Ancho Dam A-8 dam
Ancho Dam A-8
Ancho Dam A-8, also known as Piittsburg and Midway Coal Company Floodwater Detention Dam A-8, is a private-owned structure located in Colfax, New Mexico. Completed in 1997, this earth-type dam stands at a height of 37 feet and spans a length of 530 feet along the Vermejo River. With a maximum storage capacity of 174 acre-feet, its primary purpose is flood risk reduction, serving as a crucial asset in mitigating potential damage from heavy rainfall and ensuring the safety of nearby communities.
Despite its low hazard potential and satisfactory condition assessment, Ancho Dam A-8 undergoes regular inspections every five years to ensure its structural integrity and functionality. The dam features an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 100 feet, capable of managing a maximum discharge of 4900 cubic feet per second. While the risk assessment categorizes it as moderate, the structure is subject to state regulations, permitting, and enforcement by the Office of the State Engineer, highlighting the importance of adhering to safety guidelines and maintaining its operational efficiency for long-term effectiveness in flood risk management.
Ancho Dam A-8's location in a high-risk flood area underscores the critical role it plays in protecting the surrounding region from potential disasters. With its strategic design and storage capacity, this dam serves as a vital component in the overall water resource management and climate resilience efforts in New Mexico, demonstrating the importance of maintaining and monitoring such infrastructure to safeguard communities and ecosystems against the impacts of extreme weather events.
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 Ancho Dam A-8 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Vermejo River Near Dawson | 3 cfs | → |
| Ponil Creek Near Cimarron | 0 cfs | → |
| Eagle Tail Ditch Nr Maxwell | · | → |
| Cimarron River Near Cimarron | 12 cfs | → |
| Costilla Creek Above Costilla Dam | 2 cfs | → |
| Casias Creek Near Costilla | 4 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Ancho Dam A-8.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
- Shuree Lakes Fishing
- Trinidad Reservoir
- Monument Reservoir (Trinidad)
- Red River Fishing
- North Lake
- Sanchez Reservoir
Paddle runs
Track Ancho Dam A-8 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 Ancho Dam A-8
Where does the data for Ancho Dam A-8 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 Low 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 Ancho Dam A-8.