Chuska Lake

About Chuska Lake

The primary purpose of Chuska Lake is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Bia (federal). It impounds the Tr-red Willow Wash near Gallup.

The dam stands 59 feet tall and stretches 890 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 128 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 2,265 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 5 square miles.

This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in 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 05/25/2023.

At 59 feet, this dam is taller than 95% of all dams in the United States.

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