Pine Tree
Pine Tree is an earth dam located in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, built in 1968. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Pine Tree
The primary purpose of Pine Tree is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Bia (federal). It impounds the Rio Chama -tr near Chama.
The dam stands 29 feet tall and stretches 375 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 11 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 127 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1968, 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 09/17/2020.
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 | Rio Arriba |
| Nearest City | Chama |
| River/Stream | Rio Chama -tr |
| Coordinates | 36.84975, -106.56139 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 29 ft |
| Dam Height | 29 ft |
| Dam Length | 375 ft |
| Year Completed | 1968 (58 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 127 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 127 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 105 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 11 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 360 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | BIA |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 09/17/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NM00685 |
| Federal ID | NM00685 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |