CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. – This report seeks to track the flow of water in Cibola County. Bluewater Lake and the Rio San Jose both have United States Geological Survey monitoring stations where this data is pulled from.
Bluewater Lake continues its gradual seasonal decline, holding 4,830 acre-feet of water as of 10:15 a.m. on October 13. That’s a modest decrease from 4,842 acre-feet recorded on October 11 and roughly 200 acre-feet lower than two weeks ago. The steady drawdown reflects typical late-year trends as evaporation continues, and inflows remain limited.
The Rio San Jose held steady at 1.91 feet on the morning of October 13, showing no measurable change from the previous week. The river has maintained consistent levels since early September, signaling stable—but persistently low—flow conditions across the basin.
With drought conditions still affecting 100 percent of Cibola County, monitoring these systems remains critical as the region moves deeper into autumn. The recent federal government shutdown has so far had lim-ited impact on USGS data collection and reporting.