Cherokee Nw dam
Cherokee Nw
Cherokee Nw is a public utility dam located in Commerce City, Colorado, along the South Platte-OS river. Constructed in 2003 by W.W. Wheeler and Associates, this earth dam stands at a height of 19 feet and has a storage capacity of 157 acre-feet. With a surface area of 8 acres, Cherokee Nw serves as a vital infrastructure for water resource management in Adams County.
Despite its low hazard potential, Cherokee Nw poses a high risk due to its condition assessment being listed as "Not Rated". This calls for immediate attention to ensure the dam's safety and functionality in the face of potential climate challenges. While the dam lacks certain features like spillways and outlet gates, its critical role in water storage and management underscores the importance of regular inspections and risk assessments.
With Ed Perlmutter (D) as the representative for the area, Cherokee Nw falls under the jurisdiction of the Colorado Department of Water Resources. As climate change continues to impact water resources in the region, the maintenance and upkeep of infrastructure like Cherokee Nw will be crucial in ensuring the resilience of water systems and communities in the face of evolving environmental conditions.
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 Cherokee Nw -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| South Platte R At 64th Ave. Commerce City | 83 cfs | → |
| Sand Crk Abv Burlington Ditch Nr Commerce City | 8 cfs | → |
| Clear Creek At Mouth | 5 cfs | → |
| Little Dry Creek At Westminster | 1 cfs | → |
| South Platte River At Denver | 103 cfs | → |
| Cherry Creek At Denver | 41 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Cherokee Nw.
Boat launches
- West 69th Avenue 4700, Westminster
- Standley Lake Trail Westminster
- Ralston Creek Trail Arvada
- West Quincy Avenue Denver
- Cherry Creek Park Road Centennial
- Fisherman's Trail Lakewood
Campgrounds
- Standley Lake
- Tipi Village
- Chief Ouray Group Site
- Cherokee Group Site
- Arapahoe Group Site
- Cherry Creek State Park
Fishing spots
- Clear Creek Pond
- Twin Lakes Park Ponds
- Engineers Lake
- Rotella Park Pond
- Thornton Gravel Ponds #2 & #3
- Jim Baker Reservoir
Track Cherokee Nw 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 Cherokee Nw
Where does the data for Cherokee Nw 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 Cherokee Nw.