Navajo dam
Navajo
Navajo is a federally owned dam located in San Juan, New Mexico, along the San Juan River. Completed in 1962 by the Bureau of Reclamation, this Earth-type dam stands at an impressive height of 402 feet and spans 3648 feet in length. With a storage capacity of 1,986,600 acre-feet and a surface area of 19,000 acres, Navajo serves multiple purposes including flood risk reduction, irrigation, and recreation. The dam is operated and maintained by the Bureau of Reclamation, ensuring its structural integrity and safety.
Despite its high hazard potential, Navajo has a moderate risk assessment rating and is considered to have a stable condition. The dam has an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 132 feet and a maximum discharge capacity of 34,000 cubic feet per second. Although the condition assessment is not available, regular inspections are conducted by the Bureau of Reclamation to ensure the dam's safety and functionality. With its strategic location and significant storage capacity, Navajo plays a crucial role in managing water resources and mitigating flood risks in the region, making it a vital asset for water resource and climate enthusiasts to monitor and study.
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 Navajo -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| San Juan River Near Archuleta | 512 cfs | → |
| Los Pinos River At La Boca | 50 cfs | → |
| Spring Creek At La Boca | 40 cfs | → |
| Animas River Near Cedar Hill | 741 cfs | → |
| San Juan River Near Carracas | 717 cfs | → |
| Florida River At Bondad | -888 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Navajo.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
- Pine River - Navajo Lake State Park
- Sims Mesa - Navajo Lake State Park
- Simon Canyon Dispersed
- Cottonwood - Navajo Lake State Park
- Navajo State Park
- Cox Canyon Arch Primitive Campsite
Fishing spots
- Navajo Reservoir
- Pastorius Reservoir
- Animas River
- Lemon Reservoir
- Vallecito Reservoir
- Echo Canyon Reservoir
Track Navajo 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 Navajo
Where does the data for Navajo 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 High 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 Navajo.