Nutria No. 2
Nutria No. 2 is an earth dam located in McKinley County, New Mexico, built in 1934. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Nutria No. 2
The primary purpose of Nutria No. 2 is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Bia (federal). It impounds the Rio Nutria near Zuni.
The dam stands 16 feet tall and stretches 1,450 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 418 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 3,923 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 195 square miles. Completed in 1934, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam.
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 | McKinley |
| Nearest City | Zuni |
| River/Stream | Rio Nutria |
| Coordinates | 35.19440, -108.69040 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 16 ft |
| Dam Height | 16 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,450 ft |
| Year Completed | 1934 (92 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 3,923 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 3,923 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 2,017 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 418 acres |
| Drainage Area | 195 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 25,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | BIA |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Rated |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NM00141 |
| Federal ID | NM00141 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |