New Mexico Lakes: Better Wet Than Drained

The fall continues to be kind to New Mexico's lakes, especially at southern New Mexico's Elephant Butte Lake, which has almost recovered to its beginning-of-year level.

In the meantime, contractors have begun to withdraw water from Heron Lake in northern NM. About a thousand acre feet were taken out in the first week of November, to join the 11,000 or so a.f. that were withdrawn earlier in the season.

Heron Lake, 10 a.m. Weds., Nov. 8, '06
7147.10 feet elevation
207,707 acre feet
down 1.2 inches and 406 a.f. in 24 hours
down 3.6 inches and 1,259 a.f. in 71 hours
Zero flow in Willow Creek.

Elephant Butte Lake, 12 p.m. noon Weds., Nov. 8, '06
4,332.42 feet elevation above benchmark
411,115 acre feet
0 outflow
629 cubic feet per second inflow at the San Marcial Floodway (373 min., 674 max. in past 71 hours)

Up 2.4 inches and 2,324 a.f. in 24 hours
Up 6 inches and 5,575 a.f. in 71 hours
Up 14 inches and 13,605 a.f. in first 8 days of November
Up 23 feet 11 inches and 227,245 a.f. since low point in July

Within 1.64 feet of January 1, 2006 beginning-of-year level (4,334.06 ft., 430,410 a.f.)
Within 7.46 feet of March 5, 2006 high point for the year 2006 (4339.88 ft., 503030 a.f.)