I write on behalf of the Santa Fe-Pojoaque Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors. The District operates several earthen, flood-risk-reduction dams just north of Chimayó.
These dams were built in the 1960s, ‘70s, and ‘80s and are rated as high-hazard dams. High hazard means that should the dam breach or fail, loss of property and/or life could be expected in Chimayó and downstream along the Rio Santa Cruz to Española.
The past several years have seen an increasing and alarming amount of off-highway-vehicle (OHV) trails up and down the dam embankments, resulting in gully erosion. Gully erosion could compromise the structure and ability of these dams to control flooding during a major rainfall event.
The District has recently placed signs warning of unstable soils and prohibiting OHV use on the dam embankments. If you have been operating an OHV on the embankments of these dams, please stop. If you know someone who does, please pass this message to them.
The safety of all who live below and downstream of these dams depends on it.
Champe Green
Santa Fe