Ryan Gulch dam
Ryan Gulch
Ryan Gulch is a significant irrigation dam located in Larimer, Colorado, completed in 1950. With a height of 36 feet and a length of 894 feet, it provides essential water storage for the area, with a capacity of 1290 acre-feet. The dam serves the primary purpose of irrigation, supporting agricultural activities in the region.
Managed by a private owner, Ryan Gulch is regulated by the Colorado Division of Water Resources, ensuring state permitting, inspection, and enforcement are in place. The dam has a spillway type of uncontrolled, with a spillway width of 95 feet. Its hazard potential is classified as significant, but its condition assessment is satisfactory as of the last inspection in August 2019.
Water resource and climate enthusiasts will find Ryan Gulch a fascinating structure contributing to the water management infrastructure of the region. Its location and design make it a key asset for ensuring water supply for irrigation purposes, highlighting the importance of sustainable water management practices in the face of changing climate conditions.
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 Ryan Gulch -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Big Thompson River At Loveland | 73 cfs | → |
| Buckhorn Creek Near Masonville | 20 cfs | → |
| Cache La Poudre R Ab Boxelder C | 272 cfs | → |
| St. Vrain Creek At Lyons | 114 cfs | → |
| St. Vrain Creek At Mouth | 103 cfs | → |
| Cache La Poudre River At Fort Collins | 287 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Ryan Gulch.
Boat launches
- Boat Ramp Larimer County
- Lagerman Trail Boulder County
- Filter Plant River Access Point (Put-In)
- Bridges River Access Point (Take-Out)
- Bridges River Access Point (Take-Out #2)
- Bridges River Access Point (Put-In)
Campgrounds
- Boyd Lake State Park
- Carter Lake - North Side Campgrounds
- North Pine Campground
- Carter Lake - South Side Campgrounds
- Flatiron Reservoir
- Pinewood Reservoir
Fishing spots
- River`S Edge And Jayhawker Ponds
- Loveland Service Center Pond
- Boedecker Reservoir
- Lon Hagler Reservoir
- Lake Loveland
- Lonetree Reservoir
Paddle runs
- Black Bear Hole & A-Hole
- October Hole
- Main Section
- Gnar Section
- Ssv - Confluence To Picnic Grounds
- Filter Plant
More reservoirs
Track Ryan Gulch 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 Ryan Gulch
Where does the data for Ryan Gulch 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 Ryan Gulch.