Hughes dam
Hughes
Hughes is a privately owned dam located in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, along Three Mile Creek. Built in 1935, this earth dam stands at 18 feet high and serves primarily for irrigation purposes, with additional recreational benefits. The dam has a storage capacity of 416 acre-feet and a normal storage of 88 acre-feet, covering a surface area of 24 acres and draining a 7-square mile area.
Despite being classified with a significant hazard potential, Hughes is currently in fair condition as of the last inspection in June 2019. The dam has undergone multiple modifications over the years, including structural, hydraulic, and mechanical improvements to ensure its safety and functionality. With a spillway width of 16 feet and an uncontrolled spillway type, Hughes remains a vital infrastructure for water resource management in the region, with a moderate risk assessment rating.
Overall, Hughes dam stands as a crucial piece of water infrastructure in Garfield County, Colorado, providing irrigation water and recreational opportunities to the community. With ongoing maintenance and periodic inspections, the dam continues to play a significant role in water resource management along Three Mile Creek, showcasing the importance of sustainable infrastructure for climate and water resource enthusiasts.
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 Hughes -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Roaring Fork River At Glenwood Springs | 1,310 cfs | → |
| Colorado River Below Glenwood Springs | 3,130 cfs | → |
| West Divide Creek Near Raven | 50 cfs | → |
| Roaring Fork River Near Emma | 542 cfs | → |
| Crystal River Ab Avalanche C | 853 cfs | → |
| Colorado River Near Dotsero | 1,240 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Hughes.
Boat launches
- South Canyon Boat Ramp
- I 70 Garfield County
- Grizzly Creek Garfield County
- New Castle
- Dotsero Landing Boat Ramp
- Wingo Boat Ramp
Campgrounds
- Thompson Creek Camp
- Lower Prince Creek Campground
- Upper Prince Creek Campground
- Tiki Mine Camp
- Coffee Pot Spring
- White Owl
Fishing spots
- Harvey Gap Reservoir
- Christine Lake
- Fryingpan River
- Deep Lake Fishing/Picnic Area Fishing Site
- Rifle Gap Reservoir
- Meadow Creek Lake
Track Hughes 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 Hughes
Where does the data for Hughes 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 Significant 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 Hughes.