Little Grouse dam
Little Grouse
Little Grouse is a private irrigation dam located in Delta, Colorado, along Young's Creek. Built in 1956, this earth dam stands at a height of 21 feet and has a storage capacity of 70 acre-feet. The dam serves the primary purpose of irrigation and is regulated by the Colorado Division of Water Resources, with state permitting, inspection, and enforcement in place to ensure its safety and compliance with regulations.
Despite its low hazard potential and fair condition assessment, Little Grouse poses a high risk due to its location and the surrounding area's vulnerability to climate change impacts. With a maximum discharge of 240 cubic feet per second and no spillway in place, the dam's risk management measures and emergency preparedness plans are crucial for minimizing potential downstream impacts in the event of a breach or failure. The dam's inspection frequency of 6 years and its last assessment date in September 2015 highlight the importance of regular monitoring and maintenance to safeguard its integrity and functionality.
As a key water resource infrastructure in the region, Little Grouse plays a vital role in supporting agricultural activities and water supply reliability. Climate enthusiasts and water resource professionals can appreciate the complexities involved in managing and maintaining dams like Little Grouse, especially in the face of changing environmental conditions and the need for sustainable water management practices to ensure long-term resilience and adaptability.
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 Little Grouse -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Surface Creek Near Cedaredge | 35 cfs | → |
| Big Creek At Upper Station | 8 cfs | → |
| Surface Creek At Cedaredge | 39 cfs | → |
| North Fk Gunnison River Above Mouth Nr Lazear | 482 cfs | → |
| N.F. Gunnison R Blw Leroux Cr | 523 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 Little Grouse.
Boat launches
- Lakeshore Drive Delta County
- Ward Lake Boat Access - Grand Valley Rd
- Forest Road 125 Delta County
- State Highway 65 25261, Delta County
- Z Road Delta County
- Big Creek Reservoir Boat Launch Grand Valley Rd
Campgrounds
- Kiser Creek
- Eggleston
- Crag Crest Campground - Grand Valley Rd
- Ward Lake Campground - Grand Valley Rd
- Ward Lake
- Carp Lake
Fishing spots
Track Little Grouse 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 Little Grouse
Where does the data for Little Grouse 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 Little Grouse.