Costilla Creek

Streamflow, conditions and background by watershed segment. Data through November 1, 2026.

Where it is

Segments are the HUC8 watersheds the gauges sit in, numbered upstream to downstream. Use the buttons to switch between the state and the river.

Map of the Costilla Creek in New MexicoNew Mexico, with the Costilla Creek's 1 watershed segment shaded and numbered upstream to downstream, the river and its gauges.Beaver CreekCanadian RiverChaco RiverEast Fork Gila RiverGila RiverMimbres RiverPecos RiverRio ChamaRio GrandeRio HondoRio PuercoRio SaladoRio San JoseSalt CreekSan Francisco RiverSan Juan River1. Upper Rio Grande (HUC 13020101)Costilla CreekAlbuquerqueSanta FeLas CrucesRoswellFarmingtonCostilla CreekRio Grande1. Upper Rio Grande (HUC 13020101)Comanche CreekComanche CreekComanche CreekComanche CreekComanche CreekComanche CreekComanche CreekComanche CreekComanche CreekCostilla CreekCostilla ReservoirCOSTILLA CREEK BELOW COSTILLA DAM, NM (Upper Rio Grande)COSTILLA CREEK NEAR GARCIA, CO (Upper Rio Grande)COSTILLA CREEK NEAR COSTILLA, NM (Upper Rio Grande)COSTILLA CREEK ABOVE COSTILLA DAM, NM (Upper Rio Grande)COSTILLA CREEK NEAR AMALIA, NM (Upper Rio Grande)COSTILLA CR BEL DIV AT COSTILLA, NM (Upper Rio Grande)1
  • 1Upper Rio Grande
  • river and reservoirs
  • gauge

About the Costilla Creek

This report follows 46 miles (74 km) of the Costilla Creek, all within the Upper Rio Grande watershed segment. At the lower end of the report the river drains about 332 square miles. Downstream of the mapped reach it flows into the Rio Grande. Named tributaries joining it here include the Comanche Creek. Reservoirs on this reach: Costilla Reservoir. 6 gauges with at least 26 weeks of daily flow cover 1936 to 2026.

From the archive: NHDPlus river network, WBD watersheds, NHD waterbodies, TIGER urban areas and the report's gauges.

From the headwaters down

Each watershed segment in order, with last week's flow rated against the same week in 1991–2020.

  1. Upper Rio Grande

    22 cfs last week much above normal, 198 dry days this year.

    Acequias: Acequia Madre.

    Median conductance 129 µS/cm in the 2010s. Rain over the last 3 months: 174% of normal.

Culture

Acequias

  • Acequia Madre

From the State Engineer's acequia map, which covers mainly northern New Mexico, and cited records of acequia governance. Within 1.5 km of the river.

Reservoirs

No reservoir with 500 acre-feet or more of storage on this river in the National Inventory of Dams.

Water users

Surface water withdrawn, 2020

In the counties this river crosses (Taos): 75,691 acre-feet. County totals include other streams.

UseShareAcre-ft
Irrigated agriculture86%65,380
Commercial13%9,772
Reservoir evaporation1%442
Public water supply0%62
Livestock0%35

State Engineer, New Mexico Water Use by Categories 2020.

Irrigation districts and acequias

State Engineer's irrigation districts and acequia layers.

Public water systems beside the river

Costilla MDWCA

State Engineer's public water systems layer (service areas within 2 km).

Sources

Numbered sources for the statements above, as they were read when the page was prepared.