Continental Reservoir water level — Colorado
Continental Reservoir in Colorado was last measured at 15,729 acre-ft of storage (no elevation gauge reported), as of Aug 22, 2026, 1:15 PM (UTC+00:00) (USACE CWMS Data).
- Pool elevation
- Not reported
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- 15,729 acre-ft
- Recent trend
- Not enough data
This station reports storage but no elevation gauge — its managing agency does not publish a pool-elevation reading here.
Recent trend
Not enough recent readings to show a trend.
Data: USGS Water Services (waterservices.usgs.gov) and USACE CWMS Data (cwms-data.usace.army.mil), retrieved 2026-08-31. Both public domain (a work of the U.S. Government, 17 U.S.C. §105).
Source: USACE SPA/Continental, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00). Official page for this lake →
About this gauge's record
USACE's continuous elevation record for this project begins in 2023 (2 tracked series for this project).
The dam behind Continental Reservoir
Continental Reservoir is held back by Continental , an earthfill embankment, holding the pool back by sheer mass and an impervious core rather than by the strength of concrete , standing 120 ft high and running 310 ft along its crest , built across NORTH CLEAR CREEK in Hinsdale County , near SOUTH FORK . It was completed in 1927 , and is owned by SANTA MARIA RESERVOIR CO. (HOLLAND, KEITH) (a private owner) .
Its recorded primary purpose is irrigation — the pool is drawn down across the growing season to serve water rights downstream, then refilled over winter . It also serves irrigation;fish and wildlife pond;recreation.
Its spillway is ungated: once the pool reaches the crest, water leaves on its own and the operator cannot hold it back. The spillway opening is 142 ft wide. Its outlet works use slide (sluice gate)2.
NID classes it high hazard potential. That describes what a failure would cost downstream — loss of life would be expected — and says nothing about how likely a failure is, or what condition the dam is in. Its most recent condition assessment was satisfactory — no deficiencies recognised for expected loading. That assessment is dated 08/17/2022.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 735 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 30,707 acre-ft against a normal storage of 22,825 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 3,844 cubic feet per second. It is regulated by DWR.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record CO00767 , filed by Colorado — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, public domain. Water levels above come from USACE CWMS Data and are a separate source. (How this dam was matched to this gauge →)
Nearby lakes
The six nearest published lakes by centroid distance (great-circle) — cross-state neighbors included.
| Lake | State | Level | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Grande Reservoir | CO | — | 19 km |
| Silver Jack Reservoir | CO | 8,856.69 ft | 48 km |
| Ridgway Reservoir | CO | 6,853.39 ft | 62 km |
| Blue Mesa Dam & Reservoir | CO | 7,423.08 ft | 64 km |
| Crystal Reservoir | CO | — | 64 km |
| Vallecito Dam & Reservoir | CO | 7,620.66 ft | 65 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Continental Reservoir?
- This lake reports storage (15,729 acre-ft as of Aug 22, 2026, 1:15 PM (UTC+00:00)) but no elevation gauge — its managing agency does not publish a pool-elevation reading here.
- Is Continental Reservoir full right now?
- Its managing agency does not publish a %-of-conservation-pool-full figure for this lake, so we show the bare level rather than estimate one.
- Where does this data come from?
- From USACE SPA/Continental, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00).
More in Colorado
See every lake tracked in Colorado, or read the methodology behind these figures.