El Vado Reservoir
El Vado Reservoir held 34,290 acre-feet on Nov 2, 2026, 18.6% of its full pool.
A storage reservoir: it holds water for later release. On Rio Chama. Rio Grande (Rio Chama) basin.
34,290acre-feet held, Nov 2, 2026
18.6%of the full pool (184,343 acre-feet)
Up 15,737acre-feet over 30 days
25,058acre-feet a year ago (13.6%)
These reservoirs hold water for later use. Percent full is the water held divided by what the reservoir can hold at its full pool, using the capacity that applied at the time.
Last 365 days
Percent of the full pool. There are too few years with a trustworthy capacity record to show what is normal for the date.
Show the data as a table
Year by year
The highest, average and lowest percent of the full pool in each calendar year. The latest year is partial. Years whose capacity is less certain are marked in the table below.
- Highest
- Average
- Lowest
Show the data as a table
Readings are what the operating agencies report; we have not audited the latest values. Reclamation labels its data "provisional and subject to revision unless otherwise noted."
Year-by-year table, with how well capacity is known
| Year | Days | Most (acre-feet) | Average | Least | Highest % | Average % | Lowest % | Capacity figure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 306 | 34,290 | 22,313 | 16,025 | 18.6% | 12.1% | 8.7% | The operator's current table fits the record |
| 2025 | 365 | 25,725 | 22,541 | 16,026 | 14.0% | 12.2% | 8.7% | The operator's current table fits the record |
| 2024 | 366 | 16,523 | 4,205 | 1,555 | 9.0% | 2.3% | 0.8% | The operator's current table fits the record |
| 2023 | 365 | 11,080 | 2,681 | 920 | 6.0% | 1.5% | 0.5% | The operator's current table fits the record |
| 2022 | 365 | 19,674 | 5,896 | 1,474 | 10.7% | 3.2% | 0.8% | The operator's current table fits the record |
| 2021 | 365 | 35,154 | 20,323 | 10,849 | 19.1% | 11.0% | 5.9% | The operator's current table fits the record |
| 2020 | 366 | 68,404 | 36,395 | 20,105 | 37.1% | 19.7% | 10.9% | Capacity recovered from the record, moderately supported |
| 2019 | 365 | 117,372 | 59,020 | 13,993 | 63.7% | 32.0% | 7.6% | Capacity recovered from the record, moderately supported |
| 2018 | 365 | 84,418 | 39,329 | 9,344 | 45.8% | 21.3% | 5.1% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2017 | 365 | 141,806 | 96,693 | 49,997 | 76.9% | 52.5% | 27.1% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2016 | 366 | 128,160 | 60,186 | 34,255 | 69.5% | 32.6% | 18.6% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2015 | 365 | 124,957 | 70,701 | 13,676 | 67.8% | 38.4% | 7.4% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2014 | 365 | 64,980 | 30,351 | 5,412 | 35.2% | 16.5% | 2.9% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2013 | 365 | 43,773 | 21,720 | 5,309 | 23.7% | 11.8% | 2.9% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2012 | 366 | 141,307 | 68,140 | 10,463 | 76.7% | 37.0% | 5.7% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2011 | 365 | 163,009 | 113,722 | 86,560 | 88.4% | 61.7% | 47.0% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2010 | 365 | 184,170 | 122,395 | 91,329 | 99.9% | 66.4% | 49.5% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2009 | 365 | 184,703 | 147,115 | 107,751 | 100.2% | 79.8% | 58.5% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 2008 | 366 | 181,247 | 144,871 | 91,010 | 98.3% | 78.6% | 49.4% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 2007 | 365 | 180,643 | 128,272 | 70,316 | 98.0% | 69.6% | 38.1% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 2006 | 365 | 130,590 | 85,592 | 52,691 | 70.8% | 46.4% | 28.6% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 2005 | 365 | 157,931 | 89,036 | 25,667 | 85.7% | 48.3% | 13.9% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 2004 | 366 | 118,786 | 58,697 | 25,677 | 64.4% | 31.8% | 13.9% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 2003 | 365 | 106,547 | 43,335 | 11,215 | 57.8% | 23.5% | 6.1% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 2002 | 365 | 112,012 | 51,225 | 7,900 | 60.8% | 27.8% | 4.3% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 2001 | 365 | 180,549 | 98,433 | 20,811 | 97.9% | 53.4% | 11.3% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 2000 | 366 | 179,881 | 98,144 | 16,326 | 97.6% | 53.2% | 8.9% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1999 | 365 | 179,913 | 144,217 | 106,193 | 97.6% | 78.2% | 57.6% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1998 | 365 | 179,691 | 122,938 | 71,543 | 97.5% | 66.7% | 38.8% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1997 | 365 | 179,880 | 119,548 | 44,444 | 97.6% | 64.9% | 24.1% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1996 | 366 | 159,920 | 86,041 | 42,652 | 86.8% | 46.7% | 23.1% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1995 | 365 | 171,488 | 125,474 | 69,953 | 93.0% | 68.1% | 37.9% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1994 | 365 | 182,172 | 119,198 | 79,308 | 98.8% | 64.7% | 43.0% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1993 | 365 | 180,389 | 123,353 | 61,197 | 97.9% | 66.9% | 33.2% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1992 | 366 | 180,357 | 124,810 | 82,501 | 97.8% | 67.7% | 44.8% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1991 | 365 | 174,533 | 137,071 | 100,153 | 94.7% | 74.4% | 54.3% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1990 | 365 | 179,818 | 124,677 | 85,676 | 97.5% | 67.6% | 46.5% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1989 | 365 | 176,066 | 139,618 | 93,094 | 95.5% | 75.7% | 50.5% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1988 | 366 | 179,849 | 151,542 | 117,387 | 97.6% | 82.2% | 63.7% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1987 | 365 | 173,785 | 156,301 | 122,320 | 94.3% | 84.8% | 66.4% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1986 | 365 | 190,261 | 183,417 | 167,944 | 103.2% | 99.5% | 91.1% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1985 | 365 | 177,791 | 155,198 | 124,949 | 96.4% | 84.2% | 67.8% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1984 | 366 | 146,702 | 132,708 | 124,795 | 79.6% | 72.0% | 67.7% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1983 | 365 | 156,301 | 131,126 | 121,495 | 84.8% | 71.1% | 65.9% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1982 | 365 | 127,051 | 104,519 | 97,952 | 68.9% | 56.7% | 53.1% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1981 | 365 | 126,019 | 97,436 | 78,860 | 68.4% | 52.9% | 42.8% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1980 | 366 | 124,894 | 112,888 | 85,285 | 67.8% | 61.2% | 46.3% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1979 | 1 | 123,200 | 123,200 | 123,200 | 66.8% | 66.8% | 66.8% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1978 | 1 | 52,550 | 52,550 | 52,550 | 27.7% | 27.7% | 27.7% | Capacity recovered from the record, moderately supported |
| 1977 | 1 | 26,430 | 26,430 | 26,430 | 13.9% | 13.9% | 13.9% | Capacity recovered from the record, moderately supported |
| 1976 | 1 | 109,600 | 109,600 | 109,600 | 57.7% | 57.7% | 57.7% | Capacity recovered from the record, moderately supported |
| 1975 | 1 | 126,270 | 126,270 | 126,270 | 66.5% | 66.5% | 66.5% | Capacity recovered from the record, moderately supported |
| 1974 | 1 | 86,400 | 86,400 | 86,400 | 45.5% | 45.5% | 45.5% | Before elevation records began; capacity extrapolatednot used for "this date in other years" |
About this reservoir
The Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District's storage reservoir, built in 1935 and now owned by Reclamation. It holds native Rio Grande water from the Chama for irrigation in the middle valley, including prior and paramount water for the six Middle Rio Grande Pueblos.
How to use these numbers
- Irrigation supply for the middle valley. El Vado storage going into the irrigation season is the best single indicator of how much native water MRGCD has to work with.
- Rio Grande Compact constraints. Storage in post-1929 reservoirs above Otowi is limited when Elephant Butte is low under Article VII of the Rio Grande Compact, so El Vado's ability to store in a given spring depends on conditions downstream.
- Chama runoff timing. Inflow is a direct record of spring snowmelt from the Chama headwaters.
Read before quoting a number
- Storage has been heavily restricted in recent years during dam safety work. The near-empty years of 2022 to 2024 reflect that, not drought alone. Confirm the restriction dates with Reclamation before attributing them.
- An earlier version of this report used Reclamation's 2007 survey table and needed an unexplained 1.45 ft datum shift. The operator's current table, effective 2021, reproduces reported storage exactly with no shift, which resolves that discrepancy.
The dam
| Dam | El Vado Dam |
|---|---|
| Owner | Bureau of Reclamation (Federal) |
| Operated with | Bureau of Reclamation |
| Type | Other, Earth |
| Purposes, per the dam registry | Irrigation, Recreation, Water Supply |
| Completed | 1935 |
| Height | 230 feet |
| Hazard class | High |
| Registry capacity | 209,330 acre-feet at most, 196,250 normal. Owner-reported and not corrected for sediment. |
National Inventory of Dams, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
How capacity is known
Capacity comes from the operator's elevation-to-storage table (USBR, effective 2021-01-01), checked against the storage the operator reports. Since the table took effect, it reproduces reported storage from reported elevation to within 0 acre-feet in the median (0.00% of storage), across 2,132 days. Where an older table was in force, we recover its capacity from the record and say how well supported it is.
| Pool | Elevation (ft) | Capacity now (acre-feet) | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full poolused as 100% | 6,900 | 184,343 | detected from the record: 195 days at or above 6,900 ft and none above 6,901 in 52 years |
Capacity over time (8 tables in force)
| Period | Capacity (acre-feet) | How well supported |
|---|---|---|
| 1975-12-31 to 1978-12-311975-1978 table | 189,987 | Capacity recovered from the record, moderately supported |
| 1979-12-31 to 1998-12-311979-1998 table | 184,343 | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supported |
| 1999-01-01 to 2002-12-311999-2002 table | 184,343 | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supported |
| 2003-01-01 to 2005-12-312003-2005 table | 184,343 | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supported |
| 2006-01-01 to 2009-12-312006-2009 table | 184,343 | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supported |
| 2010-01-01 to 2018-12-312010-2018 table | 184,343 | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2019-01-01 to 2020-12-312019-2020 table | 184,343 | Capacity recovered from the record, moderately supported |
| 2021-01-01 to 2026-11-02current table | 184,343 | The operator's current table fits the record |
Rivers
Data and sources
Record from 1974 (53 years with readings), through Nov 2, 2026. Where several agencies report the same reservoir, we take each day's value from the first in this list that has one:
- Bureau of Reclamation HydroData: 17,114 days
Year by year (CSV) ยท Last 365 days (CSV)
Credit: Bureau of Reclamation HydroData; National Inventory of Dams (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers). Capacity analysis by New Mexico Water. Data accessed November 4, 2026.