Tesuque Day School
Tesuque Day School is an earth dam located in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, built in 1960. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Tesuque Day School
The primary purpose of Tesuque Day School is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Bia (federal). It impounds the Rio Tesuque -tr near Tesuque Pueblo.
The dam stands 23 feet tall and stretches 202 feet across, has a maximum storage capacity of 11 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1960, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 04/20/2023.
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 | Tesuque Pueblo |
| River/Stream | Rio Tesuque -tr |
| Coordinates | 35.79870, -105.97250 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 23 ft |
| Dam Height | 23 ft |
| Dam Length | 202 ft |
| Year Completed | 1960 (66 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 11 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 11 acre-ft |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 160 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | BIA |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 04/20/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NM00687 |
| Federal ID | NM00687 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |