Forest Lake Dam
Spillway Failure: May 2020
Forest Lake Dam impounds the water of Wells Creek, creating Forest Lake which then flows into the Rifle River. The dam was constructed in 1967 by a developer to create a lake for recreation. It is a 600-foot earthen embankment featuring a concrete structure that channels water into a culvert and a concrete spillway chute that directs water into Wells Creek and the Rifle River.
During a rain event on May 19, 2020, the Forest Lake area received seven inches of rain in just a few hours, which is considered a 500-year rain event. The excessive amount of water impacted the Forest Lake Dam by overflowing the downstream spillway chute that directs water into Wells Creek and undermining it, causing significant erosion and collapse of the concrete. This resulted in lowering the level of Forest Lake to its winter level to minimize flow to the outlet spillway and prevent further damage.
