Sanchez

About Sanchez

The primary purpose of Sanchez is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Sanchez Ditch And Reservoir Co. (caldon, Keith) (private). It impounds the Ventero Creek near San Luis.

The dam stands 137 feet tall and stretches 1,170 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 3,145 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 137,850 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 86 square miles. Completed in 1911, 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 unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 07/22/2022.

At 137 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 Colorado dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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