Salt Creek (Rio Grande Closed Basins)
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.
- 1Tularosa Valley
- river and reservoirs
- gauge
About the Salt Creek (Rio Grande Closed Basins)
This report follows 26 miles (42 km) of the Salt Creek (Rio Grande Closed Basins), all within the Tularosa Valley watershed segment. At the lower end of the report the river drains about 1,305 square miles. Reservoirs on this reach: Big Salt Lake. 1 gauge with at least 26 weeks of daily flow cover 1995 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.
Segment 1: Tularosa Valley
4 cfs last week much above normal, 162 dry days this year.
Median conductance 26,700 µS/cm in the 2010s. Rain over the last 3 months: 182% 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Surface water withdrawn, 2020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 (Sierra): 118,437 acre-feet. County totals include other streams.
| Use | Share (bar) | Share | Acre-ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reservoir evaporation | 92% | 109,335 | |
| Irrigated agriculture | 8% | 9,058 | |
| Livestock | 0% | 44 |
State Engineer, New Mexico Water Use by Categories 2020.
Sources
Numbered sources for the statements above, as they were read when the page was prepared.