Little Gem dam
Little Gem
Little Gem is a local government-owned dam located in Cedaredge, Colorado, specifically on Ward Creek-TR. Built in 1948, this earth dam stands at 26 feet tall and spans 525 feet in length, primarily serving the purpose of water supply for irrigation and other needs in the area. With a storage capacity of 248 acre-feet and a normal storage level of 219 acre-feet, Little Gem plays a crucial role in water management within the region.
Despite being classified as having a low hazard potential and fair condition assessment, Little Gem carries a high risk level of 2, indicating the need for proactive risk management measures. The dam features a slide gate and uncontrolled outlet gates, with no spillway present. While last inspected in 2016, with a planned inspection frequency of every 6 years, the dam's emergency action plan status and adherence to guidelines remain unspecified. As water resource and climate enthusiasts, staying informed about the state and management of structures like Little Gem is vital for ensuring the sustainable use of water resources 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 Little Gem -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Big Creek At Upper Station | 20 cfs | → |
| Surface Creek Near Cedaredge | 34 cfs | → |
| Surface Creek At Cedaredge | 39 cfs | → |
| Plateau Creek Near Cameo | 23 cfs | → |
| North Fk Gunnison River Above Mouth Nr Lazear | 497 cfs | → |
| Colo River Blw Grd Valley Div Nr Palisade Co | 475 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Little Gem.
⚓ Boat launches
- Z Road Delta County
- State Highway 65 25261, Delta County
- Ward Lake Boat Access - Grand Valley Rd
- Lakeshore Drive Delta County
- Sunset Boat Access- Grand Valley Rd
- Forest Road 125 Delta County
⛺ Campgrounds
- Island Lake Campground - Grand Valley Rd
- Island Lake
- Little Bear Campground - Grand Valley Rd
- Cobbett Campground - Grand Valley Rd
- Carp Lake
- Ward Lake
🎣 Fishing spots
- Little Gem Reservoir
- Island Lake (Grand Mesa)
- Deep Slough Reservoir
- Ward Creek Reservoir
- Cobbett (Carp) Lake
- Ward Lake
🛶 Paddle runs
- Gunnison River Segment 2
- West Fork Terror Creek
- Roubideau Creek Segment 2
- The Painted Wall To The Black Canyon Gunnison National Monument-Gunnison Gorge Wilderness Boundary
- Roubideau Creek Segment 1
- Potter Creek
🛡 More reservoirs
More reservoirs →Track Little Gem 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 Little Gem
Where does the data for Little Gem 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 Little Gem.