USGS Streamgage 08361000
Rio Grande below Elephant Butte Dam, NM
Rio Grande below Elephant Butte Dam, NM is USGS streamgage 08361000 in New Mexico, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 13030101. It drains a watershed of about 29,450 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1915. Typical flow runs near 1,729.7 cfs in July and 1,482 cfs in April, with the higher of the two arriving in July.
Gauge details
- State
- New Mexico
- Drainage area
- 29,450 sq mi
- Gauge elevation
- 4,243 ft
- Subbasin (HUC-8)
- 13030101
- Coordinates
- 33.14851, -107.20678
- USGS site number
- 08361000
- Records begin
- 1915-06-16 (111 years)
Typical flow by month
Long-term daily discharge percentiles from the USGS record (up to 110 years of data), averaged within each month. These describe the historical normal range — they are not a forecast and not today's reading.
| Month | Low p10 | Typical p50 | High p90 | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0.4 | 10.9 | 1,047.6 | |
| February | 0.9 | 465.8 | 1,452.8 | |
| March | 10.5 | 1,154.1 | 1,932.6 | |
| April | 328.1 | 1,482 | 2,162.3 | |
| May | 267.5 | 1,543.2 | 2,170 | |
| June | 1,020.5 | 1,889.3 | 2,387.3 | |
| July | 883 | 1,729.7 | 2,398.7 | |
| August | 393.9 | 1,362.6 | 2,198.1 | |
| September | 6.8 | 616.3 | 1,579.7 | |
| October | 1 | 14.3 | 1,077.8 | |
| November | 0.8 | 9.3 | 825.7 | |
| December | 0.7 | 9.2 | 1,027 |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).
Common questions
- When does Rio Grande below Elephant Butte Dam, NM normally run highest?
- June, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 1,889.3 cfs, against 9.2 cfs in December, the lowest month. These are historical normals for the date, not a forecast and not today's reading.
- What is a normal flow for Rio Grande below Elephant Butte Dam, NM?
- It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 10.9 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 0.4 and 1,047.6 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
- How long has Rio Grande below Elephant Butte Dam, NM been measured?
- Discharge records at USGS site 08361000 begin in 1915, about 111 years, covering roughly 9,124 days of published daily values. The long record is what makes the monthly percentiles on this page meaningful.
- Where is Rio Grande below Elephant Butte Dam, NM?
- The gauge sits at 33.14851, -107.20678, in New Mexico, in hydrologic subbasin 13030101, at an elevation of about 4,243 feet, draining roughly 29,450 square miles.
- Can I use Rio Grande below Elephant Butte Dam, NM data for flood or safety decisions?
- No. Rivermatics provides estimates, not guarantees, and the readings and forecasts here may be delayed, inaccurate, or wrong. Do not use them for navigation or for any safety, rescue, or emergency decision. Check the National Weather Service and USGS directly, and use your own judgment.