Paonia dam
Paonia
Paonia is a federally-owned dam located in Gunnison, Colorado, along the Colorado River, with a primary purpose of flood risk reduction. Completed in 1961, this earth dam stands at a height of 199 feet and has a storage capacity of 23,230 acre-feet, serving the community of Somerset and surrounding areas. Despite its high hazard potential, Paonia has been regulated and inspected by the Bureau of Reclamation to ensure its safety and reliability.
The dam also supports irrigation and recreation activities in the region, highlighting its multi-functional role in water resource management. With a spillway width of 30 feet and a maximum discharge of 12,500 cubic feet per second, Paonia has been designed to handle potential flood events effectively. The dam's risk assessment has been classified as moderate, reflecting the ongoing efforts to manage and mitigate any potential hazards associated with its operation.
Overall, Paonia represents a crucial infrastructure asset in the water resource system, showcasing the collaboration between federal agencies like the Bureau of Reclamation in ensuring the safety and functionality of dams for flood protection, irrigation, and recreational purposes in the state of Colorado. Its strategic location and design features make it a key component in the region's water management efforts, aligning with the broader goals of sustainable water resource utilization and climate resilience.
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 Paonia -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Muddy Creek At Bardine | 77 cfs | → |
| North Fork Gunnison River Near Somerset | 467 cfs | → |
| Hubbard Creek At Highway 133 At Mouth Nr Bowie | 4 cfs | → |
| Minnesota Creek Near Paonia | 4 cfs | → |
| Hubbard Creek Above Iron Point Gulch Nr Bowie | 6 cfs | → |
| Terror Creek At Mouth Near Bowie | 2 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Paonia.
Boat launches
- Bear Road Gunnison County
- Grand Avenue Delta County
- Gunnison Forks
- Delta County
- South River Road Delta County
- Forest Road 125 Delta County
Campgrounds
- Williams Creek Dispersed Camping Area
- Paonia State Park
- Erickson Springs Campground- Paonia Rd
- Erickson Springs
- Lost Lake Campground-Paonia Rd
- Lost Lake
Fishing spots
- Paonia Reservoir
- Beaver Lake Swa (Marble)
- Meridian Lake
- Lake Irwin
- Emerald Lake (Crested Butte)
- Overland Reservoir
Track Paonia 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 Paonia
Where does the data for Paonia 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 Paonia.