Jemez Canyon Reservoir water level — New Mexico
Jemez Canyon Reservoir in New Mexico was last measured at 5,126.37 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 28, 2026, 1:00 PM (UTC+00:00) (USACE CWMS Data). Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−0.1 ft).
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- 0 acre-ft
- Recent trend
- ↓Falling
−0.1 ft over the trend window
Recent trend
Readings this station published between Jun 2, 2026 and Jun 23, 2026 — a 20-day window — downsampled for display.
Data: USGS Water Services (waterservices.usgs.gov) and USACE CWMS Data (cwms-data.usace.army.mil), retrieved 2026-08-31. Both public domain (a work of the U.S. Government, 17 U.S.C. §105).
Source: USACE SPA/Jemez, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00). Official page for this lake →
About this gauge's record
USACE's continuous elevation record for this project begins in 2010 (2 tracked series for this project).
The dam behind Jemez Canyon Reservoir
Jemez Canyon Reservoir is held back by Jemez Canyon Dam (also recorded as Jemez Canyon Reservoir) , an earthfill embankment, holding the pool back by sheer mass and an impervious core rather than by the strength of concrete , standing 150 ft high and running 870 ft along its crest , built across JEMEZ RIVER in Sandoval County , near BERNALILLO . It was completed in 1953 , and is owned by USACE - Albuquerque District (a federal owner) , to a design credited to CESPA.
Its recorded primary purpose is flood risk reduction — the pool is drawn down between storms so there is empty space waiting for the next flood, which is why this level can fall in dry weather and climb sharply after rain . It also serves flood risk reduction;other.
It is founded on soil, with a earth core. Its spillway is ungated: once the pool reaches the crest, water leaves on its own and the operator cannot hold it back. The spillway opening is 428 ft wide. Its outlet works use vertical lift0.
NID classes it high hazard potential. That describes what a failure would cost downstream — loss of life would be expected — and says nothing about how likely a failure is, or what condition the dam is in.
At its normal pool the reservoir covers about 1,396 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 264,700 acre-ft against a normal storage of 29,712 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 319,300 cubic feet per second.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record NM00003 , filed by US Army Corps of Engineers — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, public domain. Water levels above come from USACE CWMS Data and are a separate source. (How this dam was matched to this gauge →)
How Jemez Canyon Reservoir compares nearby
3 of 6 nearby lakes with a current trend are also falling right now.
Nearby lakes
The six nearest published lakes by centroid distance (great-circle) — cross-state neighbors included.
| Lake | State | Level | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galisteo Reservoir | NM | 5,500.00 ft | 32 km |
| Cochiti Lake | NM | 5,344.66 ft | 32 km |
| Nichols Reservoir | NM | 7,474.60 ft | 69 km |
| Mcclure Reservoir | NM | 7,834.23 ft | 72 km |
| Nambe Falls Reservoir | NM | 6,808.72 ft | 77 km |
| Abiquiu Reservoir | NM | 6,198.99 ft | 95 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Jemez Canyon Reservoir?
- As of Aug 28, 2026, 1:00 PM (UTC+00:00), the pool elevation was 5,126.37 ft (datum NGVD29). See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Jemez Canyon Reservoir full right now?
- Its managing agency does not publish a %-of-conservation-pool-full figure for this lake, so we show the bare level rather than estimate one.
- Where does this data come from?
- From USACE SPA/Jemez, retrieved Aug 31, 2026, 8:24 AM (UTC+00:00).
More in New Mexico
See every lake tracked in New Mexico, or read the methodology behind these figures.