La Gunita dam
La Gunita
La Gunita, also known as Pass Creek Lake, is a federal-owned Earth dam located in Mineral County, Colorado. This reservoir has a height of 17 feet and a storage capacity of 50 acre-feet, with a surface area of 6 acres. The dam is regulated and inspected by the Colorado Division of Water Resources, ensuring its safety and compliance with state regulations.
Despite its low hazard potential, La Gunita poses a moderate risk due to its condition assessment being "Not Rated". The dam features an uncontrolled spillway and a single valve outlet gate for water release. Although the last inspection date is unknown, the dam undergoes inspections every 6 years, indicating a commitment to monitoring its condition and addressing any potential issues.
Located in the Sacramento District, La Gunita is a vital water resource in the Pass Creek-OS watershed. Climate and water resource enthusiasts can appreciate the importance of this dam in managing water flow and storage in the region. Overall, La Gunita serves as a key infrastructure for water management in Mineral County, Colorado, contributing to the resilience of the local ecosystem and supporting sustainable water use practices.
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 La Gunita -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| South Fork Rio Grande At South Fork | 434 cfs | → |
| Wightman Fork Bel Cropsy Creek At Summitville | 14 cfs | → |
| East Fork San Juan River Nr Pagosa Springs | -888 cfs | → |
| Wightman Fork At Mouth Near Jasper | 3 cfs | → |
| Alamosa River Above Wightman Fork Near Jasper | -999 cfs | → |
| Goose Creek At Wagonwheel Gap | 89 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near La Gunita.
⛺ Campgrounds
- Big Meadows Campground And Picnic Area
- Tucker Ponds Campground
- Big Meadows
- Tucker Ponds
- Park Creek Camp #1
- Park Creek - South Fork
🎣 Fishing spots
- Pass Creek Lake Fishing Site
- Tucker Ponds Fishing Site
- Big Meadows Reservoir
- Shaw Lake
- Alberta Park Reservoir
- Poage Lake Fishing Site
🛶 Paddle runs
- Headwaters (Sec 21, T38n, R1e) To 1/4 Mile Above Big Meadows Reservoir
- Below Big Meadows Reservoir Dam To Sec 9 And 10, T39n, R3e
- Sec 30, T41n, R2e To Sec 11, T40n, R2e
- East Fork--Unnamed Ponds Approx 1/4 Mile Below Continental Divide To Weminuche Wilderness Boundary
- El Rito Azul--Blue Lake (Sec 26, T35n, R3e) And Portion Of Conejos Above Platoro Reservoir To Upper Reach Of Platoro Reservoir--Sec 6, T35n, R4e
- Middle Fork--Sec 13, T35n, R2e To Confluence Of Three Forks--Sec 14, T35n, R3e
Track La Gunita 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 La Gunita
Where does the data for La Gunita 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 La Gunita.