Grindstone Canyon Dam dam
Grindstone Canyon Dam
Grindstone Canyon Dam, located in Lincoln, New Mexico, is a roller-compacted concrete structure completed in 1987 for the primary purpose of water supply. Standing at a height of 123 feet and a structural height of 132.8 feet, the dam has a storage capacity of 1,700 acre-feet, with a normal storage level of 1,549.8 acre-feet. The dam is situated on the Grindstone Canyon River and serves as a crucial water source for the Occupied Water Treatment Plant in the city.
Managed by the local government, the dam is regulated and inspected by the Office of the State Engineer in New Mexico. With a high hazard potential and fair condition assessment, the dam poses moderate risk (3) and has emergency action plans in place. The spillway of the dam is uncontrolled, with a width of 350 feet, and it has a maximum discharge capacity of 11,240 cubic feet per second. Grindstone Canyon Dam plays a vital role in water resource management in the region and underscores the importance of effective infrastructure for climate resilience.
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 Grindstone Canyon Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Rio Ruidoso At Ruidoso | 4 cfs | → |
| Rio Ruidoso At Hollywood | 5 cfs | → |
| Eagle Creek Below South Fork Near Alto | 0 cfs | → |
| Tularosa Creek Near Bent | 14 cfs | → |
| Salt Creek Near Tularosa | 0 cfs | → |
| Rio Penasco Near Dunken | 7 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Grindstone Canyon Dam.
Campgrounds
- Sam Tobias Memorial Group Campground
- Eagle Creek Lakes
- Oak Grove
- Skyline Campground
- Skyline
- Monjeau Lookout
Paddle runs
- Headwaters Nf Rio Ruidoso To Nf Boundary
- Confluence Of 2 Headwaters For South Fork (Sec 28, T10s, R11e) To Southern Boundary Of South Fork Campground
- Headwaters Of Three Rivers, Including 5 Segments Branching South And East To Western Nf Boundary At Three Rivers Campground
- Rio Bonito
Track Grindstone 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 Grindstone Canyon Dam
Where does the data for Grindstone 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 Grindstone Canyon Dam.