Spanish Peaks Ranch #13 dam
Spanish Peaks Ranch #13
Spanish Peaks Ranch #13 is a private water resource located in Las Animas, Colorado, specifically in the city of Aguilar. This dam, completed in 1957, serves various purposes including fish and wildlife pond, recreation, and water supply. With a height of 34 feet and a length of 785 feet, it has a storage capacity of 62 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 5 acres. The dam is regulated and inspected by the Colorado Division of Water Resources, ensuring its structural integrity and safe operation.
Despite being classified as having a low hazard potential and a satisfactory condition assessment, Spanish Peaks Ranch #13 is considered to have a high risk due to its location and potential impact in case of failure. The dam lacks a spillway and outlet gates, which could pose challenges in managing excess water flow during heavy rainfall or flooding events. The last inspection in 2013 revealed no significant issues, but regular assessments and risk management measures are crucial to mitigate potential threats and ensure the safety of downstream communities and ecosystems that rely on the Apishapa River-TR for water resources and habitat maintenance.
As an essential feature of the Colorado water infrastructure, Spanish Peaks Ranch #13 highlights the importance of proper regulation, inspection, and risk assessment in managing dams for multiple purposes such as wildlife conservation, recreation, and water supply. Climate change and increasing water demands make it crucial for dam owners and regulatory agencies to prioritize safety measures and emergency preparedness to prevent disasters and safeguard the health of ecosystems that depend on these reservoirs.
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 Spanish Peaks Ranch #13 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cucharas River At Boyd Ranch | 5 cfs | → |
| Trinchera C Ab Turners Ranch | 6 cfs | → |
| Trinchera C Ab Mtn Home Re | 3 cfs | → |
| Purgatoire River At Madrid | 9 cfs | → |
| Sangre De Cristo Creek Near Fort Garland | 2 cfs | → |
| Ute Creek Near Fort Garland | 11 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Spanish Peaks Ranch #13.
Campgrounds
- Cordova Pass Picnic Area And Campground
- Blue Lake
- Bear Lake
- Purgatoire Campground
- Purgatoire
- Monument Lake Park
Fishing spots
- North Lake
- Monument Reservoir (Trinidad)
- Wahatoya Lake Reservoir
- Daigre And Wahatoya Lake
- Horseshoe Reservoir (Lathrop Sp)
- Martin Lake
Track Spanish Peaks Ranch #13 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 Spanish Peaks Ranch #13
Where does the data for Spanish Peaks Ranch #13 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 Spanish Peaks Ranch #13.