Barker Dam's Annual Spill To Increase Boulder Creek Water Levels

BOULDER, CO — Barker Dam's scheduled spill is expected to begin over the next few days, officials said. Each spring as temperatures warm, runoff from melting mountain snow increases stream flows. Before peak stream flows occur at lower elevations, like in the City of Boulder, mountain reservoirs must first fill and start spilling, officials said.

"This is a normal and expected event that will increase flows in Boulder Creek throughout the city," The City of Boulder said in a statement.

The Barker Dam spill normally occurs between mid May to late June, but is dependent on weather, snowpack and early spring reservoir levels. This spring, cool temperatures and continued snow accumulation have delayed snowmelt runoff, the city said.

Barker Reservoir has relatively limited storage space, so when it's full, any excess inflow passes over the spillway and continues flowing downstream into Boulder Creek, the city said.

The volume of water that flows through Middle Boulder Creek each spring could fill the reservoir multiple times.