Morehead Avenue Dam

Morehead Avenue Dam is an earth dam located in El Paso County, Texas, built in 1948. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.

About Morehead Avenue Dam

Morehead Avenue Dam is a dam in El Paso, Texas. The dam is owned by City Of El Paso (local government). It impounds the Off Ch-rio Grande near El Paso.

The dam stands 28 feet tall and stretches 400 feet across, has a maximum storage capacity of 5 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1948, 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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 02/12/2020.

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.

High HazardPoor ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateTexas
CountyEl Paso
Nearest CityEl Paso
River/StreamOff Ch-rio Grande
Coordinates31.80646, -106.47060

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height28 ft
Dam Height28 ft
Dam Length400 ft
Year Completed1948 (78 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage5 acre-ft
Max Storage5 acre-ft
Drainage Area0 sq mi
Max Discharge586 cfs
Spillway TypeUncontrolled

Ownership & Safety

OwnerCITY OF EL PASO
Owner TypeLocal Government
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentPoor
Last Inspection02/12/2020
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDTX07015
Federal IDTX07015
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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