Conchas Dam is in San Miguel County, and in the Central New Mexico region. You can find Conchas Dam on hwy 104 between Las Vegas, and Tucumcari.
Conchas Dam is located at the meeting of the Canadian and Conchas Rivers. People have been utilizing this area from way back in time. Such as the PaleoIndian hunters of the mammoth and bison, to the Spanish and Mexican expeditions of the 16th, 17th, and 18th Centuries.
Conchas Dam was one of a number of Depression-era projects completed in New Mexico. The project started in 1935 under Roosevelt's Emergency Relief Appropriation Act. The act required Captain Hans Kramer, the Engineer for the new Corps District, to utilize 90% of his employees from relief roles. Almost all of his employees were unskilled and knew only of horses, buggies and wagons. So Kramer made sure they were taught construction methods, safety, and how to operate equipment and vehicles. A city had to be built here to accomidate the workers for this massive construction project.