Santa Cruz Dam
Santa Cruz Dam is a gravity dam located in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, built in 1929. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Santa Cruz Dam
The primary purpose of Santa Cruz Dam is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Santa Cruz Irrigation District (local government). It impounds the Santa Cruz River near Chimayo.
The dam stands 147 feet tall and stretches 502 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 99 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 5,948 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 99 square miles. Completed in 1929, 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 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 05/04/2020.
At 147 feet, this dam is taller than 99% 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.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | New Mexico |
| County | Santa Fe |
| Nearest City | Chimayo |
| River/Stream | Santa Cruz River |
| Coordinates | 35.97870, -105.91970 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Gravity |
| NID Height | 147 ft |
| Dam Height | 124 ft |
| Dam Length | 502 ft |
| Year Completed | 1929 (97 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 5,948 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 5,948 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 3,546 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 99 acres |
| Drainage Area | 99 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 147,970 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | SANTA CRUZ IRRIGATION DISTRICT |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 05/04/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NM00251 |
| Federal ID | NM00251 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |