New Mexico's Elephant Butte Reservoir hits historic low of 1.4% capacity

Elephant Butte Reservoir, the biggest water storage site in New Mexico, reached only 1.4 percent of its design capacity in late July 2026, the lowest level recorded since 1971. The collapse follows a prolonged drought across the Rio Grande basin and the earliest snowmelt ever observed in the southern Rocky Mountains, which together drained the lake and revealed decades-old debris along its shoreline. Agricultural releases from the reservoir were halted after July 28, allowing water levels to inch upward.

The situation threatens irrigation for crops such as alfalfa, cotton, onions, pecans and Hatch green chiles grown in both New Mexico and Texas. NASA’s Western Water Action Office is providing near-real-time satellite measurements of soil moisture, evapotranspiration and surface height, integrated with drone and ground data, to improve water-allocation decisions for the Elephant Butte Irrigation District and broader Rio Grande management.

A federal study of the Upper Rio Grande, also supported by NASA scientists, aims to model future water availability and develop data-driven tools for the region. The crisis underscores the growing strain on surface and groundwater resources in the arid Southwest.