Heron Reservoir water level

Name: Heron Reservoir water level (U.S. Bureau of Reclamation)
Creator: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
License: https://www.usbr.gov/main/disclaim.html

Reservoir, New Mexico, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Surface elevation

7,073.74ft Up 4.63 ft over the last 7 days

Measured Oct 17, 2026 (2 days ago)

Water stored: 36,106 acre‑ft

History

What this means

At 7,073.74 ft, Heron Reservoir is far below normal for mid-October.

That puts it 73.29 ft below the median of 7,147.03 ft for mid-October, based on 36 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 7,083.38 ft (−9.64 ft).

The water is rising: up 4.63 ft over the past week. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 7,064.39 ft and 7,073.74 ft.

Many reservoirs are drawn down through summer and fall; most of the refill comes later, with winter rain or spring snowmelt.

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

Key numbers

Median for this date: 7,147.03 ft73.29 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 7,088.88 ft – 7,184.06 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (36 years of records)
Same day last year: 7,083.38 ft−9.64 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 7,064.39 ft – 7,073.74 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 7,063.04 ft – 7,089.73 ft

Swimming and boating at Heron 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

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.04 in.

17 Sat 64° 34° – Wind 7 mph

18 Sun 66° 37° – Wind 12 mph

19 Mon 64° 44° 0.02 in Wind 11 mph

20 Tue 63° 43° 0.04 in, 39% Wind 11 mph

21 Wed 68° 45° 0.09 in, 57% Wind 10 mph

22 Thu 53° 49° 1.35 in, 77% Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 58° 40° 0.16 in, 77% Wind 18 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:18 AM Sunset 06:28 PM Daylight 11 hr, 10 min First quarter 53%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Rio Chama near La PuenteRiver gauge, Rio Chama	117 cfs	High	−13.0 cfs	4.4 mi
El Vado LakeLake	6,811.99 ft	Low		7 mi
Rio Chama below El Vado DamRiver gauge, Rio Chama	2.07 ft	Below flood stage	±0	8 mi
Rio Chama above Abiquiu ReservoirRiver gauge, Rio Chama	5.16 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	27 mi
Rio Chama below Abiquiu DamRiver gauge, Rio Chama	2.43 ft	Below flood stage	±0	35 mi
San Juan River near CarracasRiver gauge, San Juan River	705 cfs	Very high	−130.0 cfs	40 mi
San Juan River at Pagosa SpringsRiver gauge, San Juan River	5.85 ft	Below flood stage	−0.21 ft	43 mi
Rio Ojo Caliente at La MaderaRiver gauge, Rio Ojo Caliente	2.60 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	44 mi

Questions and answers

How does Heron Reservoir compare with last year?

It is 9.64 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 7,083.38 ft.

What is a normal level for Heron Reservoir in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 7,147.03 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 7,088.88 ft and 7,184.06 ft, based on 36 years of records.

Is Heron Reservoir really 7,073.74 ft deep?

No. 7,073.74 ft is the height of the water surface above sea level (or the agency's vertical datum), not the depth of the water.

What is the water level of Heron Reservoir today?

On Oct 17, 2026, the surface elevation was 7,073.74 ft. Up 4.63 ft over the last 7 days.

Is Heron Reservoir rising or falling?

Up 4.63 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Heron Reservoir normal?

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

How often is this data updated?

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

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
Station code: usbr:365 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 36.69730, -106.69920 (WGS84)
Update interval: once a day
Licence: Public domain. Data: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (RISE), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

Parameter	Last value	Time (UTC)	Quality
Surface elevation	7,073.74 ft	2026-10-17 07:00	Provisional
Water stored	36,106 acre‑ft	2026-10-17 07:00	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation: Heron Reservoir (usbr:365). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/new-mexico/heron-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.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer