CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. – Late August continues to show the uneven impact of the 2026 monsoon across Cibola County. Bluewater Lake lost additional elevation this week, while the Rio San Jose held at the 2-foot mark reached during recent monsoon activity. Rainfall remained scattered across the county, including enough localized precipitation to cause flooding along Zuni Canyon Road, and the next seven-day forecast shows additional moisture possible as August gives way to September.
Bluewater Lake
According to provisional U.S. Geological Survey data, Bluewater Lake measured 7,364.52 feet on Aug. 25, down from 7,364.63 feet on Aug. 18.
The decline of 0.11 feet, or about 1.3 inches, continues the reservoir's downward trend despite the wetter monsoon pattern that developed during July and August.
For comparison, Bluewater Lake measured 7,368.77 feet on Jan. 1. The lake is now approximately 4.25 feet lower than it was at the beginning of 2026.
The continued decline remains an important counterpoint to the visible rainfall Cibola County has experienced this summer. Monsoon storms have delivered meaningful moisture to parts of the landscape, but the lake has yet to show a sustained recovery.
Rio San Jose
The Rio San Jose at Acoma Pueblo measured 2.00 feet on Aug. 25, according to provisional USGS data, unchanged from Aug. 18.
The Rio San Jose measured 1.88 feet on July 7 before repeated monsoon storms began affecting western New Mexico. The river has maintained the gains that developed during the wetter portion of July and August, even though it did not rise further this week.
Precipitation Across Cibola
Precipitation remained scattered and uneven across Cibola County during the latest reporting period, continuing a defining characteristic of this year's monsoon.
Drought.gov's sevenday total precipitation map, valid Aug. 22, shows generally light rainfall across much of the Grants area and northern portions of the county, with many locations receiving somewhere between a trace and one-half inch.
More widespread moisture appears across the El Malpais area and portions of central and southern Cibola County, where totals generally reached around one-half inch and locally higher.
Temperatures remained warm during the period. Drought.gov's seven-day average maximum temperature map, valid Aug. 21, shows average daytime highs generally in the 80s across much of central Cibola County, with areas to the east and elsewhere in the region reaching into the 90s.
The outlook for the coming week keeps precipitation in the picture.
According to the National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center's seven-day quantitative precipitation forecast for Aug. 25 through Sept. 1, much of Cibola County could receive approximately one-quarter to three-quarters of an inch of additional precipitation.
The forecast favors some of the higher totals across portions of western and north-central Cibola County, while amounts are expected to vary considerably depending on where thunderstorms develop.
Arroyos fill quickly in a flashflood, causing lifethreatening conditions. Do not drive through flooded roadways – turn around, don’t drown.
Water data courtesy of the United States Geological Survey. Temperature, precipitation and drought information courtesy of Drought.gov, the National Weather Service, the U.S. Drought Monitor, the Climate Prediction Center and the New Mexico Environment Department.