Smith Irrigation dam
Smith Irrigation
Smith Irrigation in Brighton, Colorado, is a privately owned dam with a primary purpose of irrigation. Built in 1908, this earth dam stands at 22 feet high and spans 1073 feet in length, with a storage capacity of 429 acre-feet. The dam, located on Todd Creek, also serves fish and wildlife pond and recreation purposes, making it an essential resource for the local ecosystem and community.
Despite being state-regulated and inspected, Smith Irrigation poses a high hazard potential due to its age and the surrounding area's population density. However, recent structural and hydraulic modifications in 1963 and 2003 have maintained the dam's satisfactory condition. With a maximum discharge capacity of 3378 cubic feet per second and a spillway width of 135 feet, the dam is well-equipped to handle any potential risks and emergencies, ensuring the safety of downstream areas.
Overall, Smith Irrigation is a crucial water resource in Adams County, Colorado, providing essential irrigation for agriculture, supporting wildlife habitats, and offering recreational opportunities for the community. With its strategic location on Todd Creek and its efficient design and management, this dam serves as a vital component of the local water infrastructure, highlighting the importance of sustainable water resource management in the face of climate change challenges.
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 Irrigation -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| South Platte River At Henderson | 181 cfs | → |
| Big Dry Creek At Mouth Near Fort Lupton | 18 cfs | → |
| First Cr Ab 96th Ave | 1 cfs | → |
| Big Dry Creek At Westminster | 1 cfs | → |
| South Platte River At Fort Lupton | 155 cfs | → |
| Clear Creek At Mouth | 3 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Smith Irrigation.
Boat launches
- Brighton
- Adams County
- West 69th Avenue 4700, Westminster
- Standley Lake Trail Westminster
- Lagerman Trail Boulder County
- Ralston Creek Trail Arvada
Campgrounds
- St. Vrain State Park
- Standley Lake
- Tipi Village
- Union Reservoir
- Boulder County Fairground
- Cherokee Group Site
Fishing spots
- Ken Mitchell Park Pond
- Marshall Reservoir
- Adams County Fairground Lakes
- Talbott Irrigation Reservoir
- Brighton City Park Lake
- Hunters Glen Lake
Track Smith Irrigation 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 Irrigation
Where does the data for Smith Irrigation 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 Irrigation.