Las Curias Dam dam
Las Curias Dam
The Las Curias Dam, also known as the Rio Piedras Dam, is a vital water resource infrastructure located in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Built in 1946, this earth dam stands at a height of 75 feet and serves primarily for recreational purposes, offering a surface area of 48 acres for visitors to enjoy. The dam has a high hazard potential due to its proximity to the Las Curias Creek and a maximum discharge capacity of 6,400 cubic feet per second.
Managed by the Public Utility agency PREPA, the Las Curias Dam is regulated and inspected by the state of Puerto Rico to ensure its structural integrity and safety. With a normal storage capacity of 1,120 acre-feet and a drainage area of 1.1 square miles, the dam plays a crucial role in water management and flood control in the region. Despite its satisfactory condition assessment as of December 2020, ongoing risk assessments and emergency preparedness measures are essential to mitigate potential hazards and safeguard the surrounding community.
Overall, the Las Curias Dam stands as a key landmark in Puerto Rico, providing both recreational opportunities and essential water resource management functions. As climate change continues to impact water resources and infrastructure, maintaining the integrity and resilience of dams like Las Curias is essential for sustainable water management and climate adaptation efforts in the region.
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 Las Curias Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Quebrada Las Curias Blw Las Curias Outflow | 0 cfs | → |
| Rio Grande De Loiza Blw Damsite Loiza | 5 cfs | → |
| Rio Canas At Rio Canas | 6 cfs | → |
| Quebrada Grande At Bo. Dos Bocas | 4 cfs | → |
| Rio Piedras At Hato Rey | 16 cfs | → |
| Rio De Bayamon Nr Bayamon | 10 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Las Curias Dam.
More reservoirs
Track Las Curias 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 Las Curias Dam
Where does the data for Las Curias 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 Las Curias Dam.