Ethel Belmear dam
Ethel Belmear
Ethel Belmear, located in Dolores, Colorado, is a private water resource structure with a primary purpose of fire protection, stock, or small fish pond. Built in 1944, this earth dam stands at a height of 20 feet and has a length of 644 feet, providing a storage capacity of 130 acre-feet. The dam serves multiple purposes including irrigation and has a low hazard potential with a satisfactory condition assessment.
Managed by the Colorado Department of Water Resources, Ethel Belmear is regulated and inspected regularly to ensure its safe operation. The dam has an uncontrolled spillway type with one slide gate for outlet control. Despite being a moderate risk site, the structure has not required significant modifications since its completion. With a drainage area of 0 square miles and a maximum discharge of 635 cubic feet per second, Ethel Belmear plays a crucial role in water management for the surrounding area.
Ethel Belmear's location on Beaver Creek-TR in Slick Rock, Colorado adds to the diverse water resource infrastructure in the region. With its history of serving multiple purposes and its sound structural integrity, Ethel Belmear stands as a reliable component of the water management system in Dolores County. Enthusiasts of water resources and climate will find this site fascinating for its design, functionality, and contribution to the local ecosystem.
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 Ethel Belmear -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Dolores River Below Rico | 161 cfs | → |
| San Miguel River Near Placerville | 162 cfs | → |
| Dolores River At Dolores | 351 cfs | → |
| Lost Canyon Creek Near Dolores | 0 cfs | → |
| South Fork San Miguel River Near Ophir | 59 cfs | → |
| San Miguel River At Brooks Bridge Near Nucla Co | 80 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Ethel Belmear.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
- Mavreeso
- Mavreeso Campground
- West Dolores
- West Dolores Campground
- Miramonte Reservoir - Swa
- Dunton River Camp
Fishing spots
- Groundhog Reservoir
- Miramonte Reservoir (Dan Noble Swa)
- Woods Lake
- Mcphee Reservoir
- Narraguinnep Reservoir
- Joe Moore Reservoir
Paddle runs
- West Dolores---Source To Confluence With Mainstem
- Beaver Creek
- Dolores River - Mcphee To Bedrock Segment In Tres Rios Field Office
- Saltado Creek
- Naturita Creek
More reservoirs
Track Ethel Belmear 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 Ethel Belmear
Where does the data for Ethel Belmear 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 Ethel Belmear.