Nichols Dam dam
Nichols Dam
Nichols Dam, located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, stands as a critical water supply structure designed by Meurer, Serafini and Meurer, S. Sanderson & Porter in 1943. With a height of 91 feet and a length of 622 feet, this earth dam on the Santa Fe River provides essential storage capacity of 1234 acre-feet and a normal storage level of 679 acre-feet, serving as a vital resource for the surrounding community. Despite its high hazard potential and poor condition assessment, the dam is regulated, inspected, and enforced by the Office of the State Engineer, ensuring its structural integrity and safety standards are maintained.
The dam's spillway, with a width of 87 feet, operates as uncontrolled, allowing for a maximum discharge of 19,690 cubic feet per second to manage flood events effectively. Positioned within the Albuquerque District, Nichols Dam plays a crucial role in managing water resources and mitigating risks associated with its high hazard potential, necessitating regular inspections and enforcement actions. Even with its moderate risk assessment rating of 3, the dam's strategic location and design serve as a testament to the importance of water infrastructure in sustaining communities and ecosystems in the face of changing climatic conditions.
As a primary water supply structure for Santa Fe, Nichols Dam not only provides essential storage capacity but also contributes to the overall resilience of the region in the face of water scarcity and climate variability. With its historical significance dating back to the 1940s and ongoing regulatory oversight by the State Engineer's office, this earth dam stands as a testament to the intersection of water resource management, infrastructure development, and climate adaptation in ensuring the sustainable future of New Mexico's water supply systems.
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 Nichols Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe River Near Santa Fe | 7 cfs | → |
| Santa Fe R Abv Mcclure Res (8 Ft) | 2 cfs | → |
| Tesuque Creek Above Diversions Near Santa Fe | 1 cfs | → |
| Rio Nambe Below Nambe Falls Dam Near Nambe | 5 cfs | → |
| Rio Nambe Above Nambe Falls Dam Near Nambe | 36 cfs | → |
| Pecos River Near Pecos | 44 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Nichols Dam.
Boat launches
- Santa Cruz Lake Road Santa Fe County
- Santa Cruz Lake Boat Ramp
- Tetilla Peak Campground Sandoval County
- Cochiti Lake Road Sandoval County
Campgrounds
- Black Canyon
- Black Canyon Campground
- Hyde Memorial State Park
- Glorieta
- Big Tesuque Campground
- Big Tesuque
Fishing spots
- Upper Dalton Fishing Access Fishing Site
- Dalton Fishing
- Windsor Creek
- Cowles Ponds Fishing Site
- Cowles Ponds
- Trampas Lakes Fishing
Track Nichols Dam 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 Nichols Dam
Where does the data for Nichols Dam 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 Nichols Dam.