Embudo 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 Embudo Creek in New MexicoNew Mexico, with the Embudo 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)Embudo CreekAlbuquerqueSanta FeLas CrucesRoswellFarmingtonEmbudo CreekRio Grande1. Upper Rio Grande (HUC 13020101)Cañada de Ojo SarcoRio de las TrampasRio Santa BarbaraRio PuebloEmbudo CreekEMBUDO CREEK AT DIXON, NM (Upper Rio Grande)1
  • 1Upper Rio Grande
  • river and reservoirs
  • gauge

About the Embudo Creek

  • The valley is known for its centuries-old acequia agriculture and, more recently, for the orchards and vineyards irrigated from the same ditches.1

This report follows 13 miles (20 km) of the Embudo Creek, all within the Upper Rio Grande watershed segment. At the lower end of the report the river drains about 321 square miles. Downstream of the mapped reach it flows into the Rio Grande. Named tributaries joining it here include the Rio Pueblo, Rio Santa Barbara, Rio de las Trampas and Cañada de Ojo Sarco. 1 gauge with at least 26 weeks of daily flow cover 1923 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

    84 cfs last week much above normal.

    Median conductance 410 µS/cm in the 2020s. Rain over the last 3 months: 174% of normal.

Culture

  • Acequia irrigation remains central to the valley's agricultural heritage, still watering the orchards and vineyards, including La Chiripada Winery, founded in 1977 as New Mexico's oldest winery.1

Reservoirs

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

Water users

  • Acequia water continues to irrigate orchards, farms and vineyards through the Embudo Valley, including La Chiripada and Vivác wineries near Dixon, supporting agriculture that has continued on the same community ditches for centuries.1
  • A USGS stream gauge at Dixon has tracked Embudo Creek's flow for parts of 93 water years since 1929.2

Surface water withdrawn, 2020

In the counties this river crosses (Rio Arriba, Taos): 219,947 acre-feet. County totals include other streams.

UseShareAcre-ft
Irrigated agriculture82%180,046
Reservoir evaporation12%26,332
Commercial6%13,112
Public water supply0%260
Livestock0%193

State Engineer, New Mexico Water Use by Categories 2020.

Public water systems beside the river

Chamisal MDWCA, Dixon MDWCA, Rio Lucio MDWCA, Rio Embudo MDWCA, Apodaca 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.

  1. Embudo Valley, Taos News — Land Water People Time (read 2026-09-28)
  2. USGS 08279000 Embudo Creek at Dixon, NM, U.S. Geological Survey (read 2026-09-28)