Red Lake
Red Lake is an earth dam located in McKinley County, New Mexico, built in 1895. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Red Lake
The primary purpose of Red Lake is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Bia (federal). It impounds the Tohdildonih Wash near Ft. Defiance.
The dam stands 32 feet tall and stretches 2,600 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 864 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 19,758 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 31 square miles. Completed in 1895, the structure is over a century old.
This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. Its condition is rated satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 06/25/2024.
At 32 feet, this dam is taller than 76% of dams nationwide.
Living Downstream
If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The New Mexico dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | New Mexico |
| County | McKinley |
| Nearest City | Ft. Defiance |
| River/Stream | Tohdildonih Wash |
| Coordinates | 35.91650, -109.04040 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 32 ft |
| Dam Height | 26 ft |
| Dam Length | 2,600 ft |
| Year Completed | 1895 (131 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 19,758 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 19,758 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 9,604 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 864 acres |
| Drainage Area | 31 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,500 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | BIA |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 06/25/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NM00151 |
| Federal ID | NM00151 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |