Elephant Butte dam
Elephant Butte
Elephant Butte, located in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, is a federal dam on the Rio Grande River managed by the Bureau of Reclamation. Built in 1915, this concrete dam stands at a height of 301 feet and serves multiple purposes including flood risk reduction, hydroelectric power generation, irrigation, and recreation. With a storage capacity of over 2.5 million acre-feet, Elephant Butte plays a crucial role in water resource management in the region.
The dam's strategic location and design make it a vital infrastructure for the surrounding area, with a maximum discharge capacity of 47,500 cubic feet per second and a surface area of 42,750 acres. Despite being classified as having a high hazard potential, Elephant Butte has undergone structural modifications in 1985 to ensure its continued safety and functionality. The dam's risk assessment ranks it as very high, emphasizing the importance of ongoing monitoring and management to mitigate potential hazards and ensure the safety of downstream communities.
Elephant Butte is not only a key player in flood control and water storage but also a popular recreational spot for locals and tourists alike. Its impressive size and historical significance make it a fascinating site for water resource and climate enthusiasts to explore and appreciate the engineering marvel that is Elephant Butte.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Elephant Butte -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Rio Grande Below Elephant Butte Dam | 2,080 cfs | → |
| Rio Grande At Narrows In Elephant Butte Res. | 33 cfs | → |
| Rio Grande Floodway At San Marcial | · | → |
| Rio Grande Conveyance Channel At San Marcial | 51 cfs | → |
| Salt Creek Near Tularosa | 0 cfs | → |
| Mimbres River At Mimbres | 4 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Elephant Butte.
Boat launches
- Dam Site Marina
- Marina Del Sur
- Rock Canyon Road Sierra County
- Monticello Road Sierra County
- Sierra County
Campgrounds
- Elephant Butte Lake State Park
- Caballo Lake State Park
- Percha Dam State Park
- Luna Park Campground
- Hillsboro City Rv Park
Track Elephant Butte in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Elephant Butte
Where does the data for Elephant Butte come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the High hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Elephant Butte.