Rocky Ford (Beaver) dam
Rocky Ford (Beaver)
Rocky Ford (Beaver) is a privately owned irrigation dam located in Minersville, Utah, on the Beaver River. Built in 1914, this earth dam stands at a hydraulic height of 64 feet and a structural height of 68 feet, with a length of 1575 feet. It has a storage capacity of 38,733 acre-feet and serves the primary purpose of irrigation in the region.
Managed by the Utah Division of Water Rights, Rocky Ford (Beaver) is state regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced, ensuring its safety and compliance with water resource regulations. Despite its high hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment is satisfactory, with the last inspection conducted in May 2020. With a drainage area of 531 square miles and a maximum discharge of 1000 cubic feet per second, this dam plays a crucial role in water management in the area.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Rocky Ford (Beaver) offers a fascinating glimpse into the history and engineering of irrigation infrastructure in Utah. Its location on the Beaver River, in the picturesque county of Beaver, underscores the vital role of dams in sustaining agriculture and water supply in arid regions. As a significant component of the local water management system, Rocky Ford (Beaver) exemplifies the careful balance between harnessing water resources for human use and protecting the environment for future generations.
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 Rocky Ford (Beaver) -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Beaver River At Adamsville | 1 cfs | → |
| Beaver River Near Beaver | 26 cfs | → |
| Sevier River Near Kingston | 9 cfs | → |
| East Fork Sevier River Near Kingston | 198 cfs | → |
| Clear Creek Above Diversions | 26 cfs | → |
| Coal Creek Near Cedar City | 28 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Rocky Ford (Beaver).
Campgrounds
- Minersville State Park
- Rock Corral
- Beaver Office Interpretive (Dispersed Camping)
- Lions Club Rv Park - Milford
- Little Cottonwood Campground
- South Creek (Lower) Trailhead
Fishing spots
- Anderson Meadow Rec Site
- Panguitch Lake
- Corn Creek
- Manning Meadows Cua Dispersed
- Navajo Lake
- Meadow Creek
Paddle runs
Track Rocky Ford (Beaver) 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 Rocky Ford (Beaver)
Where does the data for Rocky Ford (Beaver) 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 Rocky Ford (Beaver).