Silver Lake is an earth dam located in Otero County, New Mexico, built in 1963. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 57 ft57 ft tall and 535 ft long, taller than 94% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a ten-story building, about 100 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Silver Lake
The primary purpose of Silver Lake is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Bia (federal). It impounds the Silver Springs Creek -tr.
The dam stands 57 feet tall and stretches 535 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 9 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 193 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 3 square miles. Completed in 1963, 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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/01/2021.
At 57 feet, this dam is taller than 94% 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 | Otero |
| Nearest City | None |
| River/Stream | Silver Springs Creek -tr |
| Coordinates | 33.01778, -105.63361 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 57 ft |
| Dam Height | 45 ft |
| Dam Length | 535 ft |
| Year Completed | 1963 (63 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 193 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 193 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 125 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 9 acres |
| Drainage Area | 3 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 2,902 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Bia |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 08/01/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NM00160 |
| Federal ID | NM00160 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |