile can shed light on the broader challenges and opportunities associated with managing water infrastructure in a changing climate. By staying informed and engaged with developments around dams like Brunelli, we can work towards ensuring the resilience and sustainability of our water resources for 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 Brunelli -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cucharas River At Boyd Ranch | 5 cfs | → |
| Huerfano River At Badito | 14 cfs | → |
| Trinchera C Ab Turners Ranch | 6 cfs | → |
| Trinchera C Ab Mtn Home Re | 3 cfs | → |
| Purgatoire River At Madrid | 9 cfs | → |
| Sangre De Cristo Creek Near Fort Garland | 2 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Brunelli.
Campgrounds
- Cordova Pass Picnic Area And Campground
- Yucca - Lathrop State Park
- Pinon - Lathrop State Park
- Bear Lake
- Blue Lake
- Purgatoire Campground
Fishing spots
- Wahatoya Lake Reservoir
- Daigre And Wahatoya Lake
- Horseshoe Reservoir (Lathrop Sp)
- Martin Lake
- North Lake
- Monument Reservoir (Trinidad)
Paddle runs
- Headwaters To Confluence With Medano Creek
- Headwaters At Medano Lake To Ends On The Sand Sheet Past The Southern End Of The Dunes
More reservoirs
Track Brunelli 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 Brunelli
Where does the data for Brunelli 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 Brunelli.