Dam Safety Bureau

The Dam Safety Bureau ensures that dams in New Mexico are designed, constructed, operated, and maintained as safely as possible. Dams 25 feet or greater in height, which impound more than 15 acre-feet of water or dams that impound 50 acre-feet or more of water and are 6 feet or greater in height are under the jurisdiction of the State Engineer. Of more than 400 dams in the state, nearly 300 dams are in the state jurisdiction and the rest are in the federal jurisdiction.

Costilla Dam (Taos County)
Photo Courtesy: James Head, P.E., NMOSE-DSB

The responsibilities of the Dam Safety Bureau include inspecting existing dams to verify they are operated and maintained in a safe condition. The bureau reviews plans and specifications for new dams and modifications and repairs to existing dams to ensure compliance with state statutes and the rules and regulations governing dam design, construction and dam safety. The bureau also inspects construction to verify that dams are built or repaired in accordance with approved plans on file with the State Engineer.

Persons or entities who plan to construct a new dam or modify an existing dam must obtain approval from the Dam Safety Bureau.

Dams that have the potential to cause loss of life during a failure or potential to damage property and lifeline infrastructure are required to prepare and exercise an emergency action plan. The Dam Safety Bureau reviews these plans for completeness. Proper maintenance of dams is an important part of responsible dam ownership. The bureau reviews Operations and Maintenance Manuals for dams that are required to prepare and use a manual.

To learn more about dams, please click the Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) link here

Impacts of Wildfires on Dams

Recorded webinar