USGS Water-Year Summary 2024
08396500 PECOS RIVER NEAR ARTESIA, NM
LOCATION - Lat 32°50'27.1", long 104°19'25.8" referenced to North American Datum of 1983, Eddy County, NM, Hydrologic Unit 13060007, on upstream side of bridge on U.S. Highway 82, 4.3 mi east of Artesia, 7.0 mi upstream from Rio Penasco, and at mile 503.9.
DRAINAGE AREA - 15,300 mi². (approximate contributing area)
REVISIONS HISTORY - WSP 1312 and 1512: 1913, 1915, 1917-18(M), 1920, 1923, 1931-36. WSP 1712: 1906(M), 1908-11(M), 1919, 1921- 23(M), 1929, 1931-32(M), 1935-36(M), 1937, 1939(M), 1941(M). See also PERIOD OF RECORD.
SURFACE-WATER RECORDS
PERIOD OF RECORD - September 1905 to June 1909, August 1909 to current year. Monthly discharge only for some periods, published in WSP 1312 and 1712. Records for August 22-31, 1934, and October 1936 to April 1937, published in WSP 763 and 828, respectively, are not reliable and should not be used. Prior to February 1936, published as "near Dayton."
GAGE - Water-stage recorder with satellite telemetry and crest-stage gage. Elevation of gage is 3,291.92 ft above NGVD of 1983 (Bureau of Reclamation benchmark). See WSP 1923 or 2123 for history of changes prior to Apr. 5, 1941. Apr. 5, 1941, to Apr. 2, 1981, water-stage recorder at site 250 ft downstream at same datum.
EXTREMES OUTSIDE PERIOD OF RECORD - Greatest flood since at least 1893 occurred Oct. 2, 1904, discharge not determined; the peak inflow to
Lake McMillan, which includes Rio Penasco and Fourmile Draw, was estimated at 82,000 ft³/s. The second
highest flood occurred July 25, 1905, discharge downstream from Rio Penasco, 50,300 ft³/s, based on
gain in storage and spill from Lake McMillan. The floods in Aug. 1893 and Oct. 1904 damaged McMillan
Dam and washed out Avalon Dam.
WATER-QUALITY RECORDS
PERIOD OF RECORD - Water years 1937 to current year.