Elephant Butte Reservoir

RESERVOIR REPORT

350,675 acre-ft

Water storage levels at Elephant Butte Reservoir are currently 350,675 acre-ft, about 45% of normal. The average for this time of year is approximately 784,101.77acre-ft. Maximum recorded Storage since record keeping began in 1915 was 1942-06-16 when levels reached 2,302,800 acre-ft. Lowest recorded Storage was 1954-08-06 when levels receded to 9,900 acre-ft. View historical levels.

Elephant Butte Reservoir, located in southern New Mexico, was created in 1916 by the damming of the Rio Grande. The reservoir has a storage capacity of 2.2 million acre-feet and is the largest reservoir in the state. The hydrology of the reservoir is primarily fed by snow melt and surface flow from the Rio Grande, as well as irrigation runoff from nearby agricultural fields. The reservoir provides water for agricultural and recreational uses, including boating, fishing, and camping. The snowpack providers for the reservoir include the San Juan and Sangre de Cristo mountain ranges, while the surface flow is mainly provided by the Rio Grande and its tributaries. The reservoir plays a vital role in supplying water to the surrounding areas, as well as the downstream agricultural lands and cities in Texas and Mexico.