French Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Colfax County, New Mexico, built in 1947. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 37 ft37 ft tall and 1,652 ft long, taller than 83% 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 French Lake Dam
The primary purpose of French Lake Dam is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Vermejo Park Corporation (private). It impounds the Ponil Creek-os near Springer.
The dam stands 37 feet tall and stretches 1,652 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 75 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 463 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 5 square miles. Completed in 1947, 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 06/01/2016. That was over 10 years ago.
At 37 feet, this dam is taller than 83% of dams nationwide.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | New Mexico |
| County | Colfax |
| Nearest City | Springer |
| River/Stream | Ponil Creek-os |
| Coordinates | 36.51095, -104.89162 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 37 ft |
| Dam Height | 29 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,652 ft |
| Year Completed | 1947 (79 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 463 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 463 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 350 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 75 acres |
| Drainage Area | 5 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 333 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | Vermejo Park Corporation |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 06/01/2016 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NM00199 |
| Federal ID | NM00199 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |