West #1 dam
West #1
West #1, located in Hotchkiss, Colorado, is a privately owned earth dam with a primary purpose of irrigation. Built in 1950 by RJH Consultants, this structure is regulated by the Colorado Department of Water Resources, ensuring proper inspection, permitting, and enforcement measures are in place. The dam stands at a height of 49 feet, with a hydraulic height of 41 feet and a structural height of 43 feet, providing a storage capacity of 616 acre-feet and a maximum discharge of 735 cubic feet per second.
Despite its fair condition assessment and high hazard potential, West #1 lacks a spillway, relying on slide and uncontrolled gates as outlet structures. The dam's high risk level is attributed to its location on Jay Creek-TR and its limited spillway capacity. With a surface area of 31 acres and a normal storage capacity of 470 acre-feet, West #1 serves as a crucial water resource for irrigation in the Delta County area. While the dam has not been modified in recent years, regular inspections and emergency action plans are necessary to mitigate potential risks and safeguard the surrounding community.
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 West #1 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| North Fork Gunnison River Below Paonia | 49 cfs | → |
| Surface Creek Near Cedaredge | 34 cfs | → |
| Terror Creek At Mouth Near Bowie | 2 cfs | → |
| E Fork Terror Cr Blw Cottonwood Stomp Nr Bowie | 0 cfs | → |
| N.F. Gunnison R Blw Leroux Cr | 529 cfs | → |
| Surface Creek At Cedaredge | 39 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near West #1.
Boat launches
- Grand Avenue Delta County
- Gunnison Forks
- Delta County
- Forest Road 125 Delta County
- South River Road Delta County
- Big Creek Reservoir Boat Launch Grand Valley Rd
Campgrounds
- Weir And Johnson
- Weir & Johnson Campground - Grand Valley Rd
- Twin Lake
- Twin Lake Dispersed Camping Area
- Cottonwood Grove Campground
- Blacker
Fishing spots
- Cedar Mesa Reservoir
- Weir & Johnson Reservoir
- Park Reservoir
- Overland Reservoir
- Vela
- Youngs Creek Reservoirs
Paddle runs
- West Fork Terror Creek
- Gunnison River Segment 2
- 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
More reservoirs
Track West #1 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 West #1
Where does the data for West #1 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 High 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 West #1.