Lake Maloya Dam
Lake Maloya Dam is an earth dam located in Colfax County, New Mexico, built in 1914. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Lake Maloya Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Maloya Dam is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. The dam is owned by City Of Raton (local government). It impounds the Chicorica Creek near Unincorporated Residents.
The dam stands 110 feet tall and stretches 1,250 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 147 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 5,030 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 21 square miles. Completed in 1914, 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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 05/24/2017. That was 8 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.
At 110 feet, this dam is taller than 98% 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 | Colfax |
| Nearest City | Unincorporated Residents |
| River/Stream | Chicorica Creek |
| Coordinates | 36.98391, -104.37535 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 110 ft |
| Dam Height | 110 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,250 ft |
| Year Completed | 1914 (112 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 5,030 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 5,030 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 3,690 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 147 acres |
| Drainage Area | 21 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 11,570 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Water Supply |
| Owner | CITY OF RATON |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 05/24/2017 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NM00370 |
| Federal ID | NM00370 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |