Red Bluff Dam is a dam in the

Pecos River The Pecos River ( es, Río Pecos) originates in north-central New Mexico and flows into Texas, emptying into the Rio Grande. Its headwaters are on the eastern slope of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range in Mora County north of Pecos, New Mexico ...

, situated about north of Pecos, Texas. Its

Red Bluff Reservoir Red Bluff Reservoir is a reservoir on the Pecos River north of Pecos, Texas. The reservoir extends into Loving and Reeves Counties in Texas, and Eddy County in New Mexico. The northern shoreline of the reservoir is the lowest point in the ...

was formed in 1936 by the dam construction, organized by the

Red Bluff Water Control District Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a secondary ...

to provide water for

irrigation Irrigation (also referred to as watering) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow Crop, crops, Landscape plant, landscape plants, and Lawn, lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,00 ...

and

hydroelectric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...

power.

Planning and construction

A water user's association was formed to promote the dam in 1916, and surveying began in 1921. In 1924 the states of Texas and New Mexico agreed to allow construction, and in 1926 President

Calvin Coolidge Calvin Coolidge (born John Calvin Coolidge Jr.; ; July 4, 1872January 5, 1933) was the 30th president of the United States from 1923 to 1929. Born in Vermont, Coolidge was a History of the Republican Party (United States), Republican lawyer ...

approved the plan. In 1927 the Red Bluff Water Control District was formed to manage the project from seven existing water districts. In 1934 the loan for construction was approved by the Public Works Administration. The dam was completed in September 1936, and started to supply water in 1937.

Structure

The dam is an earthfill structure long, high and with a crest width of . Crest length is . Crest elevation is above sea level. Spillway width is . The spillway is concrete ogee controlled by 12 tainter gates, each . The dam includes two hydroelectric plants with a combined capacity of 2,300 kilowatts. The reservoir can safely store .The surface area of the reservoir is . Maximum discharge is per second. Water from the dam irrigates of farmland.

References

Citations Sources * * * Dams in Texas Buildings and structures in Loving County, Texas Buildings and structures in Reeves County, Texas Dams completed in 1936 Dams on the Pecos River Pecos, Texas 1936 establishments in Texas {{Texas-struct-stub