Elephant Butte Falls 23% in a Week to 55,126 af, 60% Below Normal

Elephant Butte Reservoir storage fell to 55,126 af, down 23% on the week and 60% below the 5-year median, per US Bureau of Reclamation data. The drawdown arrives at peak irrigation demand for Rio Grande Project contractors, who draw on the reservoir for summer deliveries. The Rio Grande continued to read 0 cfs, per USGS, extending the condition that led last week's issue.

• Blue Mesa Reservoir (upper Colorado): 274,674 af, down 5% on the week and 51% below the 5-year median (Bureau of Reclamation). A second major storage site tracking well below normal through peak demand.
• Wyoming drought: 100% of the state in D1 or worse, 50 pts above the 5-year median, essentially unchanged on the week (US Drought Monitor).
• Colorado drought: 91% of the state in D1 or worse, 50 pts above the 5-year median, eased 2 pts on the week (US Drought Monitor).
• Klamath County drought: 88% in D1 or worse, up 2 pts on the week and 57 pts above the 5-year median (US Drought Monitor).
• San Juan-Colorado streamflow: 1,060 cfs, up 30% on the week and 111% above the 5-year median (USGS).
• Fresno and Kern counties: 0% drought coverage each, 38 and 52 pts below their 5-year medians respectively (US Drought Monitor). No moderate-or-worse drought in either San Joaquin Valley county.

Allocations (standing status): CVP north-of-Delta irrigation, municipal and industrial, Sacramento River Settlement, American River M&I (Folsom) and In-Delta M&I contracts all stand at 100%, per Bureau of Reclamation (announced February 26, 2026). SWP stands at 45%, per California Department of Water Resources (announced May 1, 2026). No allocation changes this week.