St. Marys dam
St. Marys
St. Marys, located in Apache County, Arizona, is a state-regulated dam owned by the Arizona Department of Water Resources. Built in 1925, this earth dam stands at 7 feet tall and stretches 363 feet in length, with a storage capacity of 124 acre-feet. The primary purpose of St. Marys is to serve as a Fish and Wildlife Pond along Rudd Creek, providing vital habitat for local wildlife.
Despite its low hazard potential, St. Marys is considered to have a high risk level (2) according to a risk assessment. While the condition of the dam is not rated, it undergoes inspections every 5 years to ensure its structural integrity. The dam does not have a spillway and is not associated with any federal agencies, highlighting the local and state-level importance of its management and maintenance.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, St. Marys represents an essential piece of infrastructure in the Springerville area, playing a crucial role in supporting the local ecosystem and wildlife. As an earth dam with a focus on fish and wildlife habitat, it stands as a testament to the balance between human development and environmental conservation in the region. Further monitoring and management will be essential to ensure the continued safety and functionality of this important water resource in Arizona.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around St. Marys -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Nutrioso Cr. Ab. Nelson Res Nr Springerville | 0 cfs | → |
| Filler Ditch At Greer | 1 cfs | → |
| Little Colorado River At Greer | 1 cfs | → |
| Little Colorado R Abv Lyman Lake Nr St. Johns | 0 cfs | → |
| East Fork White River Near Fort Apache | 8 cfs | → |
| Little Colorado R Blw Salado Springs | · | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near St. Marys.
Campgrounds
- South Fork Campground
- Benny Creek
- Benny Creek Campground
- Rolfe C. Hoyer
- Rolfe C. Hoyer Campground
- Rainbow
Fishing spots
- River Reservoir South Fishing Site
- Bunch Reservoir
- Crescent Lake Point Area Fishing Site
- Nelson Reservoir
- Big Lake Dam Parking Fishing Site
- Hulsey Lake Fishing Site
Paddle runs
- South Fork Little Colorado River
- 1/2 Mile Below Crosby Crossing To Confluence With Boneyard Creek
- 1/2 Mile Above Crosby Crossing To 1/2 Mile Below Crosby Crossing
- State Highway 261 To 1/2 Mile Above Crosby Crossing
- Confluence With Boneyard Creek To Confluence With Coyote Creek
- Confluence With Coyote Creek To 1/4 Mile Above Diamond Rock Campground
More reservoirs
Track St. Marys in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About St. Marys
Where does the data for St. Marys come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the Low hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of St. Marys.