Upper Lone Tree dam
Upper Lone Tree
Upper Lone Tree, located in Fremont County, Colorado, is a privately owned earth dam constructed in 1895 for irrigation purposes along Fourmile Creek. With a height of 17 feet and a length of 1190 feet, this dam has a storage capacity of 74 acre-feet, serving multiple functions including fire protection, stock water, and recreation. Despite its low hazard potential and satisfactory condition assessment, the dam poses a high risk due to its age and design, making regular inspections crucial to ensuring its safety and functionality.
Managed by the Colorado Division of Water Resources, Upper Lone Tree is subject to state regulation, permitting, and enforcement to maintain its integrity and compliance with safety standards. The dam's location in Canon City, just 2 miles from the city center, underscores its importance in providing water resources for agricultural irrigation and local community needs. With a maximum discharge capacity of 176 cubic feet per second and a surface area of 8 acres, the dam plays a vital role in water management in the region.
As a key structure in the Albuquerque District of the US Army Corps of Engineers, Upper Lone Tree stands as a testament to historic water management practices in Colorado. With a focus on sustainable water use and climate resilience, enthusiasts and stakeholders in water resources and climate change can appreciate the significance of this dam in supporting local agriculture, recreation, and environmental conservation efforts in the area.
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 Upper Lone Tree -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Arkansas River At Canon City | 389 cfs | → |
| Arkansas River At Parkdale | 514 cfs | → |
| Fourmile Creek Below Cripple Creek Near Victor | 4 cfs | → |
| Beaver Cr Abv Upper Beaver Cemetery Nr Penrose | 4 cfs | → |
| Beaver Creek Above Highway 115 Near Penrose | · | → |
| Arkansas River At Portland | 338 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Upper Lone Tree.
Boat launches
- Ahra - Parkdale Rec Site
- Ahra - Spikebuck Rec Site
- Ahra - Pinnacle Rock Rec Site
- Skagway Road Teller County
- Ahra - Lone Pine Rec Site
- Ahra - Canyon Trading Post
Campgrounds
- Grape Creek - Temple Canyon Park
- Sand Gulch Campground Campsite 16
- Sand Gulch Campground Campsite 15
- Sand Gulch Campground Campsite 14
- Sand Gulch Campground Campsite 13
- Sand Gulch Campground Campsite 12
Fishing spots
- Brush Hollow Reservoir
- Skaguay Reservoir
- Rosemont Reservoir
- Teller Reservoir
- Mcreynolds Reservoir
- Mason Reservoir
Paddle runs
Track Upper Lone Tree 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 Upper Lone Tree
Where does the data for Upper Lone Tree 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 Upper Lone Tree.