PUB00008

• Year: 2005
• Title: State Engineer's 20th Annual Report on Dam Safety
• CWCB Section: Finance
• Author: Division of Water Resources
• Description: State Engineer's 20th Annual Report on Dam Safety
• Publications - Doc Type: Other

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Program Mission

The mission of the Dam Safety Program is to prevent property damage and the loss oflife, while
protecting the loss of water supplies due to the failure of dams in Colorado through the effective
and efficient use of available resources. The program includes the enforcement of a
comprehensive set of regulations, policies, and procedures for the design, construction,
inspection, and maintenance of dams; the safe operation of reservoirs; and emergency
preparedness planning. In the event a dam is found to be unsafe, the risk of adverse
consequences due to failure of the dam is reduced by restricting the storage in the reservoir to a
safe level. The safe reservoir storage levels are determined by the results of engineering
analyses, the review and approval of engineered plans for the construction and repair of dams,
and regular safety evaluations of existing dams and reservoirs by licensed professional engineers.

The program is managed by the State Engineer in accordance with Title 37, Article 87 of C.R.S.
and the Livestock Water Tank Act, Title 35, Article 49 ofC.R.S. The "Rules and Regulations
for Dam Safety and Dam Construction" and "Standard Specifications for Livestock Water Tanks
and Erosion Control Dams" establish the procedures and requirements of the State Engineerin
the implementation of these statutes.

1.2 Report Purpose

This report is submitted in compliance with Section 37-87-114.4 ofC.R.S. concerning the dam
safety activities of the State Engineer and the Colorado Division of Water Resources relating to
Sections 37-87-105 to 37-87-114 ofC.R.S.

2.0 PROGRAM OVERVIEW

2.1 Goals and Objectives

The Dam Safety Program, although responsible for the approximately 2,900 dams within the
state, concentrates on 'jurisdictional" dams and reservoirs as defined in Section 37-87-105 of
c.R.S. Jurisdictional dams are dams that are greater than ten feet high as measured at the
spillway, impound a reservoir with twenty acres or more in surface area, or 100 acre-feet or more
in reservoir capacity at the high water line. Further, dams are classified as to estimated
downstream consequences as a result of failure of the dam in the absence of flooding conditions
as follows:

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Descrintion
Loss of human life is expected in the event offailure of the dam.
Significant damage is exnected to occur, but no loss of human life is expected.
Loss of human life is not expected and damage to structures and public facilities is
not exoected.
No loss of human life is expected and damage will occur only to the dam owner's
nronerty .

Classification
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