Kettle Creek Dry Dam water level — Colorado
Kettle Creek Dry Dam in Colorado was last measured at 6,545.68 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 31, 2026, 2:00 AM (UTC-06:00) (USGS Water Services). Over its recent trend window the level has been steady (−0.0 ft). This reading is provisional and subject to revision.
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- Not reported
- Recent trend
- →Steady
−0.0 ft over the trend window
Recent trend
Readings this station published between Jun 2, 2026 and Aug 31, 2026 — a 89-day window — downsampled for display.
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: USGS site 385821104481601, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00). Official page for this lake →
About this gauge's record
This site's drainage basin covers approximately 16 sq mi of contributing watershed.
The dam behind Kettle Creek Dry Dam
Kettle Creek Dry Dam is held back by Kettle Creek Diversion Dam (also recorded as Kettle Creek Dry) , an earthfill embankment, holding the pool back by sheer mass and an impervious core rather than by the strength of concrete , standing 80 ft high and running 1,300 ft along its crest , built across KETTLE CREEK in El Paso County , near COLORADO SPRINGS . It was completed in 1961 , and is owned by USAF ACADEMY (a federal owner) , to a design credited to SKIDMORE, OWINGS, AND MERRILL.
Its recorded primary purpose is flood risk reduction — the pool is drawn down between storms so there is empty space waiting for the next flood, which is why this level can fall in dry weather and climb sharply after rain .
It is founded on rock;soil, with a unlisted/unknown core. 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 150 ft wide. Its outlet works use none;uncontrolled.
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.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 57 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 2,700 acre-ft against a normal storage of 0 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 2,750 cubic feet per second. It is regulated by DWR.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record CO01299 , filed by US Air Force — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, public domain. Water levels above come from USGS Water Services and are a separate source. (How this dam was matched to this gauge →)
How Kettle Creek Dry Dam compares nearby
None of the 6 nearby lakes with a current trend are steady right now — this lake's movement looks specific to its own operation rather than shared regional conditions.
Nearby lakes
The six nearest published lakes by centroid distance (great-circle) — cross-state neighbors included.
| Lake | State | Level | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pueblo Reservoir | CO | 4,859.70 ft | 79 km |
| Taylor Park Reservoir at Taylor Park, Co | CO | 9,296.81 ft | 157 km |
| Wolford Mountain Reservoir | CO | 7,449.63 ft | 188 km |
| John Martin Reservoir at Caddoa | CO | 3,801.42 ft | 191 km |
| Trinidad Lake | CO | 6,171.72 ft | 205 km |
| Paonia Reservoir | CO | 6,373.54 ft | 220 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Kettle Creek Dry Dam?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 2:00 AM (UTC-06:00), the pool elevation was 6,545.68 ft (datum NGVD29), provisional and subject to revision. See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Kettle Creek Dry Dam 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 USGS site 385821104481601, 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.