6th Avenue W. Pond #3 dam
6th Avenue W. Pond #3
6th Avenue W. Pond #3, located in Lakewood, Colorado, was designed by Emmett Lane and completed in 1974 for the primary purpose of flood risk reduction along the Lakewood Gulch-TR river or stream. This earth dam structure stands at 37 feet high with a hydraulic height of 23 feet and a length of 150 feet, providing a storage capacity of 18 acre-feet. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment in 2016 was deemed unsatisfactory, highlighting the need for maintenance and inspection to ensure its continued effectiveness in flood control.
Managed by local government authorities and regulated by the Colorado Division of Water Resources, 6th Avenue W. Pond #3 undergoes regular inspections every three years to monitor its structural integrity and safety. The dam's maximum discharge capacity reaches 315 cubic feet per second, with no spillway in place for overflow management. Even though the risk assessment categorizes the site as high risk, measures for risk management and emergency action planning have not been fully implemented, raising concerns for potential inundation and the need for updated safety protocols.
As a crucial infrastructure for flood mitigation in the area, 6th Avenue W. Pond #3 serves as a vital component in safeguarding the surrounding community from water-related disasters. With its strategic location and purposeful design, this earth dam plays a significant role in water resource management and climate resilience efforts, emphasizing the importance of proactive maintenance and risk mitigation strategies to ensure its long-term functionality and safety for the residents of Lakewood.
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 6th Avenue W. Pond #3 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Bear Creek Above Bear Creek Lake Near Morrison | 6 cfs | → |
| Clear Creek At Golden | 115 cfs | → |
| Bear Creek At Morrison | 16 cfs | → |
| Bear Creek At Mouth | 16 cfs | → |
| Cherry Creek At Denver | 42 cfs | → |
| South Platte River At Denver | 103 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near 6th Avenue W. Pond #3.
Boat launches
- Fisherman's Trail Lakewood
- C-470 Trail Lakewood
- West Quincy Avenue Denver
- Ralston Creek Trail Arvada
- West 69th Avenue 4700, Westminster
- Standley Lake Trail Westminster
Campgrounds
- Bear Creek Lake Park
- Clear Creek Rv Park
- Gennessee Ropes Camp Spot
- Standley Lake
- Tipi Village
- Chatfield State Park
Fishing spots
- Union Square Ponds
- Main Reservoir
- East Reservoir
- Smith Reservoir (Lakewood)
- Cottonwood Park Lake (Kipling & Jewell)
- Kendrick Reservoir
Paddle runs
- Golden Whitewater Park
- Idledale To Morrison
- Tunnel 1 To Golden Whitewater Park
- Upper Clear Creek
- Foxton
- Upper South Boulder Creek
More reservoirs
Track 6th Avenue W. Pond #3 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 6th Avenue W. Pond #3
Where does the data for 6th Avenue W. Pond #3 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 6th Avenue W. Pond #3.