Hinkley dam
Hinkley
Hinkley, also known as Mountain Supply #18, is a private irrigation dam located in Larimer County, Colorado. Completed in 1906, this earth dam stands at a height of 26 feet and spans a length of 1125 feet, providing a storage capacity of 1099 acre-feet. Situated on Boxelder Creek, Hinkley serves as a vital source of water for agricultural purposes in the region.
Managed by the Colorado Department of Water Resources (DWR), Hinkley is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced by the state to ensure its safety and functionality. With a low hazard potential and satisfactory condition assessment as of September 2019, this dam plays a crucial role in water resource management in the area. Its uncontrolled spillway, with a width of 55 feet, can handle a maximum discharge of 892 cubic feet per second.
Climate enthusiasts and water resource experts interested in the infrastructure and management of dams will find Hinkley to be a fascinating case study. From its historical significance to its current regulatory framework and risk assessment, Hinkley represents a balance between human intervention in water systems and the need for sustainable resource management. As part of the larger network of dams in Colorado, Hinkley contributes to the irrigation needs of the region while also highlighting the importance of maintaining infrastructure for future generations.
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 Hinkley -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cache La Poudre R Ab Boxelder C | 272 cfs | → |
| Cache La Poudre River At Fort Collins | 287 cfs | → |
| Cache La Poudre R A Mo Of Cn | 499 cfs | → |
| Buckhorn Creek Near Masonville | 20 cfs | → |
| Big Thompson River At Loveland | 73 cfs | → |
| North Fork Cache La Poudre R. At Livermore | 5 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Hinkley.
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
- Missile Site Park
- Boyd Lake State Park
- Ansel Watrous Campground
- Ansel Watrous
Fishing spots
- Riverbend Ponds
- Timnath Reservoir
- Greenbriar Park Lake
- Kingfisher Point Ponds
- Prospect Ponds (Fc)
- Arapaho Bend Ponds (Fc)
Paddle runs
Track Hinkley 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 Hinkley
Where does the data for Hinkley 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 Hinkley.