Sumner Dam Project 2025

08/22/2025

BOR states they do not want a bridge on the dams. WE disagree.

WE think a community push is what is needed to get our bridge back even though it is one lane, but the one lane has been in place for 86 years and works great considering the low traffic on it

Please consider letting the Bureau of Reclamation know how you feel.

email to:
[email protected]
and
[email protected]

Below is a draft you may use or create you own.

BOR,



Good afternoon. The Sumner Dam Radial Gate Project has been evolving for several years and the concern that I have and all people in the Sumner Lake community, ranchers, visitors, and residents of De Baca county, NM is to retain the “current bridge” on the dam. We all would like to see this dam be refurbished and used again for automobile traffic.



We have been told that the funds for a “permanent bridge” was not funded that BOR had sought, so this project was cancelled.



We need a “permanent bridge”. Yes, BOR and NMDOT are going to place a temporary bridge that will last for 6 years and be disassembled and we will not have any path for all get across the Pecos river for emergencies of ambulance, fire, trash, personal and commercial use, ranchers, etc. The current Sumner Lake Dam bridge is a vital bridge for Sumner Lake, De Baca county and New Mexico.



I feel BOR and NMDOT can refurbish this current bridge back to a single bridge and make it stronger (today’s technology) to continue to be used. We have been told that BOR does not want any bridges on dams. This dam bridge has very minimal traffic going across this dam (see traffic count). There are numerous dams that BOR oversees that have bridges on the dams and in the USA. This bridge has been there for 86 years and we feel this is a part of Sumner Lake and its community.



Our plea and prayer is to ask the BOR to please reconsider to keep and refurbish this bridge. It can be done if we all work together.



Look forward to your immediate reply.



Sincerely,

Send a message to learn more

08/22/2025

Dear Community Members and Stakeholders,

Thank you for your previous participation in the Sumner Dam Radial Gates Replacement Project—whether by attending a public meeting or submitting comments. Your input has been instrumental in shaping the revised draft Environmental Assessment (EA), which is now available for public review and comment.

The revised draft EA evaluates the potential environmental impacts of replacing the radial gates at Sumner Dam, located on the Pecos River approximately 16 miles northwest of Fort Sumner in De Baca County, New Mexico. This document has been prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and 40 CFR Parts 1500–1508.

You can access the revised draft EA on Reclamation’s website: Environmental Assessments | Upper Colorado Basin | Bureau of Reclamation

The public comment period is open from August 13 through September 13, 2025. We encourage you to review the revised draft EA and share any feedback by the deadline.

You may submit written comments related to the Sumner Dam Radial Gates Replacement revised draft EA by the following methods:

Mail to:
Mr. David (Sonny) Cooper

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

Albuquerque Area Office

555 Broadway Blvd., NE

Albuquerque, NM 87102



Email to:
[email protected]



All comments must be received by September 13, 2025, when the public comment period ends.

Important Note: Before including personal information in your comment (such as your address, phone number, or email), please be aware that your entire comment—including any personal identifying details—may be made publicly available at any time.
Reclamation has also developed a Radial Gates Project webpage, which will provide additional information as the project progresses. That webpage can be accessed here: Sumner Dam Radial Gates Replacement Project | Bureau of Reclamation

We appreciate your continued engagement.

Sincerely,

Tracy Aragon, PE

Project Manager

USBR Albuquerque Area Office

[email protected]

Send a message to learn more

04/05/2025

We are still working with BOR.
We are trying to get answers to your questions. Once we have information we will share.
As of now we do not have funding for the permanent bridge.
The Radial Gates Project has been funded and will begin soon.

10/03/2024

Some pictures from this morning!
And as usual a dragonfly kept me company! 😍

10/03/2024

Core samples are being taken for the intermediate bypass bridge!

They are expecting to start the project now Oct. 2025. They are trying to work around our "Open" season so traffic won't be as affected.

10/03/2024

We need to grow our page.. we can't do live feeds until we reach 100+ followers we are close.
Please share our page for updates on the project.

09/30/2024

Unable to live stream on this page please log on to my personal page
Tandra Boardman

We need over 100 to live stream.. please like, follow and share our page.

09/29/2024

Reminder of the meeting Monday at 4pm with the Bureau of Reclamation, Carlsbad Irrigation District and NM DOT.

We have been given permission to live stream the meeting here on this page.

09/16/2024

Public Meeting:
Monday. September 30, 2024. from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Fort Sumner Community House 137 East Baker Hill, Fort Sumner, NM 88119

09/05/2024

This is not about the Dam but it does effect our community. Please attend if you can.