CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. – Early January data shows Cibola County’s water picture beginning the year with mixed signals: reservoir and river levels remain low and largely unchanged, while mountain snowpack has increased modestly over the past week.
Together, Bluewater Lake, the Rio San Jose, and snowpack data from the Zuni/Bluewater River Basin provide a clearer view of how winter conditions are shaping the county’s water outlook in early 2026.
Bluewater Lake
Bluewater Lake continued its gradual decline during the first full week of 2026.
USGS data pulled January 8 showed the reservoir at 4,485 acrefeet, down from 4,500 acre-feet on January 1. By January 12, Bluewater had fallen further to 4,467 acre-feet, a net loss of 33 acre-feet since the start of the year.
While the week-toweek changes are small, they reflect a familiar winter pattern: limited inflow combined with continued drawdown following a dry 2025.
Lake levels remain far below early-2025 highs.
Rio San Jose
The Rio San Jose at Acoma Pueblo remained steady throughout the week.
USGS readings taken January 8 and January 12 both measured 1.89 feet, unchanged from the start of the year. The river has now held near this level for several months, indicating stable but shallow base flow across the watershed.
As with Bluewater Lake, the Rio San Jose shows no immediate response to recent precipitation, suggesting that surface runoff and groundwater contributions remain limited at this point in the winter season.
Snowpack Update: Zuni/Bluewater River Basin
Snowpack conditions improved modestly during the week, though totals remain well below normal.
At the NRCS SNOTEL Rice Park site (elevation 8,480 feet), snow water equivalent increased from 0.5 inches on January 8 to 1.0 inches by January 11, representing 33 percent of median for this date. The basin’s snowpack index now stands at 33 percent of normal.
While still below average, the increase marks the strongest snow accumulation seen so far this winter. SNOTEL data also shows water year–to-date precipitation at 96 percent of median, indicating that recent moisture has been closer to normal even if snowpack depth remains lagging.
Snowpack in the Zuni/Bluewater Basin is a critical driver of spring runoff and groundwater recharge. Continued accumulation through February and March will be key to determining whether Bluewater Lake and the Rio San Jose see any seasonal rebound later this year.