Rio Hondo (Rio Grande-Elephant Butte)

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 Rio Hondo (Rio Grande-Elephant Butte) in New MexicoNew Mexico, with the Rio Hondo (Rio Grande-Elephant Butte)'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)Rio Hondo (Rio Grande-Elephant Butte)AlbuquerqueSanta FeLas CrucesRoswellFarmingtonRio Hondo (Rio Grande-Elephant Butte)Rio Grande1. Upper Rio Grande (HUC 13020101)Rio Hondo (Rio Grande-Elephant Butte)RIO HONDO AT DAMSI AT VALDEZ, NM (Upper Rio Grande)ARROYO HONDO AT ARROYO HONDO, NM (Upper Rio Grande)RIO HONDO NEAR VALDEZ, NM (Upper Rio Grande)1
  • 1Upper Rio Grande
  • river and reservoirs
  • gauge

About the Rio Hondo (Rio Grande-Elephant Butte)

  • This Rio Hondo's headwaters rise in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains within the Columbine-Hondo Wilderness, alongside the headwaters of the Red River.1
  • The Rio Hondo and the Red River are both major tributaries of the upper Rio Grande in northern New Mexico, and their headwaters in the Columbine-Hondo Wilderness supply the downstream agricultural communities of Valdez, Arroyo Hondo, Arroyo Seco, San Cristobal and Questa.1

This report follows 19 miles (30 km) of the Rio Hondo (Rio Grande-Elephant Butte), all within the Upper Rio Grande watershed segment. At the lower end of the report the river drains about 68 square miles. Downstream of the mapped reach it flows into the Rio Grande. 3 gauges with at least 26 weeks of daily flow cover 1912 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

    26 cfs last week much above normal.

    Acequias: Acequia De Atalaya.

    Median conductance 166 µS/cm in the 2010s. Rain over the last 3 months: 174% of normal.

Culture

Acequias

  • Acequia De Atalaya

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.

Habitat

  • The river's headwaters lie within the 45,000-acre Columbine-Hondo Wilderness, which ranges from forested slopes home to mule deer, elk, black bears and mountain lions to fragile alpine tundra above treeline that shelters bighorn sheep, marmots and pikas.1

Reservoirs

ReservoirCompletedMain purposeStorage, acre-ft
Two Rivers Reservoir (Diamond A Dam)Diamond A Dam, Two Rivers projectflood control (normally dry)

From the archive: National Inventory of Dams (USACE) and the reservoir registry.

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

Village of Taos Ski Valley, Valdez MDWCA, Lower Des Montes MDWCA, Upper Des Montes MDWCA, Arroyo Seco MDWCA, Upper Arroyo Hondo 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. Columbine-Hondo Wilderness, Wilderness.net (University of Montana, in partnership with federal wilderness-managing agencies) (read 2026-09-28)