Grand Lake reservoir
Grand Lake
Grand Lake is a natural lake located in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. The lake has a long history, with Native American tribes using it as a hunting and fishing ground for centuries. During the late 1800s, the area around the lake was settled and transformed into a tourist destination, with steamboats and hotels catering to visitors. Today, Grand Lake is a popular destination for fishing, boating, and hiking.
The lake is fed by several streams, including the North Inlet and the Tonahutu Creek. Its waters flow into the Colorado River, making it an important part of the state's hydrology. Snowpack in the surrounding mountains is a significant source of water for the lake, and the Colorado-Big Thompson project diverts water from the lake to provide irrigation for agricultural land in northeastern Colorado. Despite its many uses, Grand Lake remains a pristine natural resource that is treasured by locals and visitors alike.
Daily levels at Grand Lake
Storage volume, pool elevation, and total release plotted from the operating agency's daily observations.
Storage
acre-ft · code 17
Pool Elevation
ft · code 49
Water surface elevation
feet · code 4
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 Grand Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Lake Outlet Blw Chipmunk Ln At Grand Lk | 193 cfs | → |
| Colorado River Bl Shadow Mountain Reservoir | 50 cfs | → |
| Colorado R Below Baker Gulch | 39 cfs | → |
| Colorado River Below Lake Granby | 124 cfs | → |
| Colorado River Near Granby | 91 cfs | → |
| Willow Creek Below Willow Creek Reservoir | 7 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Grand Lake.
Boat launches
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Campgrounds
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Fishing spots
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River runs
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About Grand Lake
Where does the data for Grand Lake come from?
Daily storage, pool elevation, and release rates are sourced from USGS, USBR, and USACE monitoring stations. Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
Storage observations are updated daily by the operating agency. The 15-day weather forecast refreshes throughout the day. Snoflo caches and renders the most recent observation -- check the "as of" timestamp on the storage card.
What does the Hazard 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 below 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 reservoir, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.