Galisteo Dam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Galisteo Dam |
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Galisteo Dam
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 Location of Galisteo Dam in New Mexico
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| Country | United States |
| Location | Santa Fe County, New Mexico |
| Coordinates | 35°27′50″N 106°12′33″W / 35.463816°N 106.20917°W |
| Purpose | Flood control |
| Opening date | 1970 |
| Owner(s) | United States Army Corps of Engineers |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Height | 164 feet (50 m) |
| Length | 2,820 feet (860 m) |
| Reservoir | |
| Total capacity | 152,600 acre-feet |
The Galisteo Dam (National ID # NM00002) is a large structure built in Santa Fe County, New Mexico. Its main job is to control floods and stop dirt and sand from washing away. This dam is special because the area behind it, called the reservoir, is usually dry. It only fills with water when there are heavy rains.
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Galisteo Dam: Stopping Floods in New Mexico
What is the Galisteo Dam?
The Galisteo Dam is an "earthen dam." This means it's made mostly from packed earth and rock, not concrete. It was finished in 1970. The dam is 164 feet tall, which is about as tall as a 16-story building. It is also very long, stretching 2,820 feet across at its top. That's almost half a mile!
The United States Army Corps of Engineers built this dam. They also own and operate it today. Their job is to manage important water projects across the country.
Why Was the Dam Built?
The Galisteo Dam was built for two main reasons:
- Flood Control: The Galisteo Creek, which the dam crosses, used to have very strong and damaging floods. These floods could cause a lot of harm to homes and land. The dam helps to hold back floodwaters during heavy rains. This protects the areas downstream.
- Sediment Control: Floods also carry a lot of dirt, sand, and rocks, called sediment. The dam helps to trap this sediment. This stops it from building up in other places, like rivers or farmlands.
Because of the dam's construction, a part of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway railroad had to be moved. This was done to make space for the new dam project.
The Galisteo Reservoir
The area behind the dam is called the Galisteo Reservoir. Unlike many reservoirs that are always full of water, this one is usually dry. It only fills up when there's a big storm and the dam needs to hold back floodwaters.
The reservoir can hold a huge amount of water, up to 152,600 acre-feet. An acre-foot is the amount of water needed to cover one acre of land with water one foot deep.
Visiting the Dam
You can visit the Galisteo Dam site during the day. It's about five acres big. However, the land around the dam is private property or belongs to the Kewa Pueblo. This means you can't go exploring beyond the dam's public area. Also, because the reservoir is usually dry, you won't find any water activities like boating or swimming here.
