Santa Maria dam
Santa Maria
Santa Maria is a private dam located in South Fork, Colorado, with a primary purpose of irrigation. Completed in 1911, this earth dam stands at 102 feet tall and stretches 1250 feet in length, providing storage for up to 49,400 acre-feet of water. The dam serves multiple purposes including fish and wildlife pond, irrigation, and recreation, making it a vital resource for the local community.
With a high hazard potential but a satisfactory condition assessment as of July 2020, Santa Maria is closely regulated by the Colorado Department of Water Resources. The dam features an uncontrolled spillway and six outlet valves, with a maximum discharge capacity of 2100 cubic feet per second. Despite its age, Santa Maria continues to play a crucial role in managing water resources and supporting various activities in the area.
Enthusiasts of water resources and climate in the Mineral County area can appreciate Santa Maria's historical significance and ongoing importance in water management. As a key feature in the Boulder Creek-OS system, this dam symbolizes the intersection of human ingenuity and environmental stewardship, ensuring sustainable water usage for generations to come.
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 Santa Maria -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| North Clear Creek Bl Continental Reservoir | 17 cfs | → |
| Rio Grande At Thirtymile Bridge | 719 cfs | → |
| Rio Grande At Wagon Wheel Gap | 1,060 cfs | → |
| Goose Creek At Wagonwheel Gap | 131 cfs | → |
| Lake Fork Blw Lake San Cristobal Nr Lake City | 135 cfs | → |
| South Fork Rio Grande At South Fork | 562 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Santa Maria.
Boat launches
- Cr 10 Hinsdale County
- Rito Hondo Reservoir Boating Site
- Cr 11 Hinsdale County
- Devil's Creek Bridge Boat Ramp
- Alberta Lake Fishing Site
Campgrounds
- Bristol Head
- Bristol Head Campground
- North Clear Creek Campground
- North Clear Creek
- Silver Thread
- Silver Thread Campground
Fishing spots
- Brown Lakes Swa
- Road Canyon Reservoir
- Road Canyon Reservoir Number 1
- Road Canyon Dam Fishing Site
- Rito Hondo Reservoir
- Continental Reservoir Fishing Site
Paddle runs
- Below Rio Grande Reservoir (Sec 13, T40n, R4w) To Spring Creek (Sec 31, T41n, R2w)
- Sec 10, T42n, R1e To Sec 13, T41n, R1e
- Snowslide Canyon Creek--Headwaters To Confluence With Los Pinos
- Rincon La Vaca--Headwaters To Confluence With Los Pinos
- Middle Fork--Headwaters To Weminuche Wilderness Boundary
- Rincon La Osa--Headwaters To Confluence With Los Pinos
Track Santa Maria 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 Santa Maria
Where does the data for Santa Maria 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 Santa Maria.