Mesa Dam
Mesa Dam is an earth dam located in El Paso County, Texas, built in 1982. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Mesa Dam
The primary purpose of Mesa Dam 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 City Of El Paso (local government). It impounds the Tr-rio Grande near El Paso.
The dam stands 58 feet tall and stretches 4,290 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 75 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 778 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1982, the structure is 44 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 04/17/2018. That was 7 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.
At 58 feet, this dam is taller than 95% 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 Texas 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 | Texas |
| County | El Paso |
| Nearest City | El Paso |
| River/Stream | Tr-rio Grande |
| Coordinates | 31.84130, -106.56447 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 58 ft |
| Dam Height | 55 ft |
| Dam Length | 4,290 ft |
| Year Completed | 1982 (44 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 778 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 778 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 75 acres |
| Drainage Area | 2 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 14,142 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | CITY OF EL PASO |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Rated |
| Last Inspection | 04/17/2018 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TX05850 |
| Federal ID | TX05850 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |