Dreyfus dam
Dreyfus
Dreyfus, a privately owned dam located in Cedaredge, Colorado, has been serving its primary purpose of irrigation since its completion in 1961. This Earth-type dam stands at 29 feet tall and stretches 420 feet in length, with a storage capacity of 170 acre-feet. Situated on the Surface Creek-TR river or stream, Dreyfus plays a crucial role in water resource management in Delta County, Colorado, supporting agriculture and ensuring water availability for the surrounding area.
Despite being classified as having a low hazard potential and fair condition assessment, Dreyfus poses a high risk due to its location and the possibility of potential hazards. The dam lacks a spillway and relies on slide gates for outlet control, which may present challenges in managing water flow during peak periods. Inspected every six years, the last assessment was conducted in August 2011, highlighting the need for ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure the safety and reliability of this vital water infrastructure.
As climate change continues to impact water resources, dams like Dreyfus play a critical role in mitigating the effects of droughts and floods by storing and regulating water flow. With the state of Colorado permitting and regulating its operations, Dreyfus remains a key component of the local water management infrastructure, emphasizing the importance of sustainable water resource management practices for the future.
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 Dreyfus -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Surface Creek Near Cedaredge | 35 cfs | → |
| Big Creek At Upper Station | 8 cfs | → |
| Surface Creek At Cedaredge | 39 cfs | → |
| North Fk Gunnison River Above Mouth Nr Lazear | 482 cfs | → |
| E Fork Terror Cr Blw Cottonwood Stomp Nr Bowie | 0 cfs | → |
| North Fork Gunnison River Below Paonia | 49 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Dreyfus.
Boat launches
- Forest Road 125 Delta County
- Big Creek Reservoir Boat Launch Grand Valley Rd
- Forest Road 121 Mesa County
- Lakeshore Drive Delta County
- Ward Lake Boat Access - Grand Valley Rd
- State Highway 65 25261, Delta County
Campgrounds
- Twin Lake Dispersed Camping Area
- Twin Lake
- Weir & Johnson Campground - Grand Valley Rd
- Weir And Johnson
- Big Creek
- Big Creek Campground - Grand Valley Rd
Fishing spots
Track Dreyfus 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 Dreyfus
Where does the data for Dreyfus 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 Dreyfus.