USGS Water-Year Summary 2024

08361000 RIO GRANDE BELOW ELEPHANT BUTTE DAM, NM

LOCATION - Lat 33°08'54.64", long 107°12'24.42" referenced to North American Datum of 1983, Sierra County, NM, Hydrologic Unit 13030101, in Pedro Armendaris Grant, on left bank 1.0 mi downstream from dam, 1.5 mi upstream from Cuchillo Negro River, and at mile 1,382.2.

DRAINAGE AREA - 29,450 mi² of which 2,940 mi² probably is noncontributing. (from the closed basin in San Luis Valley, Colorado)

REVISIONS HISTORY - WSP 1562: 1920. WSP 1632: drainage area. WSP 1732: 1917, 1920. See also PERIOD OF RECORD.

SURFACE-WATER RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD - January 1915 to current year. Monthly or annual discharge only for some periods, published in WSP 1732. Figures of daily discharge, published in WSP 458 for October to December 1916, are unreliable.

GAGE - Water-stage recorder with satellite telemetry and crest-stage gage. Datum of gage is 4,243.22 ft above NAVD88 as determined by a GNSS Level III static survey performed by the USGS on May 30, 2018. Prior to Mar. 24, 1980, at datum 1.0 ft higher. See WSP 1732 for history of changes prior to Apr. 24, 1942.

REMARKS - Water years 2014-2024; records good except for estimated discharges and discharges from July 1, 2016 to August 18, 2016 and August 6, 2021 to August 16, 2021, which are poor. Flow regulated by Elephant Butte Reservoir (station 08360500). Diversion for irrigation of about 800,000 acres upstream of station. No flow at times prior to 1929, Mar. 2-4, 1979.