La Cueva Dam No. 1

La Cueva Dam No. 1 is an earth dam located in Mora County, New Mexico, built in 1935. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.

About La Cueva Dam No. 1

The primary purpose of La Cueva Dam No. 1 is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Llano Partners Ltd (private). It impounds the Mora River-os near Buena Vista.

The dam stands 15 feet tall and stretches 1,725 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 405 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 6,510 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 3 square miles. Completed in 1935, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.

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 11/13/2014. That was over 11 years ago.

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Low HazardPoor ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Not Required

Location

StateNew Mexico
CountyMora
Nearest CityBuena Vista
River/StreamMora River-os
Coordinates35.94310, -105.23620

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height15 ft
Dam Height15 ft
Dam Length1,725 ft
Year Completed1935 (91 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage6,510 acre-ft
Max Storage6,510 acre-ft
Surface Area405 acres
Drainage Area3 sq mi
Spillway TypeUncontrolled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeIrrigation
OwnerLLANO PARTNERS LTD
Owner TypePrivate
Hazard ClassificationLow
Condition AssessmentPoor
Last Inspection11/13/2014
Emergency Action PlanNot Required

Identifiers

NID IDNM00167
Federal IDNM00167
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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