Mescalero Reservoir Dam dam
Mescalero Reservoir Dam
Mescalero Reservoir Dam, located in Torrance County, New Mexico, was completed in 1961 with the primary purpose of flood risk reduction along the Arroyo Ortiz-TR. This earth dam stands at 20 feet in height and spans 553 feet in length, with a storage capacity of 186 acre-feet. Despite its crucial role in mitigating flood hazards, the dam's condition assessment is rated as poor, indicating a high hazard potential that calls for immediate attention.
The dam's location in an unincorporated residence area underscores the importance of its structural integrity for the safety of nearby communities. With a moderate risk rating and a high hazard potential, regular inspections and maintenance are essential to ensure the dam's continued effectiveness in flood risk reduction. The Office of the State Engineer in New Mexico oversees the regulation, permitting, inspection, and enforcement of this dam, highlighting the collaborative effort required to manage water resources in a changing climate and safeguard against potential disasters.
As climate change poses increasing challenges to water resource management, the Mescalero Reservoir Dam serves as a critical infrastructure for flood protection in the region. With a history of poor condition assessment and a high hazard potential, it is crucial for stakeholders to prioritize maintenance and risk management measures to uphold the dam's functionality and safeguard the surrounding communities from potential disasters. Addressing the dam's structural concerns and implementing necessary improvements will be essential in ensuring its continued efficacy in flood risk reduction and resilience against the impacts of a changing climate.
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 Mescalero Reservoir Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Embudo Arroyo At Albuquerque | · | → |
| Hahn Arroyo In Albuquerque | · | → |
| N. Floodway Channel At Albuquerque | 0 cfs | → |
| Tijeras Arroyo Nr Albuquerque | · | → |
| San Jose Drain At Woodward Rd At Albq. | · | → |
| South Div Channel Abv Tijeras Arroyo Nr Albq. | · | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Mescalero Reservoir Dam.
Campgrounds
- Cedro Peak Camping Sites - Robin And Jay
- Cedro Group Campground
- Cedro Peak Group Campground
- Tajique Campground
- Campbell Scout Ranch
- Fourth Of July
Track Mescalero Reservoir 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 Mescalero Reservoir Dam
Where does the data for Mescalero Reservoir 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 Mescalero Reservoir Dam.