Nichols Dam

About Nichols Dam

The primary purpose of Nichols Dam is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. The dam is owned by City Of Santa Fe (local government). It impounds the Santa Fe River near Santa Fe.

The dam stands 91 feet tall and stretches 622 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 30 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,234 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 22 square miles. Completed in 1943, 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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 06/25/2020.

At 91 feet, this dam is taller than 98% of all dams in the United States.

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.

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