Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood Creek in New MexicoNew Mexico, with the Cottonwood 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 Pecos-Long Arroyo (HUC 13060007)Cottonwood CreekAlbuquerqueSanta FeLas CrucesRoswellFarmingtonCottonwood CreekPecos River1. Upper Pecos-Long Arroyo (HUC 13060007)North Cottonwood CreekNorth Cottonwood CreekSouth Cottonwood CreekSouth Cottonwood CreekNorth Cottonwood CreekNorth Cottonwood CreekNorth Cottonwood CreekCottonwood CreekCOTTONWOOD CREEK NEAR LAKE ARTHUR, NM (Upper Pecos-Long Arroyo)1
  • 1Upper Pecos-Long Arroyo
  • river and reservoirs
  • gauge

About the Cottonwood Creek

This report follows 17 miles (28 km) of the Cottonwood Creek, all within the Upper Pecos-Long Arroyo watershed segment. At the lower end of the report the river drains about 211 square miles. Downstream of the mapped reach it flows into the Pecos River. Named tributaries joining it here include the North Cottonwood Creek and South Cottonwood Creek. 1 gauge with at least 26 weeks of daily flow cover 1932 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. Segment 1: Upper Pecos-Long Arroyo

    No data last week.

    Rain over the last 3 months: 171% of normal.

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Surface water withdrawn, 2020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 (Eddy): 90,794 acre-feet. County totals include other streams.

Surface-water withdrawals by use
UseShare (bar)ShareAcre-ft
Irrigated agriculture77%69,614
Reservoir evaporation23%21,131
Livestock0%49

State Engineer, New Mexico Water Use by Categories 2020.

Irrigation districts and acequias

  • Pecos Valley Artesian Conservancy District (696,184 acres mapped)

State Engineer's irrigation districts and acequia layers.

Public water systems beside the river

Cottonwood Water 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.