Duck Slough dam
Duck Slough
Duck Slough, also known as Andrews Lake, is a state-regulated fish and wildlife pond located in San Juan County, Colorado. The dam, completed in 1956, stands at 24 feet high and serves as a vital resource for recreation and conservation efforts in the area. With a normal storage capacity of 131 acre-feet and a maximum discharge of 882 cubic feet per second, the dam plays a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance of the surrounding E Lime Creek watershed.
Despite its low hazard potential and fair condition assessment, Duck Slough poses a high risk level due to its age and the lack of recent risk management measures. The dam's emergency action plan was last revised in 1993, highlighting the need for updated guidelines and preparedness in the event of a potential breach or overflow. With its picturesque location in the heart of Colorado's natural beauty, Duck Slough serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between water resource management and climate 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 Duck Slough -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Animas River Below Silverton | 646 cfs | → |
| Mineral Creek At Silverton | 225 cfs | → |
| Animas River At Silverton | 281 cfs | → |
| Cement Creek At Silverton | 59 cfs | → |
| Animas River At Howardsville | 262 cfs | → |
| Animas River Above Tacoma | 1,290 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Duck Slough.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
- Little Molas Lake Campground
- Molas Lake Public Park
- Molas Lake Campground
- Kendall Campground
- South Mineral
- South Mineral Campground
Fishing spots
- Andrews Lake Swa
- Haviland Lake
- Sheep Corrals Fishing Site
- North Fork Animas River
- Elbert Creek
- Woods Lake
Paddle runs
- Animas River
- South Mineral Creek
- Mineral Creek
- Rincon La Osa--Headwaters To Confluence With Los Pinos
- San Miguel River Segment 1
- Rincon La Vaca--Headwaters To Confluence With Los Pinos
More reservoirs
Track Duck Slough 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 Duck Slough
Where does the data for Duck Slough 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 Duck Slough.