Horsetooth - Satanka Dike dam
Horsetooth - Satanka Dike
Horsetooth-Satanka Dike is a vital water resource infrastructure located in Larimer, Colorado, managed by the Bureau of Reclamation. Completed in 1949, this earth dam stands at a height of 33 feet and serves primarily for irrigation purposes, storing a maximum capacity of 170,370 acre-feet of water. With a normal storage capacity of 156,735 acre-feet and a surface area of 1,900 acres, this dam plays a crucial role in water supply management in the region.
The dam, situated in Fort Collins, Colorado, has a high hazard potential and is regulated by the Bureau of Reclamation, with inspection, permitting, and enforcement conducted by the same agency. The structure is associated with three other structures and is subject to regular inspections to ensure its safety and integrity. The risk assessment for the dam is rated as high (2), emphasizing the importance of ongoing monitoring and risk management measures to prevent any potential disasters.
Despite its age, Horsetooth-Satanka Dike continues to play a key role in water management in the region, highlighting the significance of maintaining and monitoring critical infrastructure to ensure the safety and sustainability of water resources in Colorado. As climate change continues to impact water availability and quality, the proper maintenance and regulation of dams like this one are essential for meeting the water supply needs of the local community and ensuring resilience in the face of changing environmental conditions.
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 Horsetooth - Satanka Dike -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cache La Poudre R A Mo Of Cn | 733 cfs | → |
| Cache La Poudre River At Fort Collins | 212 cfs | → |
| Cache La Poudre R Ab Boxelder C | 382 cfs | → |
| Buckhorn Creek Near Masonville | 22 cfs | → |
| North Fork Cache La Poudre R. At Livermore | 5 cfs | → |
| Big Thompson River At Loveland | 94 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Horsetooth - Satanka Dike.
Boat launches
- Boat Ramp Larimer County
- Filter Plant River Access Point (Put-In)
- 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
- Ansel Watrous Campground
- Ansel Watrous
- Stove Prairie Campground
- Stove Prairie
Fishing spots
- Watson Lake
- Horsetooth Reservoir
- Dixon Reservoir
- Ft. Collins City Park
- Sheldon Lake (City Park)
- North Shields Ponds
Paddle runs
Track Horsetooth - Satanka Dike 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 Horsetooth - Satanka Dike
Where does the data for Horsetooth - Satanka Dike 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 Horsetooth - Satanka Dike.