Heart Lake North Dike dam
Heart Lake North Dike
Heart Lake North Dike, located in Garfield, Colorado, is a state-regulated earth dam designed by Damon Runyan and completed in 1953 for recreational purposes. The dam stands at a height of 18 feet with a structural height of 24 feet and a length of 1337 feet, holding a maximum storage capacity of 5402 acre-feet of water from the Buck Creek-TR stream. The dam has a spillway width of 50 feet and a low hazard potential, with a fair condition assessment as of July 2019.
The Heart Lake North Dike provides essential water resource management and recreational opportunities for the Meeker community. With a moderate risk assessment rating of 3, the dam undergoes inspections every 6 years to ensure its safety and functionality. The surrounding area offers a surface area of 329 acres for outdoor activities and a drainage area of 5 square miles, contributing to the overall environmental health and sustainability of the region.
Managed by the state and situated in a picturesque location, the Heart Lake North Dike serves as a vital infrastructure for water storage and flood control in the region. With its historical significance dating back to the 1950s, the dam continues to play a crucial role in water resource management, climate resilience, and recreational enjoyment for residents and visitors alike.
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 Heart Lake North Dike -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado River Below Glenwood Springs | 2,080 cfs | → |
| Colorado River Near Dotsero | 927 cfs | → |
| Roaring Fork River At Glenwood Springs | 829 cfs | → |
| Eagle River Below Gypsum | 440 cfs | → |
| White River Below North Elk Creek Near Buford | 520 cfs | → |
| Roaring Fork River Near Emma | 285 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Heart Lake North Dike.
⚓ Boat launches
- Lyon's Gulch Boat Ramp
- Cottonwood Island Boat Ramp
- Grizzly Creek Garfield County
- I 70 Garfield County
- South Canyon Boat Ramp
- Dotsero Landing Boat Ramp
⛺ Campgrounds
More campgrounds →🎣 Fishing spots
- Deep Lake Fishing/Picnic Area Fishing Site
- Meadow Creek Lake
- Meadow Lake Picnic Area
- Trappers Lake
- Lake Of The Woods
- Harvey Gap Reservoir
🛶 Paddle runs
- Headwaters At Deep Lake Outlet To 1/4 Mile Downstream
- 1/4 Mile Below Headwaters To Deep Creek Diversion Ditch
- Deep Creek Diversion Ditch To Blm/Private Land Boundary
- Deep Creek Segment 2b
- Headwaters To Flat Tops Wilderness Boundary
- Flat Tops Wilderness Boundary To Nf Boundary
Track Heart Lake North Dike 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 Heart Lake North Dike
Where does the data for Heart Lake North Dike 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 Heart Lake North Dike.