Navajo Reservoir water level — New Mexico
Navajo Reservoir in New Mexico was last measured at 6,013.41 ft (datum NGVD29), as of Aug 31, 2026, 7:00 AM (UTC+00:00) (USACE CWMS Data). Over its recent trend window the level has been falling (−3.3 ft).
- % of conservation pool full
- Not reported
- Storage
- 809,039 acre-ft
- Recent trend
- ↓Falling
−3.3 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/Navajo, 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 Navajo Reservoir
Navajo Reservoir is held back by Navajo Dam (also recorded as Navajo Reservoir) , an earthfill embankment, holding the pool back by sheer mass and an impervious core rather than by the strength of concrete , standing 402 ft high and running 3,648 ft along its crest , built across SAN JUAN RIVER in San Juan County , near BLOOMFIELD . It was completed in 1963 , and is owned by BUREAU OF RECLAMATION (a federal owner) .
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;irrigation;recreation.
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 138 ft wide.
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 19,000 acres. NID records a maximum storage of 1,986,600 acre-ft against a normal storage of 1,708,600 acre-ft. Its maximum discharge capacity is 34,000 cubic feet per second.
Dam facts: National Inventory of Dams record NM00120 , filed by Bureau of Reclamation — 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 Navajo Reservoir compares nearby
All 3 nearby lakes with a current trend are also falling, suggesting a regional pattern rather than an operation specific to this dam.
Nearby lakes
The six nearest published lakes by centroid distance (great-circle) — cross-state neighbors included.
| Lake | State | Level | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vallecito Dam & Reservoir | CO | 7,620.66 ft | 65 km |
| Lemon Reservoir | CO | 8,090.48 ft | 65 km |
| El Vado Lake | NM | — | 82 km |
| Heron Reservoir on Willow Creek | NM | — | 82 km |
| Rio Grande Reservoir | CO | — | 107 km |
| Platoro Reservoir | CO | 9,987.05 ft | 113 km |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current water level of Navajo Reservoir?
- As of Aug 31, 2026, 7:00 AM (UTC+00:00), the pool elevation was 6,013.41 ft (datum NGVD29). See the trend chart above for the recent direction.
- Is Navajo 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/Navajo, 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.