El Vado Dam

Overview
El Vado Dam, located on the Rio Chama about 160 miles north of Albuquerque, was built by the conservancy district in 1934-1935 and was rehabilitated by the Bureau of Reclamation in 1954-1955. A new outlet works was built by Reclamation in 1965-1966 to accommodate the additional water from the San Juan-Chama Project. The dam embankment is of rolled gravel fill with a steel membrane on the upstream face. The dam is 230 feet high and has a crest length of 1,326 feet. The reservoir has a total capacity of 196,500 acre-feet.

General
RegionFacilities in Upper Colorado | Upper Colorado Home Page
StateNew Mexico
County
ProjectMiddle Rio Grande
Dam Type
ReservoirEl Vado
WatercourseRio chama
Location
Longitude-106.7325210571289
Latitude36.594030173904585
Original Construction1933-1935
Modified Construction
National ID NumberNM10008
Hydrologic Unit Code

Dimensions
Structural Height229.5 ft
Hydraulic Height (Normal Operating Depth at Dam)167.1 ft
Top Parapet (Elevation)
Spillway Crest Elevation
Crest Elevation6914.5 ft
Crest Length1326 ft
Crest Width
Base Width
Volume of Dam Construction Materials608,000 cu. yards
Streambed at Dam Axis
Top of Exclusive Flood Control Pool (Elevation)
Top of Joint Use Pool (Elevation)
Top of Active Conservation Pool (Elevation)6902.0 ft
Top of Inactive Conservation Pool (Elevation)
Top of Dead Storage Pool (Elevation)6775 ft

Hydraulics & Hydrology
Total Water Storage at Elevation
Maximum Water Surface Elevation6908.6 ft
Normal Water Surface Elevation
Spillway Type
Auxiliary SpillwayNo
Spillway Capacity at Elevation17800.0 cfs at 6908.6 ft
Auxiliary Spillway Capacity at Elevation
Uncontrolled Spillway Capacity at Elevation
Outlet Works Capacity at Elevation6850.0 cfs at 6908.6 ft
Diversion Capacity at Elevation
Drainage Area492 sq mi
Hydrometeorological Report (HMR)HMR xx
Probable Maximum Flood (PMF) Report

Contact Information
Owner
TitleArea Office Manager
OrganizationAlbuquerque Area Office
Address555 Broadway NE, Suite 100
CityAlbuquerque, NM 87102-2352
Phone (Office)505 462-3542
Operator
TitleArea Office Manager
OrganizationAlbuquerque Area Office
Address555 Broadway NE, Suite 100
CityAlbuquerque, NM 87102-2352
Phone (Office)505 462-3542


Last updated: Feb 20, 2009