Colwich Park Dam dam
Colwich Park Dam
Colwich Park Dam, located in Sedgwick, Kansas, along the Cowskin Creek, is a local government-owned structure completed in 2008. This Earth-type dam stands at 9.5 feet tall and spans 1797 feet, with a storage capacity of 170.85 acre-feet. Despite being uncontrolled, the dam has a spillway width of 100 feet and is classified as having a high hazard potential due to its location.
Managed by the Kansas Department of Agriculture, the dam is subject to state regulations, inspections, and enforcement to ensure its safety and functionality. With a satisfactory condition assessment, the dam is deemed to meet guidelines for emergency action plans, although specific details on these measures are not provided in the data. The risk assessment for Colwich Park Dam indicates a moderate level of risk, suggesting a need for ongoing monitoring and management to mitigate potential hazards.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Colwich Park Dam offers a fascinating case study in dam infrastructure and management. Its presence along the Cowskin Creek highlights the importance of effective regulation and inspection to safeguard communities and ecosystems from the impacts of dam failures. With its high hazard potential and moderate risk assessment, ongoing attention to the maintenance and monitoring of Colwich Park Dam is crucial to ensure its continued safety and resilience in the face of changing environmental 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 Colwich Park Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cowskin C At 119th St At Wichita | 1 cfs | → |
| Floodway At L Arkansas R At Valley Center | · | → |
| Arkansas R Nr Maize | 93 cfs | → |
| Floodway At Arkansas R At Wichita | · | → |
| L Arkansas R At Valley Center | 31 cfs | → |
| L Arkansas R Nr Sedgwick | 22 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Colwich Park Dam.
Boat launches
- East 45th Street North 1221, Park City
- Wichita
- East 29th Street North Wichita
- West 55th Street South 1378, Wichita
Track Colwich Park Dam 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 Colwich Park Dam
Where does the data for Colwich Park Dam 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 Colwich Park Dam.