USGS Water-Year Summary 2024
08404000 PECOS RIVER BELOW AVALON DAM, NM
LOCATION - Lat 32°28'51.08", long 104°15'46.73" referenced to North American Datum of 1983, Eddy County, NM, Hydrologic Unit 13060011, on right bank 4,800 ft downstream from Avalon Dam, 4.5 mi northwest of Carlsbad, and at mile 466.3.
DRAINAGE AREA - 18,080 mi². (approximate contributing area)
SURFACE-WATER RECORDS
PERIOD OF RECORD - January 1906 to March 1907 (published as "at Avalon"), June 1951 to current year.
GAGE - Water-stage recorder with satellite telemetry. Datum of gage is 3113.47 ft above NAVD88 as determined by a GNSS Level II rapid-static survey performed by the USGS on June 13, 2023. Jan. 1906 to Mar. 1907, nonrecording gage at site 0.5 mi upstream at different datum.
EXTREMES OUTSIDE PERIOD OF RECORD - Flood of Oct. 2, 1904, caused in part by failure of Avalon Dam, probably exceeded 90,000 ft³/s, and is probably the greatest flood since 1842. A major flood occurred Aug. 3, 1893, and was described as "greatest in 50 years"; it damaged McMillan Dam, then under construction, and washed out the original Avalon Dam. Another major flood occurred Aug. 7, 1916, discharge 70,000 ft³/s, at site 6.5 mi downstream.