New Mexico Dam Safety Support

Challenges

The New Mexico Office of the State Engineer (OSE) is the regulatory authority for non-federal dams in New Mexico.  The Dam Safety Bureau of the OSE is responsible for ensuring that jurisdictional dams are designed, constructed, operated, and maintained in a manner that protects public safety.  The OSE has limited resources and routinely requires engineering services to assist with their responsibilities.

Solution

RJH has provided dam safety regulatory support to the OSE since 2006. During this period, OSE staff have routinely solicited RJH’s technical expertise on a variety of projects including:

• Performed dam breach analyses and developed inundation maps for five high hazard dams located throughout New Mexico. For each dam, RJH developed inundation maps, evacuation maps, a Breach Inundation Mapping Report, and an Emergency Action Plan.
• Provided design and construction engineering services for rehabilitation of Cabresto Dam, a high-hazard dam located on U.S. Forest Service property.
• Performed an independent technical review of construction drawings and technical specifications prepared by another consultant for the Bradner Reservoir Enlargement Project.
• Evaluated the beneficial use of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Risk Prioritization Tool for Dams for the OSE’s inventory of jurisdictional dams.
• Performed dam safety inspections at five high-hazard dams in northern New Mexico on behalf of OSE.