Navajo Lake
Navajo Lake held 1,318,506 acre-feet on Nov 2, 2026, 77.5% of its full pool: normal for the date (the middle of past years is 79.5%).
A storage reservoir: it holds water for later release. On San Juan River. San Juan basin.
1,318,506acre-feet held, Nov 2, 2026
77.5%of the full pool (1,701,299 acre-feet)
normalfor the date; typical 80%
Up 483,200acre-feet over 30 days
994,794acre-feet a year ago (58.5%)
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, against the middle and spread of the same date in other years (the shaded bands: the middle half and the 10th to 90th percentile of past years).
- Median of past years
- Percent of full pool
- 10th–90th percentile of past years
- Middle half of past years
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
The comparison uses 30 years of 1991-2020 whose capacity figure is published, current-table, high- or medium-confidence, 1991–2020, pooling 3 days either side of each date.
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 | 1,318,506 | 954,653 | 777,694 | 77.5% | 56.1% | 45.7% | Capacity published by the operator for that year |
| 2025 | 365 | 1,079,696 | 1,002,215 | 870,137 | 63.5% | 58.9% | 51.1% | Capacity published by the operator for that year |
| 2024 | 366 | 1,211,843 | 1,108,537 | 1,052,329 | 71.2% | 65.2% | 61.9% | Capacity published by the operator for that year |
| 2023 | 365 | 1,341,579 | 1,099,809 | 842,941 | 78.9% | 64.6% | 49.5% | Capacity published by the operator for that year |
| 2022 | 365 | 954,003 | 885,748 | 845,561 | 57.9% | 53.8% | 51.3% | The operator's current table fits the record |
| 2021 | 365 | 1,129,545 | 1,014,169 | 871,126 | 68.5% | 61.5% | 52.9% | The operator's current table fits the record |
| 2020 | 366 | 1,382,509 | 1,245,837 | 1,079,469 | 83.9% | 75.6% | 65.5% | The operator's current table fits the record |
| 2019 | 365 | 1,555,136 | 1,234,768 | 865,215 | 94.4% | 74.9% | 52.5% | The operator's current table fits the record |
| 2018 | 365 | 1,269,070 | 1,098,149 | 878,651 | 74.8% | 64.7% | 51.8% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2017 | 365 | 1,600,503 | 1,374,139 | 1,269,554 | 94.3% | 81.0% | 74.8% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2016 | 366 | 1,560,638 | 1,391,989 | 1,293,208 | 92.0% | 82.1% | 76.2% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2015 | 365 | 1,475,019 | 1,297,862 | 1,088,796 | 86.9% | 76.5% | 64.2% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2014 | 365 | 1,191,301 | 1,069,006 | 962,240 | 70.2% | 63.0% | 56.7% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2013 | 365 | 1,000,734 | 936,943 | 853,256 | 59.0% | 55.2% | 50.3% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2012 | 366 | 1,367,752 | 1,183,107 | 956,628 | 80.6% | 69.7% | 56.4% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2011 | 365 | 1,462,231 | 1,361,512 | 1,311,369 | 86.2% | 80.3% | 77.3% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2010 | 365 | 1,558,899 | 1,377,293 | 1,213,731 | 91.9% | 81.2% | 71.5% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2009 | 365 | 1,522,759 | 1,333,900 | 1,244,591 | 89.8% | 78.6% | 73.4% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2008 | 366 | 1,477,921 | 1,359,678 | 1,277,926 | 87.1% | 80.1% | 75.3% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2007 | 365 | 1,628,854 | 1,555,197 | 1,479,027 | 96.0% | 91.7% | 87.2% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2006 | 365 | 1,593,848 | 1,499,593 | 1,411,675 | 94.0% | 88.4% | 83.2% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2005 | 365 | 1,576,657 | 1,398,263 | 991,969 | 92.9% | 82.4% | 58.5% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2004 | 366 | 1,029,208 | 893,828 | 704,646 | 60.7% | 52.7% | 41.5% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2003 | 365 | 900,964 | 790,036 | 710,076 | 53.1% | 46.6% | 41.9% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2002 | 365 | 1,333,259 | 1,076,522 | 826,816 | 78.6% | 63.5% | 48.7% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2001 | 365 | 1,543,324 | 1,385,835 | 1,258,222 | 91.0% | 81.7% | 74.2% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2000 | 366 | 1,582,666 | 1,434,816 | 1,288,792 | 93.3% | 84.6% | 76.0% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1999 | 365 | 1,667,732 | 1,499,315 | 1,375,502 | 98.3% | 88.4% | 81.1% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1998 | 365 | 1,576,072 | 1,464,282 | 1,374,725 | 92.9% | 86.3% | 81.0% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1997 | 365 | 1,583,842 | 1,410,919 | 1,187,635 | 93.4% | 83.2% | 70.0% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1996 | 366 | 1,477,401 | 1,330,148 | 1,178,310 | 87.1% | 78.4% | 69.5% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1995 | 365 | 1,610,398 | 1,491,918 | 1,378,623 | 94.9% | 87.9% | 81.3% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1994 | 365 | 1,659,902 | 1,504,800 | 1,391,102 | 97.8% | 88.7% | 82.0% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1993 | 365 | 1,634,399 | 1,550,531 | 1,396,688 | 96.3% | 91.4% | 82.3% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1992 | 366 | 1,644,302 | 1,572,357 | 1,528,220 | 96.9% | 92.7% | 90.1% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1991 | 365 | 1,601,550 | 1,508,487 | 1,364,449 | 94.4% | 88.9% | 80.4% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1990 | 365 | 1,392,010 | 1,301,791 | 1,177,542 | 82.1% | 76.7% | 69.4% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1989 | 365 | 1,406,959 | 1,277,649 | 1,118,571 | 82.9% | 75.3% | 65.9% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1988 | 366 | 1,235,520 | 1,153,516 | 1,044,799 | 72.8% | 68.0% | 61.6% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1987 | 365 | 1,425,898 | 1,177,223 | 1,075,143 | 84.1% | 69.4% | 63.4% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1986 | 365 | 1,680,641 | 1,458,356 | 1,203,883 | 99.1% | 86.0% | 71.0% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1985 | 365 | 1,665,601 | 1,533,688 | 1,366,791 | 98.2% | 90.4% | 80.6% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1984 | 366 | 1,671,753 | 1,538,065 | 1,321,898 | 98.5% | 90.7% | 77.9% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1983 | 365 | 1,679,253 | 1,513,180 | 1,285,551 | 99.0% | 89.2% | 75.8% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1982 | 365 | 1,517,863 | 1,385,660 | 1,200,643 | 89.5% | 81.7% | 70.8% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1981 | 365 | 1,379,398 | 1,277,412 | 1,227,500 | 81.3% | 75.3% | 72.4% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1980 | 366 | 1,669,497 | 1,374,856 | 1,016,601 | 98.4% | 81.0% | 59.9% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1979 | 365 | 1,558,898 | 1,313,254 | 1,159,708 | 91.9% | 77.4% | 68.4% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1978 | 365 | 1,295,078 | 1,136,248 | 934,781 | 76.3% | 67.0% | 55.1% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1977 | 365 | 1,207,454 | 1,075,667 | 979,918 | 71.2% | 63.4% | 57.8% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1976 | 366 | 1,295,422 | 1,214,718 | 1,086,351 | 76.4% | 71.6% | 64.0% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1975 | 365 | 1,527,803 | 1,224,224 | 935,064 | 90.1% | 72.2% | 55.1% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1974 | 365 | 1,110,101 | 1,016,571 | 970,485 | 65.4% | 59.9% | 57.2% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1973 | 365 | 1,731,750 | 1,277,280 | 888,332 | 102.1% | 75.3% | 52.4% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1972 | 366 | 1,013,598 | 923,820 | 822,849 | 59.7% | 54.5% | 48.5% | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1971 | 365 | 1,045,600 | 952,609 | 813,966 | 61.4% | 55.9% | 47.8% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1970 | 365 | 1,266,240 | 1,066,620 | 857,647 | 74.3% | 62.6% | 50.3% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1969 | 365 | 1,163,893 | 1,035,520 | 808,545 | 68.3% | 60.8% | 47.4% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1968 | 366 | 1,032,001 | 812,902 | 575,533 | 60.4% | 47.6% | 33.7% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1967 | 365 | 638,307 | 506,745 | 345,044 | 37.4% | 29.7% | 20.2% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1966 | 365 | 505,807 | 381,583 | 194,283 | 29.6% | 22.3% | 11.4% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1965 | 365 | 841,595 | 538,070 | 234,651 | 49.2% | 31.5% | 13.7% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1964 | 366 | 498,482 | 387,066 | 313,216 | 29.2% | 22.6% | 18.3% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1963 | 365 | 369,061 | 265,241 | 57,380 | 21.6% | 15.5% | 3.4% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
| 1962 | 184 | 57,380 | 32,856 | 4,200 | 3.4% | 1.9% | 0.2% | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supportednot used for "this date in other years" |
About this reservoir
Reclamation's Colorado River Storage Project reservoir on the San Juan, completed in 1963 and the second-largest reservoir in New Mexico. It supplies the Navajo Indian Irrigation Project and other San Juan basin uses, and its releases are shaped to meet flow recommendations for endangered fish in the San Juan River.
How to use these numbers
- San Juan basin supply. Storage is the supply for the Navajo Indian Irrigation Project and municipal and industrial users in the Four Corners.
- Endangered-fish flows. Spring release peaks record the flows shaped for the San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program.
- Colorado River context. Navajo is part of the upper Colorado system, so its condition reflects basin-wide drought as much as local runoff.
Read before quoting a number
- The Corps' CWMS storage series for Navajo runs about 51,000 acre-feet off its own table, likely an elevation datum difference, and is not used. Reclamation's series reproduces the table exactly.
The dam
| Dam | Navajo Dam |
|---|---|
| Owner | Bureau of Reclamation (Federal) |
| Operated with | Bureau of Reclamation |
| Type | Earth |
| Purposes, per the dam registry | Flood Risk Reduction, Irrigation, Recreation |
| Completed | 1963 |
| Height | 402 feet |
| Hazard class | High |
| Registry capacity | 1,986,600 acre-feet at most, 1,708,600 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 2020-01-01), 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 2,498 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top of conservation poolused as 100% | 6,085 | 1,647,779 | CWMS level Navajo.Elev.Inst.0.Top of Conservation dated 2023-01-01 |
| Top of flood pool | 6,085 | 1,647,936 | CWMS level Navajo.Elev.Inst.0.Top of Flood dated 2002-02-01 |
| Top of dam | 6,108 | 2,046,387 | CWMS level Navajo.Elev.Inst.0.Top of Dam dated 1900-01-01 |
| Top of inactive pool | 5,990 | 626,034 | CWMS level Navajo.Elev.Inst.0.Top of Inactive dated 2002-02-01 |
Capacity over time (8 tables in force)
| Period | Capacity (acre-feet) | How well supported |
|---|---|---|
| 1962-07-01 to 1963-12-311962-1963 table | 1,711,638 | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supported |
| 1964-01-01 to 1965-12-311964-1965 table | 1,709,715 | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supported |
| 1966-01-01 to 1968-12-311966-1968 table | 1,708,477 | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supported |
| 1969-01-01 to 1971-12-311969-1971 table | 1,704,075 | Capacity recovered from the record, weakly supported |
| 1972-01-01 to 1977-12-311972-1977 table | 1,696,440 | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1978-01-01 to 1996-12-311978-1996 table | 1,696,440 | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 1997-01-01 to 2018-12-311997-2018 table | 1,696,440 | Capacity recovered from the record, well supported |
| 2019-01-01 to 2026-11-02current table | 1,647,779 | The operator's current table fits the record |
Rivers
Data and sources
Record from 1962 (65 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: 23,501 days
Year by year (CSV) · 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.