History
Elephant Butte Reservoir water level history
Year-end, low and high water surface at Elephant Butte Dam since 1915, from Reclamation's daily record
Data through Oct 15, 2026 · source last checked Oct 17, 2026 · page revised Oct 16, 2026
Cite
- Water level at year end (latest reading for the current year)
About this data
- Source
- US Bureau of Reclamation RISE (Upper Colorado Hydrologic Database)
- Series
- Daily water surface elevation, summarized by calendar year
- Geography
- Elephant Butte Reservoir
- Unit
- feet above sea level
- Calculation
- Year-end reading, plus each year's lowest and highest reading
- Last observation
- Oct 15, 2026
- Update frequency
- Daily
Now 4,295.96 ft (Oct 15, 2026). Its lowest reading of the past year, 4,275.13 feet on Jul 29, 2026, was the lowest since October 1971. The record low is 4,258.03 feet, set on Aug 6, 1954.
| Year | End of year | Change | Low for the year | High for the year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (through Oct 15) | 4,295.96 ft | -13.93 ft | 4,275.13 ft (Jul 29) | 4,319.27 ft (Apr 17) |
| 2025 | 4,309.89 ft | -1.32 ft | 4,288.2 ft (Sep 10) | 4,322.63 ft (Apr 28) |
| 2024 | 4,311.21 ft | -27.89 ft | 4,299.53 ft (Sep 26) | 4,342.38 ft (Feb 14) |
| 2023 | 4,339.1 ft | +22.84 ft | 4,316.43 ft (Jan 1) | 4,346.67 ft (Jul 1) |
| 2022 | 4,316.26 ft | +7.71 ft | 4,291.19 ft (Aug 18) | 4,320.76 ft (May 10) |
| 2021 | 4,308.55 ft | +6.37 ft | 4,296.55 ft (Aug 16) | 4,318.53 ft (May 19) |
| 2020 | 4,302.18 ft | -42.72 ft | 4,293.07 ft (Sep 22) | 4,349.42 ft (Mar 2) |
| 2019 | 4,344.9 ft | +46.69 ft | 4,298.41 ft (Jan 1) | 4,346.32 ft (Jul 14) |
| 2018 | 4,298.21 ft | -36.46 ft | 4,285.66 ft (Sep 25) | 4,339.41 ft (Feb 27) |
| 2017 | 4,334.67 ft | +22.88 ft | 4,311.99 ft (Jan 1) | 4,341.89 ft (Jun 14) |
| 2016 | 4,311.79 ft | -13.49 ft | 4,300.17 ft (Sep 7) | 4,335.12 ft (Mar 20) |
| 2015 | 4,325.28 ft | +6.92 ft | 4,306.63 ft (Sep 16) | 4,332.51 ft (May 30) |
| 2014 | 4,318.36 ft | -2.47 ft | 4,301.01 ft (Aug 2) | 4,330.56 ft (May 26) |
| 2013 | 4,320.83 ft | +14.97 ft | 4,286.25 ft (Jul 8) | 4,320.83 ft (Dec 31) |
| 2012 | 4,305.86 ft | -15.49 ft | 4,297.21 ft (Sep 4) | 4,331.63 ft (Mar 25) |
| 2011 | 4,321.35 ft | -14.33 ft | 4,309.98 ft (Sep 8) | 4,341.03 ft (Mar 1) |
| 2010 | 4,335.68 ft | -6.47 ft | 4,329.08 ft (Sep 22) | 4,348.19 ft (Jun 5) |
| 2009 | 4,342.15 ft | -8.19 ft | 4,336.59 ft (Sep 30) | 4,354.77 ft (Feb 17) |
| 2008 | 4,350.34 ft | +18.12 ft | 4,332.3 ft (Jan 1) | 4,350.34 ft (Dec 31) |
| 2007 | 4,332.22 ft | -8.5 ft | 4,324.4 ft (Oct 24) | 4,347.76 ft (Mar 26) |
| 2006 | 4,340.72 ft | +6.8 ft | 4,308.5 ft (Jul 28) | 4,340.72 ft (Dec 31) |
| 2005 | 4,333.92 ft | +24.14 ft | 4,309.94 ft (Jan 1) | 4,344.2 ft (Jun 25) |
| 2004 | 4,309.78 ft | -2.26 ft | 4,294.04 ft (Sep 24) | 4,324.34 ft (May 31) |
| 2003 | 4,312.04 ft | -14.9 ft | 4,303.27 ft (Sep 14) | 4,331.92 ft (Feb 26) |
| 2002 | 4,326.94 ft | -37.98 ft | 4,320.08 ft (Oct 10) | 4,365.9 ft (Jan 27) |
| 2001 | 4,364.92 ft | -16.82 ft | 4,361.88 ft (Oct 9) | 4,383.24 ft (Jan 30) |
| 2000 | 4,381.74 ft | -14.84 ft | 4,377.58 ft (Oct 10) | 4,397.55 ft (Feb 1) |
| 1999 | 4,396.58 ft | +0.32 ft | 4,392.42 ft (Aug 4) | 4,398.07 ft (Feb 14) |
| 1998 | 4,396.26 ft | -6.87 ft | 4,392.46 ft (Oct 16) | 4,404.81 ft (Feb 17) |
| 1997 | 4,403.13 ft | +6.24 ft | 4,394.86 ft (Apr 25) | 4,403.13 ft (Dec 31) |
| 1996 | 4,396.89 ft | -9.43 ft | 4,394.21 ft (Sep 11) | 4,406.46 ft (Jan 2) |
| 1995 | 4,406.32 ft | +0.04 ft | 4,403.28 ft (Oct 31) | 4,406.35 ft (Feb 15) |
| 1994 | 4,406.28 ft | +3.7 ft | 4,402.63 ft (Jan 1) | 4,406.57 ft (Dec 23) |
| 1993 | 4,402.58 ft | +1.53 ft | 4,398.35 ft (Sep 21) | 4,405.74 ft (Jun 25) |
| 1992 | 4,401.05 ft | +4.29 ft | 4,396.8 ft (Jan 1) | 4,405.71 ft (Jun 5) |
| 1991 | 4,396.76 ft | +11.79 ft | 4,385 ft (Jan 1) | 4,396.76 ft (Dec 31) |
| 1990 | 4,384.97 ft | -10.57 ft | 4,380.32 ft (Sep 24) | 4,397.53 ft (Feb 28) |
| 1989 | 4,395.54 ft | -9.39 ft | 4,394.37 ft (Nov 3) | 4,406.32 ft (Feb 15) |
| 1988 | 4,404.93 ft | -0.24 ft | 4,401.45 ft (Aug 29) | 4,406.7 ft (Mar 17) |
| 1987 | 4,405.17 ft | -1.28 ft | 4,402.69 ft (Oct 20) | 4,406.6 ft (Mar 27) |
| 1986 | 4,406.45 ft | +3.73 ft | 4,402.84 ft (Jan 1) | 4,407.21 ft (Nov 19) |
| 1985 | 4,402.72 ft | +10.41 ft | 4,392.01 ft (Feb 20) | 4,404.35 ft (Jun 17) |
| 1984 | 4,392.31 ft | +10.07 ft | 4,381.41 ft (Apr 20) | 4,392.31 ft (Dec 31) |
| 1983 | 4,382.24 ft | +17.55 ft | 4,364.77 ft (Jan 1) | 4,383.6 ft (Jul 18) |
| 1982 | 4,364.69 ft | +10.38 ft | 4,354.3 ft (Jan 1) | 4,364.69 ft (Dec 31) |
| 1981 | 4,354.31 ft | -23.38 ft | 4,354.31 ft (Dec 31) | 4,378.14 ft (Jan 14) |
| 1980 | 4,377.69 ft | +12.72 ft | 4,363.81 ft (Apr 24) | 4,380.48 ft (Jul 10) |
| 1979 | 4,364.97 ft | +59.3 ft | 4,305.88 ft (Jan 1) | 4,364.97 ft (Dec 31) |
| 1978 | 4,305.67 ft | +0.17 ft | 4,290.2 ft (Sep 16) | 4,318.35 ft (Jun 11) |
| 1977 | 4,305.5 ft | -15.71 ft | 4,295.78 ft (Aug 15) | 4,325.18 ft (Apr 17) |
| 1976 | 4,321.21 ft | -24.7 ft | 4,318.02 ft (Sep 14) | 4,353.05 ft (Mar 7) |
| 1975 | 4,345.91 ft | +16.51 ft | 4,326.08 ft (Apr 26) | 4,345.91 ft (Dec 31) |
| 1974 | 4,329.4 ft | -26.12 ft | 4,321.2 ft (Sep 16) | 4,360.94 ft (Feb 21) |
| 1973 | 4,355.52 ft | +36.5 ft | 4,319.22 ft (Jan 1) | 4,355.52 ft (Dec 31) |
| 1972 | 4,319.02 ft | +14.63 ft | 4,279.67 ft (Aug 19) | 4,319.02 ft (Dec 31) |
| 1971 | 4,304.39 ft | -16.9 ft | 4,271.19 ft (Sep 7) | 4,326.41 ft (Feb 8) |
| 1970 | 4,321.29 ft | -13.71 ft | 4,303.02 ft (Sep 16) | 4,339.43 ft (Feb 8) |
| 1969 | 4,335 ft | +16.23 ft | 4,308.77 ft (Sep 10) | 4,335 ft (Dec 31) |
| 1968 | 4,318.77 ft | +6.77 ft | 4,295.09 ft (Aug 1) | 4,319.7 ft (Feb 29) |
| 1967 | 4,312 ft | -7.75 ft | 4,293.03 ft (Aug 7) | 4,321.84 ft (Jan 26) |
| 1966 | 4,319.75 ft | -14.43 ft | 4,311.03 ft (Sep 4) | 4,338.3 ft (Feb 1) |
| 1965 | 4,334.18 ft | +47.61 ft | 4,286.75 ft (Jan 1) | 4,334.18 ft (Dec 31) |
| 1964 | 4,286.57 ft | -4.61 ft | 4,275.51 ft (Sep 9) | 4,299.93 ft (Mar 15) |
| 1963 | 4,291.18 ft | -32.74 ft | 4,282.07 ft (Aug 31) | 4,327.52 ft (Jan 31) |
| 1962 | 4,323.92 ft | +2.62 ft | 4,306.49 ft (Sep 6) | 4,329.8 ft (May 23) |
| 1961 | 4,321.3 ft | -5.8 ft | 4,301.99 ft (Sep 5) | 4,329.1 ft (Jan 31) |
| 1960 | 4,327.1 ft | -11.3 ft | 4,322.38 ft (Oct 10) | 4,339.04 ft (May 2) |
| 1959 | 4,338.4 ft | -24.3 ft | 4,333.19 ft (Oct 26) | 4,362.7 ft (Jan 1) |
| 1958 | 4,362.7 ft | +11.91 ft | 4,345.45 ft (Apr 13) | 4,373.95 ft (Jun 29) |
| 1957 | 4,350.79 ft | +78.2 ft | 4,272.68 ft (Jan 1) | 4,350.79 ft (Dec 31) |
| 1956 | 4,272.59 ft | -22.01 ft | 4,268.44 ft (Sep 10) | 4,304.4 ft (Mar 12) |
| 1955 | 4,294.6 ft | +9.45 ft | 4,277.56 ft (Jul 25) | 4,295.46 ft (Mar 19) |
| 1954 | 4,285.15 ft | -2.35 ft | 4,258.03 ft (Aug 6) | 4,297.3 ft (Mar 7) |
| 1953 | 4,287.5 ft | -32.87 ft | 4,283.19 ft (Sep 12) | 4,320.49 ft (Jan 3) |
| 1952 | 4,320.37 ft | +50.27 ft | 4,261.64 ft (Mar 8) | 4,324.59 ft (Jul 18) |
| 1951 | 4,270.1 ft | -45.65 ft | 4,262.3 ft (Sep 12) | 4,315.79 ft (Jan 1) |
| 1950 | 4,315.75 ft | -23.96 ft | 4,314.45 ft (Nov 25) | 4,343 ft (Mar 16) |
| 1949 | 4,339.71 ft | +9.85 ft | 4,329.83 ft (Jan 8) | 4,351.3 ft (Jul 29) |
| 1948 | 4,329.86 ft | +4.75 ft | 4,319.6 ft (Apr 15) | 4,349.22 ft (Jun 27) |
| 1947 | 4,325.11 ft | -11.4 ft | 4,311.91 ft (Aug 22) | 4,336.41 ft (Jan 1) |
| 1946 | 4,336.51 ft | -32.63 ft | 4,333.13 ft (Nov 23) | 4,369.08 ft (Jan 1) |
| 1945 | 4,369.14 ft | -7.34 ft | 4,369.14 ft (Dec 31) | 4,385.6 ft (Jun 13) |
| 1944 | 4,376.48 ft | +1.75 ft | 4,369.16 ft (May 12) | 4,385.68 ft (Jul 11) |
| 1943 | 4,374.73 ft | -19.7 ft | 4,374.73 ft (Dec 31) | 4,394.41 ft (Jan 1) |
| 1942 | 4,394.43 ft | -4.79 ft | 4,394.43 ft (Dec 31) | 4,409.19 ft (Jun 16) |
| 1941 | 4,399.22 ft | +70.1 ft | 4,328.73 ft (Jan 25) | 4,400.81 ft (Nov 7) |
| 1940 | 4,329.12 ft | -22.3 ft | 4,323.2 ft (Sep 22) | 4,357.04 ft (Mar 25) |
| 1939 | 4,351.42 ft | -19.65 ft | 4,348.64 ft (Oct 11) | 4,378.41 ft (Apr 12) |
| 1938 | 4,371.07 ft | +0.12 ft | 4,365.6 ft (Apr 25) | 4,377.08 ft (Jul 7) |
| 1937 | 4,370.95 ft | +29.27 ft | 4,341.8 ft (Jan 1) | 4,380.73 ft (Jul 7) |
| 1936 | 4,341.68 ft | -0.25 ft | 4,331.83 ft (Sep 23) | 4,354.9 ft (May 28) |
| 1935 | 4,341.93 ft | +15.13 ft | 4,322.8 ft (May 17) | 4,342.17 ft (Jul 3) |
| 1934 | 4,326.8 ft | -38.42 ft | 4,324.95 ft (Oct 1) | 4,367.24 ft (Feb 3) |
| 1933 | 4,365.22 ft | -11.11 ft | 4,364.05 ft (Nov 19) | 4,377.9 ft (Feb 3) |
| 1932 | 4,376.33 ft | +21.08 ft | 4,355.25 ft (Jan 1) | 4,384.55 ft (Jul 7) |
| 1931 | 4,355.25 ft | -16.42 ft | 4,349.74 ft (Sep 21) | 4,374.17 ft (Mar 5) |
| 1930 | 4,371.67 ft | -9.93 ft | 4,370.6 ft (Nov 20) | 4,384.5 ft (May 9) |
| 1929 | 4,381.6 ft | +23.45 ft | 4,353.7 ft (May 5) | 4,381.6 ft (Dec 31) |
| 1928 | 4,358.15 ft | -17.75 ft | 4,357.65 ft (Nov 20) | 4,379.1 ft (Jun 10) |
| 1927 | 4,375.9 ft | +12 ft | 4,363.09 ft (Apr 2) | 4,375.9 ft (Dec 30) |
| 1926 | 4,363.9 ft | +5.6 ft | 4,358.4 ft (Jan 1) | 4,378.1 ft (Jun 20) |
| 1925 | 4,358.3 ft | -20.9 ft | 4,354.6 ft (Oct 1) | 4,379.2 ft (Jan 1) |
| 1924 | 4,379.2 ft | +3.8 ft | 4,375.5 ft (Jan 1) | 4,395.8 ft (Jun 4) |
| 1923 | 4,375.4 ft | +4.2 ft | 4,366.5 ft (Aug 15) | 4,375.4 ft (Dec 30) |
| 1922 | 4,371.2 ft | -13 ft | 4,371.2 ft (Dec 30) | 4,389.5 ft (Jun 27) |
| 1921 | 4,384.2 ft | +3.2 ft | 4,377.5 ft (May 7) | 4,392.5 ft (Aug 4) |
| 1920 | 4,381 ft | +26.8 ft | 4,353.9 ft (Jan 10) | 4,393.8 ft (Jul 9) |
| 1919 | 4,354.2 ft | +61.7 ft | 4,292.5 ft (Jan 1) | 4,358.8 ft (Aug 6) |
| 1918 | 4,292.5 ft | -30.7 ft | 4,285.5 ft (Oct 18) | 4,326.2 ft (Feb 14) |
| 1917 | 4,323.2 ft | -22 ft | 4,322 ft (Dec 15) | 4,353.8 ft (Jul 11) |
| 1916 | 4,345.2 ft | +37.6 ft | 4,307.7 ft (Jan 1) | 4,349.5 ft (Nov 27) |
| 1915 (from Mar 21) | 4,307.6 ft | – | 4,261.1 ft (Mar 21) | 4,321.8 ft (Jul 30) |
| Milestone | Level |
|---|---|
| Record begins | 4,261.1 ft (Mar 21, 1915) |
| First reached full pool | May 1942 (high 4,407.47 ft on May 31, 1942) |
| Record high | 4,409.19 ft (Jun 16, 1942) |
| Last month at full pool | November 1986 |
| Record low | 4,258.03 ft (Aug 6, 1954) |
| Lowest reading of the past year | 4,275.13 ft (Jul 29, 2026) |
| Latest reading | 4,295.96 ft (Oct 15, 2026) |
Download the full series (CSV) ↓
About this record
Elephant Butte Reservoir's water level was 4,295.96 feet above sea level on Oct 15, 2026, 111.04 feet below full pool (4,407 feet), with 94,701 acre-feet in storage (5% of capacity). Its lowest reading of the past year, 4,275.13 feet on Jul 29, 2026, was the lowest since October 1971. The record low is 4,258.03 feet, set on Aug 6, 1954.
Each row of the table summarizes Reclamation's daily reading of the water surface at Elephant Butte Dam for one calendar year: the level on Dec 31, the change from the year before, and the year's lowest and highest readings with their dates. The record begins on Mar 21, 1915, two months after storage began behind the new dam. The 2026 row runs through Oct 15, 2026 and will close at the year's final reading. Completed years come from the full record in Reclamation's RISE database; the current year is read from the same daily series behind Elephant Butte Reservoir water level, which carries the latest daily reading with storage in acre-feet.
Why Elephant Butte Lake is so low reads this record year by year: the first fill, the 1950s drought, the full reservoir of the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s and the decline since 2000.