Floodwater Ret. B-3 dam
Floodwater Ret. B-3
Floodwater Retention B-3 is a privately owned earth dam located in Larimer County, Colorado, near the city of Wellington. Completed in 1979 by the USDA NRCS, this dam stands at a height of 50 feet and has a length of 3000 feet, with a primary purpose of flood risk reduction along Coal Creek. With a storage capacity of 6015 acre-feet and a drainage area of 60 square miles, this dam plays a crucial role in mitigating flood hazards in the region.
Despite its high hazard potential, Floodwater Retention B-3 has been assessed as satisfactory in terms of condition, with the last inspection taking place in September 2019. The dam does not have a spillway but is equipped with outlet gates and has a maximum discharge capacity of 17,000 cubic feet per second. The risk assessment for this structure is classified as high, highlighting the importance of regular inspections and maintenance to ensure its continued effectiveness in flood risk reduction.
With its strategic location and significant storage capacity, Floodwater Retention B-3 serves as a vital asset in managing flood risks in Larimer County. As climate change continues to impact precipitation patterns and increase the frequency of extreme weather events, structures like this earth dam play a crucial role in protecting communities and infrastructure from the devastating effects of flooding.
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 Floodwater Ret. B-3 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| North Fork Cache La Poudre R. At Livermore | 6 cfs | → |
| Cache La Poudre River At Fort Collins | 273 cfs | → |
| Cache La Poudre R A Mo Of Cn | 604 cfs | → |
| Cache La Poudre R Ab Boxelder C | 289 cfs | → |
| N Frk Cache La Poudre R Blw Halligan Res Nr V Dal | 1 cfs | → |
| Crow Creek At 19th Street | 3 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Floodwater Ret. B-3.
Boat launches
- Filter Plant River Access Point (Put-In)
- Bridges River Access Point (Take-Out #2)
- Bridges River Access Point (Take-Out)
- Bridges River Access Point (Put-In)
- Pineview River Access Point (Put-In, Take-Out)
- Boat Ramp Larimer County
Campgrounds
- Ansel Watrous Campground
- Ansel Watrous
- Inlet Bay - Horsetooth Reservoir
- South Bay - Horsetooth Reservoir
- Stove Prairie
- Stove Prairie Campground
Fishing spots
- Smith Lake (Lar. Cty.) (Boxelder #3)
- Douglas Reservoir
- Greenbriar Park Lake
- Seaman Reservoir
- North Shields Ponds
- Watson Lake
Track Floodwater Ret. B-3 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 Floodwater Ret. B-3
Where does the data for Floodwater Ret. B-3 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 Floodwater Ret. B-3.