Van Valkenburg dam
Van Valkenburg
Located in Jackson County, Colorado, Van Valkenburg is a privately owned earth dam that was completed in 1950. This multipurpose structure primarily serves for fire protection, stock, and small fish pond purposes. With a height of 12 feet and a length of 700 feet, Van Valkenburg has a storage capacity of 74 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 10 acres. Situated on the Little Grizzly Creek, this dam plays a crucial role in irrigation and water resource management in the region.
Despite being classified as having a low hazard potential, Van Valkenburg is considered to have a high risk rating due to its outdated infrastructure and lack of recent assessments. The dam has not been inspected since July 1979, with an inspection frequency of every 6 years. While it is regulated by the Colorado Division of Water Resources and falls under state jurisdiction for permitting, inspection, and enforcement, there are no emergency action plans in place or updated inundation maps prepared for potential risks. With its strategic location and significant impact on the local ecosystem, there is a pressing need for modernization and risk mitigation measures to ensure the safety and sustainability of Van Valkenburg for the future.
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 Van Valkenburg -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois Creek Near Rand | 72 cfs | → |
| Fish Cr At Upper Sta Nr Steamboat Springs | 357 cfs | → |
| Walton Creek Near Steamboat Springs | 230 cfs | → |
| Yampa River At Steamboat Springs | 865 cfs | → |
| Muddy Creek Above Antelope Creek Nr. Kremmling | 16 cfs | → |
| Michigan River At Walden | 49 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Van Valkenburg.
Boat launches
- Teal Lake Boating Site
- Uncompahgre Road Routt County
- Cowdrey Lake Rec Site Boat Ramp
- Cowdrey Lake Rec Site Boat Dock
- Confluence Rec Site Boat Ramp
Campgrounds
- Hidden Lakes
- Hidden Lakes Campground
- Grizzly Guard Station Recreation Rental
- Grizzly Creek
- Dumont Lake Campground
- Teal Lake
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Roaring Fork (West Section Line Sec 28 T9n, R82w); Red Canyon (Nw1/4 Sec 5, T8n, R82w) To East Section Line Sec 34, T9n, R82w
- Lower Fish Creek
- Headwaters Of North, Middle And South Forks To Confluence Of South Fork With Encampment River
- Gore Canyon
- Colorado River Segment 4
- Begins 0.5 Miles Away From Trail Ridge Road To Ends Where River Segment Exits Rocky Mountain National Park
Track Van Valkenburg 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 Van Valkenburg
Where does the data for Van Valkenburg 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 Van Valkenburg.