Santa Cruz Site 3a Dam dam
Santa Cruz Site 3a Dam
Located in Chimayo, New Mexico, the Santa Cruz Site 3a Dam is a crucial structure designed by the USDA NRCS to mitigate flood risks along the Santa Cruz River. Completed in 1972, this earth dam stands at 53.5 feet high and spans 3,260 feet in length, offering flood risk reduction to the local community. While the dam has a storage capacity of 1,640 acre-feet, its normal storage remains at zero, highlighting its focus on flood control rather than water storage.
Despite its importance in flood risk reduction, the Santa Cruz Site 3a Dam faces challenges in terms of its condition assessment, with a poor rating and a high hazard potential. The last inspection in 2016 revealed these concerns, prompting the need for further evaluation and potential maintenance to ensure the dam's structural integrity. With its location in a high-risk area and a moderate risk assessment rating, the dam serves as a reminder of the critical role of water resource management and climate resilience in safeguarding communities against natural 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 Santa Cruz Site 3a Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz River Near Cundiyo | 12 cfs | → |
| Rio Chama Near Chamita | 134 cfs | → |
| Rio Nambe Above Nambe Falls Dam Near Nambe | 36 cfs | → |
| Rio Nambe Below Nambe Falls Dam Near Nambe | 6 cfs | → |
| Rio Grande At Embudo | 231 cfs | → |
| Embudo Creek At Dixon | 5 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Santa Cruz Site 3a Dam.
Boat launches
- Santa Cruz Lake Boat Ramp
- Santa Cruz Lake Road Santa Fe County
- County Line Boat Launch
- County Line Boat Takeout
- De Norte Bridge Las Cruces New Mexico Access Point
- Quartzite Boat Takeout
Campgrounds
- Northlake Campground
- North Lake - Santa Cruz Lake
- Santa Cruz Lake Overlook Campground
- Overlook - Santa Cruz Lake
- Gorham Scout Ranch
- Borrego Mesa
Fishing spots
- Rio Trampas Fishing
- Trampas Lakes Fishing
- Windsor Creek
- Cowles Ponds Fishing Site
- Cowles Ponds
- Rito De La Olla Fishing
Paddle runs
Track Santa Cruz Site 3a 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 Santa Cruz Site 3a Dam
Where does the data for Santa Cruz Site 3a 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 Santa Cruz Site 3a Dam.