Fenton Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Sandoval County, New Mexico, built in 1946. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 41 ft41 ft tall and 362 ft long, taller than 87% 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 Fenton Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Fenton 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 Rio Cebolla near Gilman.
The dam stands 41 feet tall and stretches 362 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 32 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 721 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 47 square miles. Completed in 1946, 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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 06/03/2020.
At 41 feet, this dam is taller than 87% 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 | Sandoval |
| Nearest City | Gilman |
| River/Stream | Rio Cebolla |
| Coordinates | 35.88213, -106.72974 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 41 ft |
| Dam Height | 41 ft |
| Dam Length | 362 ft |
| Year Completed | 1946 (80 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 721 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 721 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 256 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 32 acres |
| Drainage Area | 47 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 23,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | New Mexico Department of Game and Fish |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 06/03/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NM00177 |
| Federal ID | NM00177 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |