Hopewell Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, built in 1953. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 27 ft27 ft tall and 340 ft long, taller than 59% 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 Hopewell Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Hopewell Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (state). It impounds the Placer Creek near Canon Plaza.
The dam stands 27 feet tall and stretches 340 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 13 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 170 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 6 square miles. Completed in 1953, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in 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 11/03/2015. That was over 10 years ago.
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Location
| State | New Mexico |
| County | Rio Arriba |
| Nearest City | Canon Plaza |
| River/Stream | Placer Creek |
| Coordinates | 36.70547, -106.23755 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 27 ft |
| Dam Height | 27 ft |
| Dam Length | 340 ft |
| Year Completed | 1953 (73 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 170 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 170 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 80 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 13 acres |
| Drainage Area | 6 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,815 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | New Mexico Department of Game and Fish |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 11/03/2015 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NM00155 |
| Federal ID | NM00155 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |