Elder dam
Elder
Elder, located in Larimer County, Colorado, is a privately owned dam that serves primarily for irrigation purposes along the Cache la Poudre River. Built in 1904, this Earth dam stands at a height of 21 feet and has a storage capacity of 1094 acre-feet. The dam also offers recreational opportunities in addition to its irrigation functions.
Managed and regulated by the Colorado Department of Water Resources, Elder Dam is subject to regular inspections to ensure its structural integrity and safety. With a high hazard potential due to its location and the volume of water it holds, the dam has been assessed as being in satisfactory condition as of the last inspection in May 2020. Despite the moderate risk associated with the dam, it continues to play a vital role in water resource management in the region.
Elder Dam, with its significant storage capacity and historical importance, serves as a crucial infrastructure for water management in Larimer County. As climate change impacts water resources, the proper maintenance and regulation of dams like Elder are essential to ensure the safety of communities downstream and the efficient allocation of water for irrigation and recreation activities. With its location along the Cache la Poudre River, Elder Dam stands as a testament to the intricate balance between water resource utilization and environmental conservation 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 Elder -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cache La Poudre River At Fort Collins | 287 cfs | → |
| Cache La Poudre R Ab Boxelder C | 272 cfs | → |
| Cache La Poudre R A Mo Of Cn | 499 cfs | → |
| North Fork Cache La Poudre R. At Livermore | 5 cfs | → |
| Buckhorn Creek Near Masonville | 20 cfs | → |
| Big Thompson River At Loveland | 73 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Elder.
Boat launches
- Filter Plant River Access Point (Put-In)
- Boat Ramp Larimer County
- Bridges River Access Point (Take-Out)
- Bridges River Access Point (Take-Out #2)
- Bridges River Access Point (Put-In)
- Pineview River Access Point (Put-In, Take-Out)
Campgrounds
- Inlet Bay - Horsetooth Reservoir
- South Bay - Horsetooth Reservoir
- Boyd Lake State Park
- Ansel Watrous Campground
- Ansel Watrous
- Missile Site Park
Fishing spots
- Greenbriar Park Lake
- Mcmurry Ponds
- North Shields Ponds
- Douglas Reservoir
- Kingfisher Point Ponds
- Riverbend Ponds
Paddle runs
More reservoirs
Track Elder 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 Elder
Where does the data for Elder 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 Elder.