Peterson Lake dam
Peterson Lake
Peterson Lake, located in Boulder, Colorado, is a privately owned water supply reservoir with a capacity of 197 acre-feet. Built in 1961, this earth dam stands at 12 feet high and spans 88 feet in length, serving as a critical source of water for the surrounding area. Its primary purpose is water supply, with a normal storage capacity of 117 acre-feet and a surface area covering 18 acres.
Managed by the Colorado Department of Water Resources, Peterson Lake is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced to ensure its structural integrity and safe operation. The dam's spillway, with a width of 24 feet, is uncontrolled and designed to handle a maximum discharge of 345 cubic feet per second. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam received a satisfactory condition assessment during its last inspection in 2008, indicating a moderate risk level that requires ongoing risk management measures.
Situated along the Middle Boulder Creek, Peterson Lake is a vital component of the local water infrastructure, playing a crucial role in water supply management and supporting the surrounding ecosystem. With its historical significance and continued regulatory oversight, Peterson Lake stands as a testament to responsible water resource management in the face of changing climate conditions and evolving environmental challenges.
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 Peterson Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Middle Boulder Creek At Nederland | 101 cfs | → |
| Moffat Water Tunnel At East Portal | 178 cfs | → |
| Cabin Creek Near Fraser | 11 cfs | → |
| Ranch Creek Near Fraser | 3 cfs | → |
| South St. Vrain Creek Near Ward | 45 cfs | → |
| Fraser River At Winter Park | 19 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Peterson Lake.
Boat launches
- Miramonte Road Boulder County
- Ralston Creek Trail Arvada
- Cr 6 Grand County
- Us 34 Grand County
- Grand County
- Boat Launch Grand Lake
Campgrounds
- Caribou Dispersed Camping Area
- West Magnolia
- Kelly Dahl Campground
- Kelly Dahl
- Rainbow Lakes Campground
- Rainbow Lakes
Fishing spots
- Peterson Lake (Nederland)
- Lost Lake - Jpwa
- Barker Reservoir
- Yankee Doodle Lake
- Rainbow Lakes - Ipwa
- Jenny Lake - Ipwa
Paddle runs
Track Peterson Lake 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 Peterson Lake
Where does the data for Peterson Lake 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 Peterson Lake.