Cow Creek Lake dam
Cow Creek Lake
Cow Creek Lake, located in Carbon County, Wyoming, is a privately owned earth dam constructed in 1941 by designer Seymour S. Sharp. The dam's primary purpose is irrigation, serving multiple secondary purposes including fire protection, stock watering, and small fish pond creation. The lake has a storage capacity of 887 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 44 acres, drawing water from a drainage area of 8.8 square miles.
Despite its historical significance and utility in the region, Cow Creek Lake poses a high hazard potential due to its poor condition assessment and outdated infrastructure. The dam reaches a height of 28 feet and has a hydraulic height of 23 feet, with a maximum discharge capacity of 1733 cubic feet per second through an uncontrolled spillway. The last inspection in September 2019 revealed the need for significant maintenance and repairs to ensure the dam's safety and functionality.
Water resource and climate enthusiasts visiting Cow Creek Lake should be aware of its moderate risk level and the potential for emergency situations. While the dam has a valve-controlled outlet gate, there are concerns about its ability to withstand severe weather events or sudden increases in water flow. Efforts to improve the dam's condition and emergency preparedness are essential to mitigate risks and protect the surrounding community in Saratoga.
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 Cow Creek Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Encampment River Ab Hog Park Cr | 298 cfs | → |
| Little Snake River Near Slater | 309 cfs | → |
| Encampment River At Mouth | 378 cfs | → |
| Jack Creek Above Coyote Draw | 133 cfs | → |
| Slater Fork Near Slater | 60 cfs | → |
| South Brush Creek Near Saratoga | 18 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Cow Creek Lake.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
- Bottle Creek
- Haskin Creek
- Lost Creek
- Encampment River
- Encampment River Campsite 3
- Encampment River Campsite 1
Fishing spots
- Hog Park Reservoir
- High Savery Reservoir
- Saratoga Lake
- Big Creek Lakes Day Use Area
- Big Creek Lake(Lower)
- Big Creek Lake(Upper)
Paddle runs
- Encampment River
- Encampment River Wilderness Boundary To Medicine Bow Nf Boundary
- Wy-Co State Line To Encampment River Wilderness Boundary
- Headwaters (Continental Divide) And Its West Fork (From West Fork Lake) To North Section Line, Sec 21, T12n, R84w
- North Platte River
Track Cow Creek Lake 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 Cow Creek Lake
Where does the data for Cow Creek Lake 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 Cow Creek Lake.