Muleshoe dam
Muleshoe
Muleshoe, also known as Hutch's Pond, is a private irrigation reservoir located in La Plata County, Colorado. Managed by the state regulatory agency DWR, this earth dam structure was completed in 1996 and serves the primary purpose of irrigation. With a dam height of 24 feet and a storage capacity of 52 acre-feet, Muleshoe provides water for agricultural use in the Bondad area.
Despite its low hazard potential and fair condition assessment, Muleshoe poses a very high risk due to its location and potential impact on the surrounding area. The reservoir has a controlled spillway type with a width of 35 feet and is equipped with slide and valve outlet gates for water discharge. Regular inspections are conducted every six years to ensure the dam's safety and integrity, with the last assessment taking place in September 2019.
Located on Basin Creek in the Albuquerque District, Muleshoe offers recreational opportunities in addition to its irrigation functions. With a surface area of 4 acres and a maximum discharge capacity of 100 cubic feet per second, this reservoir plays a vital role in water resource management in the region. For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Muleshoe presents a fascinating case study of a privately owned dam with significant implications for both agriculture and environmental sustainability.
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 Muleshoe -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| La Plata River At Hesperus | 79 cfs | → |
| Animas River Blw Durango Pump Plant Nr Durango | 1,120 cfs | → |
| Animas River At Durango | 1,130 cfs | → |
| Florida R Bl Flor Farmers Ditch | 12 cfs | → |
| Florida River At Bondad | -888 cfs | → |
| Salt Creek Near Oxford | -888 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Muleshoe.
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
- Animas River
- Pastorius Reservoir
- Jackson Gulch Reservoir
- Elbert Creek
- Joe Moore Reservoir
- Lemon Reservoir
Paddle runs
- West Dolores---Source To Confluence With Mainstem
- Confluence With Rincon La Vaca And North Fork To Northern Line Of Granite Peak Ranch
- Fdr 631 To Indian Creek
- Lake Creek--Headwaters To Confluence With Los Pinos
- Indian Creek To Co Hwy 160
- Dolores River - Mcphee To Bedrock Segment In Tres Rios Field Office
More reservoirs
Track Muleshoe 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 Muleshoe
Where does the data for Muleshoe 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 Muleshoe.