Elephant Butte Reservoir
Sierra County, New Mexico42,750 acresView mapDirections
Not enough samples to grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). No letter yet. Here is what we do have.
- Impaired · Mercury
- Public access
- Limited data
Elephant Butte Reservoir in Sierra County, New Mexico is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3.4 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20.8 µg/L. Surface area: 42750 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.4 ft
- Area
- 42,750 acres
- Chlorophyll-a
- 20.8 µg/L
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Elephant Butte Reservoir’s letter
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Why Elephant Butte Reservoir has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Elephant Butte Reservoir, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded water clarity and algae (chlorophyll-a), but not phosphorus.
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by NMED and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Elephant Butte Reservoir is a 42,750-acre lake in Sierra County, New Mexico. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, NMED, last sampled 2020-08-06. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Elephant Butte Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Big water42,750 acres
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Elephant Butte Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Elephant Butte Reservoir
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 3.4 ft. Chlorophyll-a 20.8 µg/L. TSI 60.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 20.8 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 60 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 42,750 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Elephant Butte Reservoir, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Elephant Butte Lake State Park - Rock Canyon MarinaPublic
- Elephant Butte Lake State Park - South MonticelloPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Elephant Butte Reservoir
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Elephant Butte Reservoir is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Elephant Butte Dike (completed 1920), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Rio Grande River; rockfill-type dam, 59 ft tall and 2,000 ft long.
- Surface area
- 42,750 ac
- Normal storage
- 2,065,010 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,593,255 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 28,900 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
All listed purposes: Flood Risk Reduction;Irrigation;Recreation;Hydroelectric.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID NM00129 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Elephant Butte Reservoir is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit NM-2104_00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Elephant Butte Reservoir
Elephant Butte Reservoir has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Sierra County
Frequently asked questions about Elephant Butte Reservoir
Where is Elephant Butte Reservoir?
- Elephant Butte Reservoir is a lake in Sierra County, New Mexico. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
What is the water quality grade for Elephant Butte Reservoir?
- Elephant Butte Reservoir in Sierra County, New Mexico is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3.4 ft visibility. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20.8 µg/L. Surface area: 42750 acres.
Is Elephant Butte Reservoir safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Elephant Butte Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Elephant Butte Reservoir?
- Elephant Butte Reservoir has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Elephant Butte Lake State Park - Rock Canyon Marina, Elephant Butte Lake State Park - South Monticello. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Elephant Butte Reservoir across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
2 thermal springs within 22 mi, nearest Truth Or Consequences
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at New Mexico's top lakes, each with its grade
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Where this data comes from
3 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- NM Environmental Dept./SWQB
21NMEX_WQX3 samples · 2020
Analytical methods
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory