Noble dam
Noble
Noble is a privately owned irrigation dam located in Routt, Colorado, along Sutton Creek. Built in 1909, this earth dam stands at a height of 11 feet and has a length of 200 feet, providing a storage capacity of 63 acre-feet and serving multiple purposes including irrigation, fire protection, stock watering, and small fish pond maintenance. Despite its low hazard potential and not being rated for condition assessment, Noble has been regulated and inspected by the Colorado Division of Water Resources, ensuring its compliance with state permitting and enforcement regulations.
The dam's maximum discharge capacity is 68 cubic feet per second, with a surface area of 10 acres and a normal storage level of 33 acre-feet. The absence of a spillway and locks indicates a simpler structure, yet its critical role in water resource management for the surrounding area is paramount. Although it has not been modified in recent years and lacks certain emergency preparedness measures like an Emergency Action Plan, Noble remains a crucial asset for maintaining water supply and irrigation needs in the region, emphasizing the importance of ongoing monitoring and risk management efforts to ensure its continued functionality and safety.
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 Noble -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Yampa River Above Stagecoach Reservoir | 7 cfs | → |
| Yampa River Below Stagecoach Reservoir | 16 cfs | → |
| Piney River Near State Bridge | 140 cfs | → |
| Colorado River Near Kremmling | 220 cfs | → |
| Muddy Crk Blw Wolford Mtn Reser. Nr Kremmling | 20 cfs | → |
| Muddy Creek Above Antelope Creek Nr. Kremmling | 73 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Noble.
Boat launches
- Catamount Bridge Boat Ramp
- Two Bridges Boat Ramp
- Pinball Access Boat Ramp
- State Bridge Boat Ramp
- State Bridge River Access
- Radium Rec Site Boat Ramp
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
- Yamcolo Reservoir
- Bear Lake Fishing Pier
- Crosho Lake
- Stagecoach Reservoir
- Trappers Lake
- Lake Of The Woods
Track Noble 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 Noble
Where does the data for Noble 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 Noble.