Galisteo Dam is a big flood-control dam on Galisteo Creek in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, southwest of Santa Fe — but the reservoir behind it is ordinarily dry. Built to tame a creek with a long history of violent floods, it is an engineering landmark rather than a fishing lake. This guide is part of our growing New Mexico Lakes Database.
Galisteo Dam at a glance
- Location: Galisteo Creek, Santa Fe County, southwest of Santa Fe
- Built: 1970, by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — an earthen dam 164 ft high and 2,820 ft long
- Purpose: flood and sediment control on flood-prone Galisteo Creek
- Reservoir: ordinarily dry — it fills only briefly during major runoff
- Recreation: not a fishing or boating lake
A dam against violent floods
The Corps of Engineers completed Galisteo Dam in 1970 to protect the Rio Grande valley from the flash floods that Galisteo Creek is notorious for. The project was so significant that the main line of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway had to be relocated to make room for it. Standing 164 feet high, it is one of the larger flood-control structures in the region — but by design its reservoir stays dry most of the time, filling only to catch major runoff before letting it out slowly.
What that means for visitors
Because Galisteo Reservoir is normally an empty basin, there is no fishing, boating or lake recreation here — it is a working flood-control site, interesting mainly for its scale and its role in protecting the valley. Anglers near Santa Fe should head instead to Cochiti Lake, the upper Pecos, or the mountain lakes of northern New Mexico.
Frequently asked questions
Can you fish at Galisteo Reservoir?
No — Galisteo Reservoir is ordinarily dry. The dam is built purely for flood and sediment control, so there is no lake to fish or boat most of the time.
Why was Galisteo Dam built?
It was built by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1970 to control the violent flash floods of Galisteo Creek and protect the Rio Grande valley; the railroad was even relocated for the project.
Where is Galisteo Dam?
On Galisteo Creek in Santa Fe County, southwest of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Related: explore more small lakes of New Mexico, or head back to the New Mexico Lakes Database.
Explore more New Mexico lakes: the largest lakes in New Mexico and the deepest lakes in New Mexico.
