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Environment & Climate

Elephant Butte Reservoir in New Mexico drops to lowest capacity since 1971

A severe drought and early Rocky Mountain snowmelt brought the reservoir down to 1.4% capacity before seasonal irrigation releases ended in late July.

Updated Sep 3, 2026 · 08:18 UTC1 reports

The short version

  • Elephant Butte Reservoir, the largest in New Mexico, declined to 1.4% capacity by late July 2026, marking its lowest level in over five decades.
  • The drawdown impacts Rio Grande water allocations vital for agriculture in southern New Mexico and western Texas.
  • Storage levels began to slowly increase after irrigation water releases concluded on July 28.
  • Long-term water availability across the Upper Rio Grande basin remains strained amid ongoing regional drought conditions.

Key facts

  • Elephant Butte Reservoir fell to 1.4% of total capacity on July 27, 2026, reaching its lowest recorded level since 1971.[ScienceDaily]
  • The reservoir's depletion was driven by multi-year extreme drought alongside the earliest recorded snowmelt in the southern Rocky Mountains.[ScienceDaily]
  • The extreme drop in water levels exposed long-submerged shoreline debris and buried boat ramps in sediment at Elephant Butte Lake State Park.[ScienceDaily]
  • Agricultural releases from the reservoir halted after July 28, 2026, allowing storage levels to start a slow recovery.[ScienceDaily]
  • Water managers and NASA researchers are using satellite data, drone imagery, and ground instruments to track water availability, evapotranspiration, and groundwater pumping impacts along the Rio Grande.[ScienceDaily]

What remains uncertain

  • The extent and rate of long-term water recovery in the reservoir depend on upcoming seasonal precipitation and future Upper Rio Grande runoff.[ScienceDaily]

Sources