Spitzley dam
Spitzley
Spitzley, a privately owned dam located in Craig, Colorado, serves the primary purpose of irrigation along Elkhead Creek. Built in 1986, this earthen dam stands at a height of 22 feet and has a length of 450 feet, providing a storage capacity of 70 acre-feet. While the dam has a low hazard potential, it is categorized as having a high risk due to its condition assessment not being rated and the lack of updated emergency action plans.
Despite being regulated by the Colorado Division of Water Resources and meeting state permitting and inspection requirements, Spitzley's risk management measures are not clearly defined. With a spillway width of 3 feet and a maximum discharge capacity of 50 cubic feet per second, the dam is not equipped with locks or outlet gates. Although the last inspection took place in 1997, the condition assessment remains unknown, posing potential risks to downstream communities in case of failure. Water resource and climate enthusiasts should closely monitor the updates on Spitzley to ensure proper risk management and emergency preparedness measures are in place.
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 Spitzley -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Elkhead Creek Above Long Gulch | 68 cfs | → |
| Yampa River Above Elkhead Creek Near Hayden | 1,310 cfs | → |
| Elkhead Creek Near Craig | 43 cfs | → |
| Elk River Near Milner | 861 cfs | → |
| Yampa River Below Craig | 1,390 cfs | → |
| Yampa River At Steamboat Springs | 721 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Spitzley.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
- Sawmill Creek Campground
- Headquarters - Yampa River State Park
- Freeman Reservoir
- Freeman Reservoir Campground
- South Beach - Yampa River State Park
- Hahns Peak Lake Campground
Fishing spots
- Elkhead Reservoir
- Freeman Reservoir
- Craig Justice Center Ponds
- Craig City Ponds
- Steamboat Lake
- Pearl Lake
Paddle runs
- Pumphouse To Double Bridges
- Lower Fish Creek
- Headwaters Of North, Middle And South Forks To Confluence Of South Fork With Encampment River
- Yampa River Segment 1
- Yampa River Segment 2
- 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
More reservoirs
Track Spitzley 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 Spitzley
Where does the data for Spitzley 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 Spitzley.