Spring Canyon Dam dam
Spring Canyon Dam
Spring Canyon Dam in Doña Ana, New Mexico, stands as a vital structure designed by the USDA NRCS for flood risk reduction along the Spring Canyon stream. Completed in 1940, this concrete multi-arch dam reaches a height of 59 feet and boasts a structural height of 64 feet, providing a storage capacity of 830 acre-feet. The dam's spillway, with a width of 80 feet, serves as an uncontrolled outlet for managing a maximum discharge of 11,550 cubic feet per second, ensuring the safety of the surrounding area.
Despite its crucial role in flood mitigation, Spring Canyon Dam's poor condition assessment and high hazard potential highlight the pressing need for maintenance and upgrades. The last inspection in 2014 revealed deficiencies, prompting concerns about the dam's ability to withstand extreme weather events. With a moderate risk rating and a history of state regulation and enforcement, the dam's future operations and safety protocols are likely to undergo significant scrutiny and enhancement to protect the local community and environment from potential hazards.
As water resource and climate enthusiasts monitor developments surrounding Spring Canyon Dam, the collaboration between local government agencies, the USDA NRCS, and the Office of the State Engineer in New Mexico will be crucial in ensuring the dam's resilience and effectiveness. With its strategic location in Hatch and its critical role in flood risk reduction for the region, Spring Canyon Dam serves as a key asset that demands proactive maintenance, inspection, and risk management measures to safeguard both the infrastructure and the surrounding ecosystem for years to come.
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 Spring Canyon Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Rio Grande Below Elephant Butte Dam | 514 cfs | → |
| Mimbres River At Mimbres | 4 cfs | → |
| Rio Grande At Narrows In Elephant Butte Res. | 63 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Spring Canyon Dam.
Campgrounds
- Valles Canyon
- Scenic Valley
- Leasburg Dam State Park
- Indian Springs Hill
- Percha Dam State Park
- Caballo Lake State Park
Track Spring Canyon 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 Spring Canyon Dam
Where does the data for Spring Canyon 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 Spring Canyon Dam.