Englewood dam
Englewood
Englewood, also known as Little Dry Creek, is a flood risk reduction structure located in Arapahoe County, Colorado. Owned and regulated by the local government, this earth dam was completed in 1936 and stands at a height of 55 feet, with a hydraulic height of 55 feet and a structural height of 64 feet. The dam spans a length of 2300 feet and has a storage capacity of 3500 acre-feet, serving the primary purpose of mitigating flood risks along Willow Creek.
With a high hazard potential and a satisfactory condition assessment as of November 2018, Englewood is equipped with an uncontrolled spillway and outlet gates. The dam has undergone modifications in 1975 for structural enhancements, and regular inspections are conducted every three years to ensure its integrity. Despite its moderate risk assessment level, the structure has not experienced any major incidents and is deemed to meet guidelines for emergency action preparedness, although the last revision of the emergency action plan was in August 2020.
As a vital component of flood management in the region, Englewood plays a crucial role in protecting the surrounding community from potential inundation. With its strategic location and effective design, this dam serves as a key asset in enhancing water resource management and climate resilience 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 Englewood -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Big Dry Creek Blw C-470 At Highlands Ranch | 1 cfs | → |
| Cherry Creek Below Cherry Creek Lake | 41 cfs | → |
| Harvard Gulch At Colorado Blvd. | 0 cfs | → |
| South Platte River Below Union Ave | 21 cfs | → |
| Harvard Gulch At Harvard Park | 0 cfs | → |
| South Platte River At Englewood | 27 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Englewood.
Boat launches
- Cherry Creek Park Road Centennial
- Chatfield Lake North Boat Ramp
- West Quincy Avenue Denver
- Fisherman's Trail Lakewood
- C-470 Trail Lakewood
- West 69th Avenue 4700, Westminster
Campgrounds
- Chief Ouray Group Site
- Cherokee Group Site
- Arapahoe Group Site
- Cherry Creek State Park
- Chatfield State Park
- Bear Creek Lake Park
Fishing spots
- Cherry Knolls Pond
- Little`S Creek Pond
- Gallup Reservoir
- Ketring Lake
- Progress Park Pond
- Cherry Creek Reservoir
Track Englewood 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 Englewood
Where does the data for Englewood 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 High 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 Englewood.