Willow Creek (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 Willow Creek (Rio Grande-Elephant Butte) in New MexicoNew Mexico, with the Willow Creek (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. Rio Chama (HUC 13020102)Willow Creek (Rio Grande-Elephant Butte)AlbuquerqueSanta FeLas CrucesRoswellFarmingtonWillow Creek (Rio Grande-Elephant Butte)1. Rio Chama (HUC 13020102)Willow Creek (Rio Grande-Elephant Butte)Heron ReservoirHeron ReservoirWILLOW CR ABV AZOTEA CR NR PARK VIEW, NM (Rio Chama)WILLOW C AB HERON RE NR LOS OJOS, NM (Rio Chama)1
  • 1Rio Chama
  • river and reservoirs
  • gauge

About the Willow Creek (Rio Grande-Elephant Butte)

This report follows 25 miles (41 km) of the Willow Creek (Rio Grande-Elephant Butte), all within the Rio Chama watershed segment. At the lower end of the report the river drains about 120 square miles. Downstream of the mapped reach it flows into the Rio Chama. Reservoirs on this reach: Heron Reservoir. 2 gauges with at least 26 weeks of daily flow cover 1962 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. Rio Chama

    No data last week.

    Median conductance 143 µS/cm in the 2020s. Rain over the last 3 months: 204% of normal.

Reservoirs

ReservoirCompletedMain purposeStorage, acre-ft
Heron ReservoirHeron Damwater storage

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

Water users

Surface water withdrawn, 2020

In the counties this river crosses (Rio Arriba): 144,257 acre-feet. County totals include other streams.

UseShareAcre-ft
Irrigated agriculture79%114,666
Reservoir evaporation18%25,890
Commercial2%3,339
Public water supply0%198
Livestock0%158

State Engineer, New Mexico Water Use by Categories 2020.

Public water systems beside the river

Rutherton Mutual Water Association, Chama West Water Users Association

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.