Pinery dam
Pinery
Pinery, also known as Bingham, is a significant Earth type dam located in Parker, Colorado. Completed in 1970, it serves as a vital water supply source for the region, with a maximum storage capacity of 440 acre-feet and a normal storage capacity of 315 acre-feet. The dam stands at a height of 68 feet, with a hydraulic height of 65 feet, and a structural height of 70 feet, providing crucial water resources for the surrounding area.
Managed by the local government and regulated by the Colorado Department of Water Resources, Pinery Dam plays a critical role in water supply and recreation in the region. With a drainage area of 1 square mile and a spillway width of 150 feet, the dam has a significant hazard potential but is currently assessed to be in satisfactory condition. The last inspection in August 2020 confirmed its structural integrity, ensuring its continued operation and contribution to water resource management in Douglas County, Colorado.
Situated on Cherry Creek, Pinery Dam not only supports water supply needs but also offers recreational opportunities for the community. With its strategic location and high-risk assessment, the dam remains a key asset in the region's water infrastructure, highlighting the importance of effective management and maintenance to ensure its continued reliability and safety for both water resource and climate enthusiasts.
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 Pinery -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cherry Creek Near Franktown | 3 cfs | → |
| East Plum Cr Blw Haskins Gulch Nr Castle Rock | 8 cfs | → |
| Big Dry Creek Blw C-470 At Highlands Ranch | 1 cfs | → |
| Plum Creek Near Sedalia | 19 cfs | → |
| Cherry Creek Below Cherry Creek Lake | 41 cfs | → |
| Plum Creek At Titan Rd Nr Louviers | 7 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Pinery.
Boat launches
- Cherry Creek Park Road Centennial
- Chatfield Lake North Boat Ramp
- West Quincy Avenue Denver
- Fisherman's Trail Lakewood
- C-470 Trail Lakewood
- West 69th Avenue 4700, Westminster
Campgrounds
- Casey Jones Park
- Cherry Creek State Park
- Arapahoe Group Site
- Cherokee Group Site
- Chief Ouray Group Site
- Chatfield State Park
Fishing spots
- Pinery Reservoir
- Bingham Lake-Pinery Reservoir
- Salisbury Park
- Aurora Reservoir
- Quincy Reservoir
- Cherry Creek Reservoir
Track Pinery 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 Pinery
Where does the data for Pinery 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 Significant 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 Pinery.