Viele Lake dam
Viele Lake
Viele Lake, also known as Balinger or Harlow Plats Park, is a picturesque body of water located in Boulder, Colorado. This local government-owned lake serves multiple purposes, including being a fish and wildlife pond, aiding in flood risk reduction, and providing recreational opportunities for visitors. The earth dam that forms Viele Lake stands at 19 feet tall and has a spillway width of 241 feet, ensuring the safety and stability of the structure.
Constructed in 1967, Viele Lake has a storage capacity of 240 acre-feet and a surface area of 20 acres. With its low hazard potential and satisfactory condition assessment, the lake is considered to have a moderate risk level. The surrounding area, including South Boulder Creek, adds to the scenic beauty and ecological value of the lake, making it a popular destination for water resource and climate enthusiasts interested in exploring the intersection of human infrastructure and natural ecosystems. With its recreational opportunities and important role in flood risk reduction, Viele Lake represents a harmonious blend of human and natural elements in the Colorado landscape.
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 Viele Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Boulder Creek Near Orodell | 94 cfs | → |
| Fourmile Creek At Orodell | 3 cfs | → |
| Boulder Cr At North 75th St Nr Boulder | 74 cfs | → |
| Coal Creek Near Plainview | 1 cfs | → |
| Left Hand Creek Near Boulder | 51 cfs | → |
| Big Dry Creek At Westminster | 0 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Viele Lake.
Boat launches
- Miramonte Road Boulder County
- Ralston Creek Trail Arvada
- Standley Lake Trail Westminster
- Lagerman Trail Boulder County
- West 69th Avenue 4700, Westminster
- Fisherman's Trail Lakewood
Campgrounds
- Camp Patiya
- Tipi Village
- Standley Lake
- Rifleman Phillips Group Campground
- Aspen Meadow - Golden Gate Canyon State Park
- Site 08
Fishing spots
Track Viele Lake 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 Viele Lake
Where does the data for Viele Lake 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 Viele Lake.