Willow dam
Willow
Willow is a private dam located in Delta, Colorado, specifically in the city of Hotchkiss. Built in 1948, this earth dam stands at 28 feet high with a hydraulic height of 30 feet and a structural height of 35 feet. It serves primarily for irrigation purposes, with a storage capacity of 165 acre-feet and a normal storage of 120 acre-feet. The dam spans a length of 860 feet and covers a surface area of 9 acres, impacting a drainage area of 1 square mile.
Despite its low hazard potential and fair condition assessment, Willow poses a high risk due to its location and design features. The dam has no spillway and its outlet gates consist of a slide and uncontrolled mechanisms. The dam has been inspected as recently as July 2020 and is regulated by Colorado's Department of Water Resources, with state permitting, inspection, and enforcement in place. While it has not undergone significant modifications in recent years, the risk management measures and emergency preparedness plans for Willow are not clearly documented in available data. Water resource and climate enthusiasts interested in the management and safety of dams in Colorado may find Willow's profile intriguing for further study and analysis.
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 Willow -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| E Fork Terror Cr Blw Cottonwood Stomp Nr Bowie | 0 cfs | → |
| Hubbard Creek Above Iron Point Gulch Nr Bowie | 6 cfs | → |
| Surface Creek Near Cedaredge | 37 cfs | → |
| Terror Creek At Mouth Near Bowie | 2 cfs | → |
| Hubbard Creek At Highway 133 At Mouth Nr Bowie | 5 cfs | → |
| North Fork Gunnison River Below Paonia | 49 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Willow.
Boat launches
- County Road 535 Lafayette County
- County Road 553 Yalobusha County
- Engineers Point Boat Ramp
- Panola County
- Ms 315 Scenic Panola County
Track Willow 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 Willow
Where does the data for Willow 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 Willow.