Rio Grande at Elephant Butte
New Mexico · Fishing & wading
Measured at USGS 08361000 — RIO GRANDE BELOW ELEPHANT BUTTE DAM, NM · NWS forecast point EDBN5
Reading taken Jul 29, 12:00 AM UTC
Low and clear — wadeable, and fish will be spooky
At 182 CFS, this gauge is running 12% of normal for late July — below the 1,490 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 109 years of record (1917–2026).
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
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12 months of flow at Elephant Butte
Daily values from USGS gauge 08361000. Provisional data, subject to revision.
Highest crests on record at Elephant Butte
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 9.26 ft | 4,480 CFS | May 22, 2007 |
| 7.92 ft | 3,320 CFS | Jul 9, 2008 |
| 7.79 ft | 3,220 CFS | Jul 21, 2004 |
| 7.63 ft | 3,000 CFS | Jun 4, 2014 |
| 7.50 ft | 2,330 CFS | Jun 29, 1973 |
| 7.41 ft | 2,840 CFS | Jun 23, 2005 |
| 7.34 ft | 2,670 CFS | Jul 4, 1972 |
| 7.32 ft | 3,020 CFS | Jul 29, 2009 |
| 7.31 ft | 2,860 CFS | Jul 8, 2006 |
| 7.28 ft | 2,960 CFS | Jul 9, 1965 |
Historical crests published by the National Weather Service for this gauge.
About Rio Grande at Elephant Butte
This gauge sits on Rio Grande at Elephant Butte, New Mexico, immediately below Elephant Butte Reservoir. Flow here is controlled by releases from the dam, so it can change by hundreds of CFS within an hour with no rain anywhere in the basin — check it before you go, not the day before.
Raw CFS means little on its own, so every reading on this page is shown against the USGS median for the same calendar day — 1,490 CFS for late July, from 109 years of record.
Reservoir feeding this stretch
Flow at this gauge is set by releases from Elephant Butte Reservoir. A full pool usually means more water is on its way down.
Rio Grande at Elephant Butte — common questions
What is the current flow on Rio Grande at Elephant Butte?
As of the last reading on this page, Rio Grande at Elephant Butte was running 182 CFS at a gage height of 2.54 ft, or 12% of the USGS median for this date. The number updates automatically from USGS gauge 08361000, which reports every 15 to 60 minutes.
Is that high or low for this time of year?
The USGS median flow for late July at this gauge is 1,490 CFS, calculated from 109 years of record (1917–2026). Comparing today's reading against that median is the only way a raw CFS number tells you anything — 200 CFS is a drought on one river and a flood on another.
How often does this reading update?
USGS transmits from this gauge every 15 to 60 minutes. This page bakes in the most recent reading when it is rebuilt, then refreshes live from USGS when you open it. Readings are provisional and subject to revision by USGS.
Is Rio Grande at Elephant Butte wadeable right now?
That depends on the reach and on your own judgement — riverlvl will not tell you the water is safe to stand in. What it will tell you is whether today's flow is unusually high or low for the date, against a seasonal median of 1,490 CFS, which is the single most useful input to that decision. On a dam tailwater like this one, the bigger risk is a sudden generation release, which can raise the river several feet with little warning.
How do releases from Elephant Butte Reservoir affect this stretch?
Directly and quickly. When the dam generates or spills, flow at this gauge climbs — often within an hour, often by an order of magnitude. The reservoir level itself is tracked on lakelvl.com, and the link on this page goes straight to it, so you can see whether the pool is high enough that releases are likely.
Where does this data come from?
Flow and gage height are public-domain USGS data from gauge 08361000. Flood categories, impact statements and the forecast come from the NOAA / National Weather Service National Water Prediction Service, gauge EDBN5. riverlvl adds the seasonal comparison and plain-English summary; it is not an official source and does not issue warnings.