Maxwell Dam No. 13 is an earth dam located in Colfax County, New Mexico, built in 1955. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 41 ft41 ft tall and 8,237 ft long, taller than 87% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Maxwell Dam No. 13
The primary purpose of Maxwell Dam No. 13 is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Vermejo Conservancy District (private). It impounds the Vermejo River - Os near Maxwell.
The dam stands 41 feet tall and stretches 8,237 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 336 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 4,951 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1955, 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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. The most recent inspection on record was 04/06/2016. That was over 10 years ago.
At 41 feet, this dam is taller than 87% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | New Mexico |
| County | Colfax |
| Nearest City | Maxwell |
| River/Stream | Vermejo River - Os |
| Coordinates | 36.57745, -104.58079 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 41 ft |
| Dam Height | 32 ft |
| Dam Length | 8,237 ft |
| Year Completed | 1955 (71 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 4,951 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 4,951 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 4,783 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 336 acres |
| Drainage Area | 2 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 6,785 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | Vermejo Conservancy District |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 04/06/2016 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NM00125 |
| Federal ID | NM00125 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |