Copper Flats Tailings Dam dam
Copper Flats Tailings Dam
Located in Sierra, New Mexico, the Copper Flats Tailings Dam was completed in 1980 by SERGENT, HAUSKINS & BECKWITH and is currently owned privately. This earth-type dam stands at 54 feet tall with a hydraulic height of 50 feet and a length of 6628 feet, holding a storage capacity of 4000 acre-feet. Situated along the Grayback Arroyo, the dam poses a significant hazard potential with a poor condition assessment, indicating a high risk level. The dam is inspected every 5 years, with the last assessment conducted in April 2018.
The Copper Flats Tailings Dam serves the primary purpose of containing tailings, with no spillway in place for overflow management. The dam's location in an unincorporated area downstream raises concerns for the residents in case of a breach or failure. Despite being regulated, permitted, and inspected by the Office of the State Engineer in New Mexico, the dam's high-risk status warrants immediate attention and potential risk management measures to ensure the safety of the surrounding community and environment. With its history dating back to the 1980s, the dam requires proactive maintenance and monitoring to mitigate any potential disasters.
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 Copper Flats Tailings 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 Copper Flats Tailings Dam.
Boat launches
- Sierra County
- Dam Site Marina
- Marina Del Sur
- Rock Canyon Road Sierra County
- Monticello Road Sierra County
Campgrounds
- Hillsboro City Rv Park
- Caballo Lake State Park
- Kingston
- Kingston Campground
- Percha Dam State Park
- Wrights Cabin
Paddle runs
- Aldo Wilderness Boundary To Nf Boundary
- Junction Of Water Canyon And Holden Prong To Aldo Leopold Wilderness Boundary
- Headwaters To Confluence With Las Animas Creek
- Headwaters To Junction Of Trails 707/68 (Sec 35, T12s, R11w)
- Headwaters To Confluence With Diamond Creek
- Headwaters To Aldo Leopold Wilderness Boundary
Track Copper Flats Tailings 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 Copper Flats Tailings Dam
Where does the data for Copper Flats Tailings 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 Significant 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 Copper Flats Tailings Dam.