Eagle Nest Dam, Arch dam in Colfax County, New Mexico.
Eagle Nest Dam spans 400 feet across the Cimarron River, rising 140 feet above the riverbed with a thickness varying from 9.5 feet at the top to 45.2 feet at the base.
Built between 1916 and 1918 by Taos Pueblo workers, the dam was initiated by Frank and Charles Springer through the Cimarron Valley Land Company to store water for irrigation purposes.
The dam earned its National Register of Historic Places designation in 1979, marking its importance in New Mexico's water management and engineering development.
The structure creates Eagle Nest Lake, which supplies irrigation water through canals to farmers and ranchers located up to 50 miles downstream from the reservoir.
The dam stands as the largest privately constructed dam in the United States, featuring an innovative vested rights system for water distribution in the region.
Location: Colfax County
GPS coordinates: 36.53167,-105.22889
Latest update: March 11, 2025 09:10
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