Prebble dam
Prebble
Prebble, located in Cedaredge, Colorado, is a privately owned dam constructed in 1960 for irrigation purposes on Youngs Creek. Standing at a height of 19 feet and with a storage capacity of 310 acre-feet, Prebble primarily serves agricultural needs in the region. The dam, made of earth and stone core types with a soil foundation, spans 600 feet in length and covers a surface area of 26 acres.
With a low hazard potential and a satisfactory condition assessment as of the last inspection in October 2016, Prebble plays a crucial role in water resource management in Delta County, Colorado. Despite its age, the dam continues to operate efficiently, with a maximum discharge capacity of 441 cubic feet per second. Although the dam does not have a spillway, it is equipped with slide gates and uncontrolled outlets to regulate water flow.
While Prebble currently meets safety guidelines and has a risk assessment rating of 2 (considered high), ongoing monitoring and maintenance are crucial to ensure the continued reliability of this essential water infrastructure. As climate change impacts water resources, dams like Prebble will be vital in sustaining agricultural activities and supporting local communities in the face of evolving environmental challenges.
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 Prebble -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Surface Creek Near Cedaredge | 34 cfs | → |
| Big Creek At Upper Station | 6 cfs | → |
| Surface Creek At Cedaredge | 33 cfs | → |
| North Fk Gunnison River Above Mouth Nr Lazear | 170 cfs | → |
| N.F. Gunnison R Blw Leroux Cr | 143 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 Prebble.
Boat launches
- Lakeshore Drive Delta County
- Forest Road 125 Delta County
- Ward Lake Boat Access - Grand Valley Rd
- Big Creek Reservoir Boat Launch Grand Valley Rd
- Forest Road 121 Mesa County
- State Highway 65 25261, Delta County
Campgrounds
- Eggleston
- Crag Crest Campground - Grand Valley Rd
- Kiser Creek
- Ward Lake Campground - Grand Valley Rd
- Ward Lake
- Big Creek
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- West Fork Terror Creek
- Gunnison River Segment 2
- Roubideau Creek Segment 2
- The Painted Wall To The Black Canyon Gunnison National Monument-Gunnison Gorge Wilderness Boundary
- Deep Creek
- Gunnison Gorge
More reservoirs
Track Prebble 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 Prebble
Where does the data for Prebble 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 Prebble.