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Elephant Butte Reservoir water level

Reservoir, New Mexico, United States

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Right now

Low for mid-October

Surface elevation

4,295.96ft Up 1.25 ft over the last 7 days

Water stored
94,701 acre-ft
4,300 4,350 4,400
Surface elevation: 4,295.96 ft. Low for mid-October.

History

History
4,3004,3504,400ftOct 10Oct 11Oct 12Oct 13Oct 15
4,3004,3504,400ftSep 17Sep 24Oct 1Oct 8Oct 15
4,3004,3504,400ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026
4,2754,3004,3254,350ftOct 2016Apr 2019Oct 2021Apr 2024Oct 2026
4,3004,3504,400ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026

202120222023202420252026

Surface elevation Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

At 4,295.96 ft, Elephant Butte Reservoir is below normal for mid-October.

That puts it 29.88 ft below the median of 4,325.84 ft for mid-October, based on 36 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 4,292.08 ft (+3.88 ft).

The water is rising: up 1.25 ft over the past week. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 4,276.10 ft and 4,295.96 ft.

Many reservoirs reach their low point of the year in fall, before winter rain and snow start the refill.

Largest reservoir in New Mexico, on the Rio Grande.

Compared with 36 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
4,325.84 ft29.88 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
4,295.36 ft – 4,398.55 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (36 years of records)
Same day last year
4,292.08 ft+3.88 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
4,276.10 ft – 4,295.96 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
4,275.13 ft – 4,319.27 ft

Swimming and boating at Elephant Butte Reservoir

Low water changes a lake fast for boaters. Some ramps get shorter or close, docks may be moved, and rocks and sandbars that are usually well under the surface come within reach of a prop.

If you swim, pick a spot with an easy way out, and remember that drop-offs move as the level changes.

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:15 AM Sunset 06:35 PM Daylight 11h 21m First quarter 34 %

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Rio Grande below Elephant Butte DamRiver gauge, Rio Grande 1.34 ft No reference yet 3.6 mi
Rio Grande at Narrows in Elephant Butte ReservoirRiver gauge, Rio Grande 4.38 ft No reference yet 13 mi
Caballo ReservoirReservoir 4,138.96 ft Normal 20 mi
Rio Grande Floodway at San MarcialRiver gauge, Rio Grande Floodway 12.53 ft Below flood stage 35 mi
Rio Grande Conveyance Channel at San MarcialRiver gauge, Rio Grande Conveyance Channel 157 cfs Normal 36 mi

Questions and answers

How does Elephant Butte Reservoir compare with last year?

It is 3.88 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 4,292.08 ft.

How often is Elephant Butte Reservoir updated?

Once a day. The source, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, publishes a single daily value; the latest is from Oct 15, 2026.

What is the water level of Elephant Butte Reservoir today?

On Oct 15, 2026, the surface elevation was 4,295.96 ft. Up 1.25 ft over the last 7 days.

Is Elephant Butte Reservoir rising or falling?

Up 1.25 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Elephant Butte Reservoir normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 36 years of daily readings for this time of year.

How often is this data updated?

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation publishes a new reading once a day. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

Where does this data come from?

The values come directly from U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the official operator of this gauge, and are published under the Public domain. We do not estimate or model live values.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
Station code
usbr:323 (Agency page)
Coordinates
33.20000, -107.20000 (WGS84)
Update interval
once a day
Licence
Public domain. Data: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (RISE), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Surface elevation elevation 4,295.96 ft 2026-10-15 07:00 Provisional
Water stored storage 94,701 acre-ft 2026-10-15 07:00 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation: Elephant Butte Reservoir (usbr:323). Accessed October 16, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/new-mexico/elephant-butte-reservoir

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.