Activities
Conchas Lake State Park is open year round for fishing, and is stocked by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. Walleye, bluegill, crappie, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, channel catfish and bullhead are all found in abundance. If you're planning on fishing you may want to check out the latest fishing report published by the New Mexico Department of Game Fish.
Other popular water activities at Conchas Lake include:
*boating and sailing
*water skiing
*swimming
*snorkeling
*scuba diving
In addition to water activities there is also a 9-hole golf course, camping facilities overlooking beautiful Conchas Lake, picnic facilities, and enough wildlife to keep avid nature watchers entertained for hours.
History of Conchas Dam
Conchas Dam was the 17th dam constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It was completed in 1939 at a cost of $15.8 million. The dam is located just downstream from the confluence of the South Canadian and Conchas Rivers, about 35 miles northwest of Tucumcari. Situated in the South Canadian River canyon, the dam has a 1,250 foot long, 200-foot high concrete gravity main section, with 3.7 miles of earth wing dams and dikes flanking the main concrete section. A 300 foot long service spillway is located in the main dam, and a 3,000 foot long concrete emergency spillway is located north of the dam.
The lake, with a permanent pool of 70,500 acre feet, is normally about a half mile to 2 miles wide. The permanent pool elevation is 4,155 feet above mean sea level. Recreation areas are leased to the State of New Mexico Park and Recreation Division and private operators. Seaplane operations are permitted in the area south and west of Conchas Dam on the Conchas arm of the lake. Recreation facilities include campsites, restrooms/showers, drinking water, 9-hole golf course, convenience store and gasoline.
The U.S. Corps of Engineers operates and maintains day-use facilities with picnic sites, grills, a shelter, drinking water, restrooms and playground equipment.
Conchas Lake provides 259,000 acre-feet of storage for conservation and irrigation. These irrigation waters supply the Arch Hurley Conservation District, in the area of Tucumcari, and the Bell Ranch located northeast of the lake. The reservoir has 198,000 acre-feet of storage space allocated for flood control purposes and another 70,500 acre-feet for sediment control.
Four major floods have occurred on the Canadian River since the Dam was completed: in May and September 1941, in September 1942, and June 1965.