Elephant Butte Reservoir hits lowest level since 1971
Satellite imagery reveals a 15-year decline at Elephant Butte Reservoir, which fell to 1.4% of capacity in July 2026, its lowest point in over 50 years
The Elephant Butte Reservoir in New Mexico held just 34.4 million cubic meters of water on September 13, 2026, according to provisional data from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. NASA had earlier reported the reservoir stood at a mere 1.4% of its total capacity on July 27.
A satellite video released by the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA) at Colorado State University on September 15 illustrates this stark decline. The compilation of images shows the shrinking of Elephant Butte and the smaller Caballo Reservoir to its south over a 15-year period from 2012 to 2026.
A Reservoir in Long-Term Decline
The visual record shows a prolonged drought affecting the Rio Grande basin. NASA provided historical context with Landsat imagery, comparing a nearly full reservoir on June 2, 1994, to a major drought event on July 8, 2013, when levels dropped to 2.9% of capacity. The current situation is more severe.
Snow at the river’s headwaters in the southern Rocky Mountains melted earlier in 2026 than at any other point in the observational record used for its assessment. This early snowmelt, combined with the ongoing drought, is cited as a key contributor to the critically low reservoir level.
Impacts and Hazards
The low water has forced the closure of all boat ramps at Elephant Butte Lake State Park. New Mexico State Parks lists the ramps as closed, with reopening dependent on higher water and suitable conditions. The agency has also warned of hazards from both exposed and submerged debris under the current low-water conditions.
Agricultural water releases contributed to a seasonal drawdown. However, NASA reported that those releases stopped after July 28, allowing the reservoir to begin a slow refilling process. Bureau of Reclamation data indicates storage levels remained near the late-summer low through the first half of September.
Historical Water Levels
The source provides specific data points for the reservoir's capacity at different times, allowing for a direct comparison of its status during significant drought years.
| Year | Date | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | June 2 | Nearly full |
| 2013 | July 8 | 2.9% |
| 2026 | July 27 | 1.4% |
Elephant Butte is New Mexico's largest reservoir and stores Rio Grande water primarily used for irrigation in the region. The satellite loop from CIRA offers a clear, visual sign of a water system under sustained stress.
