Upper Sunshine dam
Upper Sunshine
Upper Sunshine is a privately owned irrigation dam located in Park County, Wyoming, near the town of Meeteetse. Built in 1942 by designer Howard F. Bell, this earth dam stands at a height of 154 feet and spans a length of 1150 feet, with a storage capacity of 65,100 acre-feet. The dam, situated on the Greybull River offstream, serves the primary purpose of irrigation and is regulated by the State of Wyoming, with inspections conducted regularly to ensure its structural integrity.
With a hazard potential classified as high and a condition assessment rated as fair, Upper Sunshine presents a moderate risk level that requires ongoing risk management measures. The dam features an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 40 feet and five valve outlet gates for water release. Despite its age, Upper Sunshine continues to play a crucial role in water resource management, providing irrigation water to support agricultural activities in the region. As a key infrastructure in Wyoming's water system, the dam exemplifies the intersection of human engineering and environmental stewardship in the face of changing climate conditions.
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 Upper Sunshine -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Greybull River At Meeteetse | 338 cfs | → |
| South Fork Shoshone River Near Valley | 187 cfs | → |
| South Fork Shoshone River Ab Buffalo Bill Res | 1,250 cfs | → |
| Cottonwood C At High Island Rnch Nr Hamilton Dome | 1 cfs | → |
| Shoshone River Below Buffalo Bill Reservoir | 315 cfs | → |
| North Fork Shoshone River At Wapiti | 3,750 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Upper Sunshine.
Campgrounds
- Wood River
- Brown Mountain Campground
- Brown Mountain
- Bobcat-Houlihan Lower Camping Area
- Bobcat-Houlihan Recreation Area
- Bobcat-Houlihan Upper Camping Area
Fishing spots
- Sunshine Reservoir (Upper)
- Sunshine Lake (Lower)
- Buffalo Bill Reservoir
- Newton Lakes
- Torrey Lake
- Ring Lake
More reservoirs
Track Upper Sunshine 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 Upper Sunshine
Where does the data for Upper Sunshine 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 Upper Sunshine.