[8] The dam sits between two granite walls, and as part of the plans, the Springers had to reroute U.S. Route 64 to its current location, over McAvoy Hill.

[citation needed] To help finance the dam, Springer sold some water rights from Eagle Nest Lake to local farmers and ranchers.

This adjudication confirmed Springer's original permit which gave him the right to store surplus and flood water in the Eagle Nest Lake.

[citation needed] Today, Eagle Nest Lake still serves its intended purpose as a reservoir, which provides irrigation water via the Cimarron River and a complex canal system, to many farmers and ranchers,[9] some as far as 50 miles downstream.

[10] Some of the water rights from Eagle Nest Lake have been purchased by local municipalities including Raton[11] and Springer.

Governor Richardson and the local governing bodies signed the Eagle Nest Water Rights Settlement on June 2, 2006.