Elephant Butte Lake has fallen to 1.7% of its normal capacity, its lowest level since 1971, because of a combination of dam releases for irrigation, meager winter snowfall and rising temperatures, KOAT reports. Even so, the lake remains above its record low of 0.01% capacity, set in June 1954.
Park officials are using the exposed lakebed as a chance to do maintenance work before the irrigation season ends. Johnathin Horsley, superintendent of Elephant Butte Lake State Park, told KOAT that crews had been pulling out sediment for about two weeks, with the main goal of keeping the loading ramp clean so people can launch boats and enjoy the water.
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The drop has also created challenges for area businesses. Josh Koch, manager at Marina Del Sur, said the receding shoreline complicates routine fueling: the marina’s movable fuel barges normally fill up at the courtesy docks by the boat ramp, but the sand is so soft that the gas tanker gets stuck, so workers have to haul the barges to the dam site instead. Koch said local businesses were offering late-summer promotions to bring visitors out to the lake.
Water releases at Elephant Butte Dam were set to stop on July 28 at the end of the irrigation season, which local officials hoped would allow the reservoir to begin refilling.
About This Story
Daily Reports is Brant.One’s news roundup. Each day we gather the New Mexico stories worth knowing from newsrooms across the state, sum them up and point you to the source. This one comes from KOAT’s reporting, and their original story has the interviews and full details.
Editor’s note: Updated Oct. 31, 2026. This story is now part of Daily Reports, our New Mexico news roundup, and was revised to credit KOAT’s original reporting. Learn how Daily Reports works in our editorial standards.
