Snow Lake Dam

About Snow Lake Dam

The primary purpose of Snow 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 Snow Creek near Gila Cliff Dwellings Visitor Center.

The dam stands 92 feet tall and stretches 325 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 539 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 9,600 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 90 square miles. Completed in 1967, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.

This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. Its condition is rated satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. The most recent inspection on record was 09/16/2014. That was over 11 years ago.

At 92 feet, this dam is taller than 98% of all dams in the United States.

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