Cottonwood Detention Dam dam
Cottonwood Detention Dam
Cottonwood Detention Dam, located in Fremont County, Colorado, serves multiple purposes including fire protection, stock, and creating a small fish pond. Owned and operated by the Bureau of Land Management, this gravity dam was completed in 1956 and stands at a height of 36 feet with a hydraulic height of 30 feet. With a storage capacity of 131 acre-feet, the dam primarily regulates the flow of water from a tributary to Cottonwood Creek, providing crucial water resource management for the area.
Despite its low hazard potential and fair condition assessment, Cottonwood Detention Dam plays a vital role in mitigating flooding risks and ensuring water availability for various uses in the region. The dam is equipped with an uncontrolled spillway and has a moderate risk rating of 3, indicating the need for ongoing risk management measures. With its strategic location and effective design, the dam serves as a key infrastructure for water resource management and climate resilience in the area, under the supervision of the Bureau of Land Management.
Overall, Cottonwood Detention Dam stands as a testament to effective water resource management and climate adaptation efforts in Colorado. As a critical piece of infrastructure for fire protection and water storage, the dam exemplifies the importance of proactive risk assessment and management in safeguarding communities and ecosystems from potential hazards. With its historical significance and ongoing role in water regulation, Cottonwood Detention Dam remains a key asset in the region's sustainable development and environmental stewardship efforts.
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 Cottonwood Detention Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Arkansas River Near Wellsville | 342 cfs | → |
| South Platte River Near Lake George | 248 cfs | → |
| Arkansas River At Parkdale | 456 cfs | → |
| Arkansas River At Salida | 278 cfs | → |
| Arkansas River Near Nathrop | 319 cfs | → |
| S Platte R Ab 11-Mile Canyon Re | 267 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Cottonwood Detention Dam.
Boat launches
- Ahra - Pinnacle Rock Rec Site
- Us 50 Fremont County
- Ahra - Rincon Rec Site
- Ahra - Point Bar Rec Site
- Ahra - Spikebuck Rec Site
- Thirtynine Mile Road Park County
Campgrounds
- Bassam Guardstation/Cabin
- Five Points - Arkansas Headwaters State Rec Area
- Point Barr
- Rincon - Arkansas Headwaters State Rec Area
- Spillway
- Salida East
Fishing spots
- Elevenmile Canyon Reservoir
- Eleven Mile Reservoir
- Sands Lake Swa
- Frantz Lake Swa
- Riverside Ponds (Mt. Ouray Swa)
- Spinney Mountain Reservoir
Paddle runs
Track Cottonwood Detention Dam 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 Cottonwood Detention Dam
Where does the data for Cottonwood Detention Dam 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 Cottonwood Detention Dam.