Pescado

About Pescado

The primary purpose of Pescado 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 Cebolla Creek near Black Rock.

The dam stands 20 feet tall and stretches 1,600 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 120 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,500 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 125 square miles. Completed in 1928, 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. Its condition is rated unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 11/12/2019.

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.

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