2025-09-23: ALERT - The instantaneous data for Elephant Butte is currently unavailable. As a result, we are unable to display updated daily storage data for the reservoir. Updated daily storage data will be available as soon as the hourly data from Bureau of Reclamation is back online.
Elephant Butte Lake: 1.4% full as of 2026-09-07
Elephant Butte Lake (located in New Mexico) is governed by the Rio Grande Compact. The Rio Grande Compact is an interstate compact signed in 1938 between the states of Colorado, New Mexico and Texas and approved by the U.S. Congress, to equitably apportion the waters of the Rio Grande Basin. Water from the lake supplies irrigation water as well as a portion of El Paso's supply when available.
Historical Data
| Date | Percent Full |
Mean Water Level (ft) |
Reservoir Storage (acre-ft) |
Conservation Storage (acre-ft) |
Conservation Capacity (acre-ft) |
Surface Area (acres) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today | 2026-09-07 | 1.4 | 4,275.57 | 27,736 | 27,736 | 1,960,900 | 2,295 |
| Yesterday | 2026-09-06 | 1.4 | 4,275.57 | 27,736 | 27,736 | 1,960,900 | 2,295 |
| 2 days ago | 2026-09-05 | - n.a. - | - n.a. - | - n.a. - | - n.a. - | - n.a. - | - n.a. - |
| 1 week ago | 2026-08-31 | 1.4 | 4,275.49 | 27,552 | 27,552 | 1,960,900 | 2,290 |
| 1 month ago | 2026-08-07 | 1.4 | 4,275.26 | 27,027 | 27,027 | 1,960,900 | 2,275 |
| 3 months ago | 2026-06-07 | 8.7 | 4,309.04 | 171,157 | 171,157 | 1,960,900 | 6,983 |
| 6 months ago | 2026-03-07 | 12.2 | 4,318.12 | 241,766 | 241,766 | 1,985,900 | 8,630 |
| 1 year ago | 2025-09-07 | 3.4 | 4,289.25 | 66,436 | 66,436 | 1,960,900 | 3,667 |
Percent Full is based on Conservation Storage and Conservation Capacity and doesn't account for storage in flood pool.
Values above, including today's are averaged conditions. For near real-time instantaneous water level, see table below or the interactive map viewer.
Most Recent Instantaneous Water Level
| Date/time |
Water Level (ft) |
Conservation Pool Elevation (ft) |
Height Above Conservation Pool (ft) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Most recent | 2026-09-07 05:00 | 4,275.58 | 4,405.59 | -130.01 |
| 1 hour prior | 2026-09-07 04:00 | - n.a. - | - n.a. - | - n.a. - |
| 2 hours prior | 2026-09-07 03:00 | - n.a. - | - n.a. - | - n.a. - |
| 6 hours prior | 2026-09-06 23:00 | - n.a. - | - n.a. - | - n.a. - |
| 12 hours prior | 2026-09-06 17:00 | - n.a. - | - n.a. - | - n.a. - |
| 24 hours prior | 2026-09-06 05:00 | - n.a. - | - n.a. - | - n.a. - |
| 48 hours prior | 2026-09-05 05:00 | - n.a. - | - n.a. - | - n.a. - |
Data is provisional and subject to revision.
Additional Information
| Vertical datum | NGVD29 -43.3 |
| Dead pool elevation | 4,231.50 ft above NGVD29 -43.3 |
| Emergency spillway crest elevation | 4,414.00 ft above NGVD29 -43.3 |
| Flood pool elevation | 4,407.00 ft above NGVD29 -43.3 |
| Maximum design elevation | 4,415.00 ft above NGVD29 -43.3 |
| Top of dam elevation | 4,414.00 ft above NGVD29 -43.3 |
|
Conservation pool elevation |
4,405.59 ft above NGVD29 -43.3 |
|
Conservation pool elevation |
4,406.30 ft above NGVD29 -43.3 |
| Data download (CSV) | period of record, last one year, last 30 days |
Elevation-Area-Capacity Curves
2019-11-01 (source: USBR)
|
|
| Data Source | USBR:EBDN5 |
Lake Location
