Smithson Reservoir No. 4 is an earth dam located in Union County, New Mexico, built in 1970. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 25 ft25 ft tall and 810 ft long, taller than 50% 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 Smithson Reservoir No. 4
The primary purpose of Smithson Reservoir No. 4 is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Carolyn Lutes (private). It impounds the Tramperos Creek - Tr near Rural.
The dam stands 25 feet tall and stretches 810 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 17 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 230 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 23 square miles. Completed in 1970, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
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 06/16/2015. That was over 11 years ago.
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Location
| State | New Mexico |
| County | Union |
| Nearest City | Rural |
| River/Stream | Tramperos Creek - Tr |
| Coordinates | 36.10500, -103.43760 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 25 ft |
| Dam Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Length | 810 ft |
| Year Completed | 1970 (56 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 230 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 230 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 124 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 17 acres |
| Drainage Area | 23 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 10,350 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | Carolyn Lutes |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 06/16/2015 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NM00324 |
| Federal ID | NM00324 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |