Clear Creek dam
Clear Creek
Clear Creek, located in Laramie, Wyoming, is a privately owned irrigation dam completed in 1910. The dam is classified as an earth dam with a height of 25 feet and a hydraulic height of 20 feet. It serves the primary purpose of irrigation and has a storage capacity of 92 acre-feet, with a normal storage level of 69 acre-feet. The dam spans 720 feet in length and has a surface area of 15 acres, regulating water flow from Clear Creek, a tributary of Crow Creek.
Despite its age, Clear Creek Dam is considered to have a low hazard potential but is in poor condition as of the last inspection in August 2019. The dam has an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 50 feet and one outlet gate. With a moderate risk assessment rating of 3, there is a need for ongoing risk management measures to ensure the safety and functionality of the structure. The dam is under state regulation and inspection by the Wyoming State Engineer's Office, with enforcement and permitting also overseen by the state agency.
In the event of an emergency, the dam lacks an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) and updated contact information, raising concerns about preparedness. However, Clear Creek Dam remains a vital resource for irrigation in the region, highlighting the importance of maintaining and monitoring its condition to mitigate any potential risks related to its aging infrastructure. For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Clear Creek Dam presents an opportunity to engage in discussions around the intersection of water management, infrastructure resilience, and environmental stewardship.
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 Clear Creek -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Crow Creek At 19th Street | 3 cfs | → |
| N Frk Cache La Poudre R Blw Halligan Res Nr V Dal | 38 cfs | → |
| North Fork Cache La Poudre R. At Livermore | 4 cfs | → |
| Cache La Poudre R A Mo Of Cn | 914 cfs | → |
| Cache La Poudre River At Fort Collins | 299 cfs | → |
| Cache La Poudre R Ab Boxelder C | 299 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Clear Creek.
Campgrounds
- F.E. Warren Afb Crow Creek Military
- Curt Gowdy State Park
- Vedauwoo
- Vedauwoo Campground
- Pole Creek Dispersed Campground
- Yellow Pine
Fishing spots
- Lake Absarraca
- Sloans Lake
- Lower North Crow Reservoir
- Granite Springs Reservoir
- Upper North Crow Reservoir
- Smith Lake (Lar. Cty.) (Boxelder #3)
Track Clear Creek 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 Clear Creek
Where does the data for Clear Creek 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 Clear Creek.