Smith dam
Smith
Smith is a privately owned dam located in Jefferson County, Colorado, near the city of Lakewood. Built in 1908, this earthen dam stands at a height of 28 feet and has a length of 2500 feet. Its primary purpose is for irrigation, with additional recreational benefits. The dam has a storage capacity of 822 acre-feet, with a normal storage level of 638 acre-feet.
Despite its age, Smith has been deemed to have a high hazard potential and an unsatisfactory condition assessment. The dam's spillway is uncontrolled, with a width of 410 feet, and it has a maximum discharge of 3500 cubic feet per second. The last inspection was conducted in May 2020, and the dam is regulated by the Colorado Department of Water Resources. With its location on Bear Creek-OS, Smith remains a crucial structure for water resource management in the region, but ongoing maintenance and risk management measures are essential to ensure its safety and functionality for the future.
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 Smith -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Bear Creek Above Bear Creek Lake Near Morrison | 7 cfs | → |
| Bear Creek At Mouth | 8 cfs | → |
| Bear Creek At Morrison | 18 cfs | → |
| South Platte River At Englewood | 43 cfs | → |
| South Platte River Below Union Ave | 26 cfs | → |
| Cherry Creek At Denver | 41 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Smith.
⚓ Boat launches
- Fisherman's Trail Lakewood
- C-470 Trail Lakewood
- West Quincy Avenue Denver
- Chatfield Lake North Boat Ramp
- West 69th Avenue 4700, Westminster
- Ralston Creek Trail Arvada
⛺ Campgrounds
- Bear Creek Lake Park
- Clear Creek Rv Park
- Chatfield State Park
- Gennessee Ropes Camp Spot
- Standley Lake
- Tipi Village
🎣 Fishing spots
- Smith Reservoir (Lakewood)
- East Reservoir
- Kendrick Reservoir
- Cottonwood Park Lake (Kipling & Jewell)
- Main Reservoir
- Bear Creek Ponds
Track Smith 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 Smith
Where does the data for Smith 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 Smith.