Kight Flood Retard Dam
Kight Flood Retard Dam is an earth dam located in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, built in 1955. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Kight Flood Retard Dam
The primary purpose of Kight Flood Retard Dam is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Caballo Soil & Water Conservation District (local government). It impounds the Church Arroyo near Unincorporated Residents Southwest Of Dam.
The dam stands 34 feet tall and stretches 900 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 13 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 232 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1955, 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 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 02/25/2020.
At 34 feet, this dam is taller than 80% of dams nationwide.
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 | Doña Ana |
| Nearest City | Unincorporated Residents Southwest Of Dam |
| River/Stream | Church Arroyo |
| Coordinates | 32.77450, -107.26480 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Length | 900 ft |
| Year Completed | 1955 (71 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 232 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 232 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 13 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 4,740 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | CABALLO SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 02/25/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NM00118 |
| Federal ID | NM00118 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |