Palomas Red Hill Detention is a gravity dam located in Luna County, New Mexico, built in 1969. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 22 ft22 ft tall and 970 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.
About Palomas Red Hill Detention
The primary purpose of Palomas Red Hill Detention is debris control. The dam is designed to catch sediment, rocks, and debris carried by flowing water — particularly important in areas prone to mudslides or heavy erosion. The dam is owned by Doi BLM (federal). It impounds the Palomas Arroyo near Deming.
The dam stands 22 feet tall and stretches 970 feet across, has a maximum storage capacity of 450 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 9 square miles. Completed in 1969, 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. The most recent inspection on record was 08/15/2017.
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Location
| State | New Mexico |
| County | Luna |
| Nearest City | Deming |
| River/Stream | Palomas Arroyo |
| Coordinates | 31.99224, -108.08874 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Gravity |
| NID Height | 22 ft |
| Dam Length | 970 ft |
| Year Completed | 1969 (57 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 450 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 450 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 11 acre-ft |
| Drainage Area | 9 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,155 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Debris Control |
| Owner | Doi BLM |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 08/15/2017 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NM00102 |
| Federal ID | NM00102 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |