Kalcevic dam
Kalcevic
Kalcevic is a pivotal dam located in Westminster, Colorado, along the Clear Creek-TR river. Built in 1955, it stands at a height of 32 feet and serves the primary purpose of flood risk reduction. The dam is classified as an earth dam type with a spillway width of 271 feet and a maximum discharge capacity of 3985 cubic feet per second.
Managed by local government authorities, Kalcevic is regulated by the Colorado Department of Water Resources. With a high hazard potential and a satisfactory condition assessment, the dam undergoes inspections every three years to ensure its structural integrity and safety measures. Despite its moderate risk assessment, the dam's emergency action plan preparation and adherence to guidelines remain unclear.
Enthusiasts of water resources and climate science will find Kalcevic to be a significant infrastructure contributing to flood risk management in Adams County, Colorado. As a critical component of the region's water resource management system, Kalcevic's design by P. Kiely and ICON, along with its controlled spillway and uncontrolled outlet gates, demonstrate the commitment to maintaining the dam's functionality and safety standards.
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 Kalcevic -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Little Dry Creek At Westminster | 1 cfs | → |
| Clear Creek At Mouth | 3 cfs | → |
| South Platte R At 64th Ave. Commerce City | 90 cfs | → |
| Sand Crk Abv Burlington Ditch Nr Commerce City | 8 cfs | → |
| Big Dry Creek At Westminster | 0 cfs | → |
| South Platte River At Denver | 99 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Kalcevic.
Boat launches
- West 69th Avenue 4700, Westminster
- Standley Lake Trail Westminster
- Ralston Creek Trail Arvada
- West Quincy Avenue Denver
- Brighton
- Fisherman's Trail Lakewood
Campgrounds
- Standley Lake
- Tipi Village
- Clear Creek Rv Park
- Chief Ouray Group Site
- Cherokee Group Site
- Arapahoe Group Site
Fishing spots
- Camenisch Park Pond
- Twin Lakes Park Ponds
- Rotella Park Pond
- Clear Creek Pond
- Civic Center Park Lake (Thornton)
- Jim Baker Reservoir
Paddle runs
- Golden Whitewater Park
- Tunnel 1 To Golden Whitewater Park
- Idledale To Morrison
- Lower Boulder Canyon
- Upper Clear Creek
- Upper South Boulder Creek
More reservoirs
Track Kalcevic 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 Kalcevic
Where does the data for Kalcevic 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 Kalcevic.