North Poudre #1 dam
North Poudre #1
North Poudre #1, also known as Miners Lake, is a private irrigation dam located in Larimer County, Colorado. Constructed in 1885, this earth dam stands at a height of 16 feet and has a storage capacity of 899 acre-feet, serving primarily for irrigation purposes. The dam is situated on the Cache La Poudre River-TR and spans a length of 800 feet, with a surface area of 87 acres.
Despite its age, North Poudre #1 is in satisfactory condition and poses a significant hazard potential, with a moderate risk assessment rating of 3. The dam features an uncontrolled spillway, with a width of 50 feet, and has undergone regular inspections, with the last one conducted in June 2020. The dam is regulated by the Colorado Division of Water Resources and meets state permitting, inspection, and enforcement requirements.
Located in Fort Collins, North Poudre #1 plays a crucial role in supporting agricultural activities in the region. With its historical significance and continued operational functionality, this dam remains a key water resource infrastructure in Colorado, highlighting the importance of maintaining and monitoring dams for water supply and climate resilience.
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 North Poudre #1 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cache La Poudre R A Mo Of Cn | 417 cfs | → |
| North Fork Cache La Poudre R. At Livermore | 8 cfs | → |
| Cache La Poudre River At Fort Collins | 237 cfs | → |
| Cache La Poudre R Ab Boxelder C | 226 cfs | → |
| N Frk Cache La Poudre R Blw Halligan Res Nr V Dal | 1 cfs | → |
| Buckhorn Creek Near Masonville | 21 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near North Poudre #1.
⚓ Boat launches
- Filter Plant River Access Point (Put-In)
- Bridges River Access Point (Take-Out #2)
- Bridges River Access Point (Take-Out)
- Bridges River Access Point (Put-In)
- Pineview River Access Point (Put-In, Take-Out)
- Boat Ramp Larimer County
⛺ Campgrounds
- Ansel Watrous Campground
- Ansel Watrous
- Inlet Bay - Horsetooth Reservoir
- Stove Prairie Campground
- Stove Prairie
- South Bay - Horsetooth Reservoir
🎣 Fishing spots
- Douglas Reservoir
- Smith Lake (Lar. Cty.) (Boxelder #3)
- Seaman Reservoir
- Watson Lake
- North Shields Ponds
- Mcmurry Ponds
🛶 Paddle runs
More paddle runs →🛡 More reservoirs
More reservoirs →Track North Poudre #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 North Poudre #1
Where does the data for North Poudre #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 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 North Poudre #1.