Kettle Creek Diversion Dam dam
Kettle Creek Diversion Dam
The Kettle Creek Diversion Dam, located in Colorado Springs, serves as a critical flood risk reduction infrastructure along the Kettle Creek river. Designed by SKIDMORE, OWINGS, AND MERRILL and completed in 1961, this Earth dam stands at a towering height of 80 feet with a hydraulic height of 77 feet. With a storage capacity of 2700 acre-feet and a maximum discharge of 2750 cubic feet per second, the dam plays a crucial role in managing water resources in the region.
Owned and funded by the US Air Force, the Kettle Creek Diversion Dam is regulated and inspected by the same agency to ensure its structural integrity and operational readiness. The dam's spillway, with a width of 150 feet, is uncontrolled, adding to its high hazard potential. Although its condition assessment is listed as "Not Available," the dam meets regulatory guidelines and is equipped to handle emergency situations, as evidenced by the Emergency Action Plan last revised in March 2021.
Despite its moderate risk assessment rating, the Kettle Creek Diversion Dam stands as a testament to effective flood risk reduction measures in Colorado. With its strategic location and vital role in water resource management, this dam remains a key asset in safeguarding the surrounding communities and ecosystems from the impacts of extreme weather events and flooding.
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 Kettle Creek Diversion Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Pine Creek Abv Briargate Pkwy | 3 cfs | → |
| Monument Cr Abv Woodmen Rd At Colorado Springs | 19 cfs | → |
| Cottonwood Ck At Union Blvd | 4 cfs | → |
| Cottonwood Creek At Mouth | 5 cfs | → |
| Cottonwood Creek At Woodmen Rd Nr Colo Springs | 1 cfs | → |
| Monument Creek At Pikeview | 28 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Kettle Creek Diversion Dam.
Campgrounds
- Peregrine Pines Family Camp
- Peregrine Pines Military - Usaf Academy
- Thunder Ridge
- Thunder Ridge Campground
- Meadow Ridge
- 24
Fishing spots
- Deadmans Creek
- Pikeview Reservoir
- Nichols Reservoir
- Homestake Fishing Site
- Monument Lake (El Paso County)
- Rampart Reservoir
Paddle runs
Track Kettle Creek Diversion Dam 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 Kettle Creek Diversion Dam
Where does the data for Kettle Creek Diversion Dam 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 Kettle Creek Diversion Dam.