Due to increased water levels use of motorboats now allowed
SANTA FE – Caballo Lake State Park has opened access to the boat ramp for use by motorized boats due to improved water levels. The elevation of Caballo Reservoir was reduced this summer as the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) removed excessive debris which began to impact the dam's intake structure. Reclamation began to proactively address the issue in July before additional storms occurred by using boats and personnel to skim the floating debris from the reservoir surface, successfully removing more than 17 tons of debris. In August, an additional 14,000 cubic feet of debris was removed using heavy machinery.
The water release from Elephant Butte has brought the volume of Caballo Reservoir back to normal levels now that debris removal work is complete. No further substantial releases are expected to occur until the beginning of the 2026 irrigation season.
For more information about your New Mexico State Parks, please visit emnrd.nm.gov/spd.
