ELEPHANT BUTTE, N.M. - The Bureau of Reclamation will release water from Elephant Butte Reservoir for a 3-day period starting on Wednesday, March 27, at 9 a.m. as part of a maintenance operation. The dry riverbed between Elephant Butte and Caballo will take on water quickly as it will begin to flow downstream. The public is asked to stay out of the river channel for their safety.
The operation is occurring as the reservoir reaches a specific elevation to move sediment out of the sluice gateway. Reclamation will release between 700 and 1000 cubic feet per second of water through the gate.
The sluice gate will be closed at 3 p.m. on Friday and the channel will then begin drying until May when water movement begins in preparation for the start of the irrigation season.
Source: Bureau of Reclamation
