Morgan Dam
Morgan Dam is an earth dam located in San Juan County, New Mexico, built in 1961. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Morgan Dam
Morgan Dam is a dam in San Juan, New Mexico. The dam is owned by Arizona Public Service Company (public utility). It impounds the Chaco Wash - Tr near Shiprock.
The dam stands 165 feet tall and stretches 6,760 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1,260 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 42,800 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 4 square miles. Completed in 1961, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years 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 11/20/2019.
At 165 feet, this dam is taller than 99% of all dams in the United States.
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 | San Juan |
| Nearest City | Shiprock |
| River/Stream | Chaco Wash - Tr |
| Coordinates | 36.70410, -108.48600 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 165 ft |
| Dam Height | 133 ft |
| Dam Length | 6,760 ft |
| Year Completed | 1961 (65 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 42,800 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 42,800 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 39,200 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 1,260 acres |
| Drainage Area | 4 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 650 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Other |
| Owner | Arizona Public Service Company |
| Owner Type | Public Utility |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 11/20/2019 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NM00248 |
| Federal ID | NM00248 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |