Shawver dam
Shawver
Shawver, located in Jackson County, Colorado, is a privately owned irrigation dam completed in 1949. With a height of 15 feet and a length of 1420 feet, Shawver serves multiple purposes including irrigation, fire protection, stock, and small fish pond. The dam has a normal storage capacity of 278 acre-feet and a maximum storage of 403 acre-feet, with a surface area of 25 acres and a drainage area of 1 square mile.
Managed by the Colorado Department of Water Resources, Shawver is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced by state authorities to ensure its safety and functionality. The dam has a low hazard potential and a high risk assessment rating, indicating potential risks that need to be managed. Despite its age and the lack of recent condition assessments, Shawver remains an essential water resource infrastructure for the local community, particularly in times of irrigation and fire protection needs.
Located in the Deer Creek watershed and owned privately, Shawver plays a crucial role in water management in the region. With a primary purpose of irrigation, the dam contributes to the agricultural landscape of the area. As a significant feature in the Sacramento District, Shawver stands as a testament to the importance of water resource infrastructure in sustaining livelihoods and ecosystems in Colorado.
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 Shawver -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois Creek Near Rand | 64 cfs | → |
| Joe Wright Creek Above Joe Wright Reservoir | 3 cfs | → |
| Michigan River At Walden | 42 cfs | → |
| Michigan River Near Cameron Pass | 7 cfs | → |
| Joe Wright Creek Below Joe Wright Reservoir | 30 cfs | → |
| Grand River Ditch At La Poudre Pass | 101 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Shawver.
Boat launches
- Chambers Lake Boating Site
- Teal Lake Boating Site
- Cowdrey Lake Rec Site Boat Ramp
- Cowdrey Lake Rec Site Boat Dock
- Hilltop Boating Site
- Grand County
Campgrounds
- North Michigan - State Forest State Park
- Ranger Lakes - State Forest State Park
- Bockman - State Forest State Park
- The Crags - State Forest State Park
- Chambers Lake
- Denver Creek
Fishing spots
- Kidney Lake
- North Michigan Reservoir
- Slack-Weiss Reservoir
- Seymour Lake
- Ranger Lakes
- Joe Wright Reservoir
Paddle runs
- Begins 0.5 Miles Away From Trail Ridge Road To Ends Where River Segment Exits Rocky Mountain National Park
- Big South
- Headwaters To Ends 0.5 Miles Upstream From End Of Fern Lake Road
- Spencer Heights
- Headwaters To Fan Lake
- Headwaters To Ends 0.5 Miles Away From Trail Ridge Road
More reservoirs
Track Shawver 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 Shawver
Where does the data for Shawver 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 Shawver.