Fenton Lake Dam

About Fenton Lake Dam

The primary purpose of Fenton Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by New Mexico Department Of Game And Fish (state). It impounds the Rio Cebolla near Gilman.

The dam stands 41 feet tall and stretches 362 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 32 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 721 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 47 square miles. Completed in 1946, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.

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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 06/03/2020.

At 41 feet, this dam is taller than 88% 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.

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