Lone Cabin dam
Lone Cabin
Lone Cabin, a privately owned irrigation dam located in Paonia, Colorado, stands as a crucial water resource structure along the Minnesota Creek-TR. Built in 1936, this earth dam with stone core serves multiple purposes including fire protection, stock and small fish pond maintenance, and irrigation. With a height of 37 feet and a length of 697 feet, the dam has a storage capacity of 200 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 13 acres, supporting the local agricultural community.
Despite being classified as a low hazard potential structure with fair condition assessment, Lone Cabin is subject to state regulation, inspection, and enforcement, ensuring its safety and operational efficiency. The dam's outlet gates include a slide (sluice gate) and uncontrolled spillway, with a maximum discharge capacity of 61 cubic feet per second. The risk assessment for the dam indicates a high risk level (2), highlighting the importance of proper maintenance and emergency preparedness measures.
In the event of any unforeseen emergencies, the structure's Emergency Action Plan (EAP) status and risk management measures remain unspecified. However, with regular inspections, a history of state oversight, and a strategic location in the Sacramento District, Lone Cabin continues to play a vital role in water management and agricultural sustainability in the region.
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 Lone Cabin -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Creek Near Paonia | 4 cfs | → |
| Terror Creek At Mouth Near Bowie | 2 cfs | → |
| Hubbard Creek At Highway 133 At Mouth Nr Bowie | 4 cfs | → |
| North Fork Gunnison River Below Paonia | 49 cfs | → |
| North Fork Gunnison River Near Somerset | 836 cfs | → |
| E Fork Terror Cr Blw Cottonwood Stomp Nr Bowie | 0 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lone Cabin.
Boat launches
- Grand Avenue Delta County
- Bear Road Gunnison County
- Gunnison Forks
- Delta County
- South River Road Delta County
- Shea Road Delta County
Campgrounds
- Crawford State Park
- Williams Creek Dispersed Camping Area
- Paonia State Park
- Erickson Springs Campground- Paonia Rd
- Erickson Springs
- Lost Lake Campground-Paonia Rd
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- West Fork Terror Creek
- Deep Creek
- The Painted Wall To The Black Canyon Gunnison National Monument-Gunnison Gorge Wilderness Boundary
- The Southern Boundary Of The Black Canyon Gunnison National Monument To The Painted Wall
- Gunnison Gorge
- Bogan Canyon
More reservoirs
Track Lone Cabin 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 Lone Cabin
Where does the data for Lone Cabin 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 Lone Cabin.