CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. – As 2025 draws to a close, Cibola County’s water data tells a clear and sobering story: despite scattered rainfall and brief summer storms, both Bluewater Lake and the Rio San Jose have ended the year at persistently low levels.
Recently retrieved yearlong graphs from the U.S. Geological Survey show a sharp seasonal decline at Bluewater and only modest fluctuations on the Rio San Jose, a reflection of the county’s unbroken drought conditions and limited hydrologic recovery. Bluewater Lake has reached one of its lowest points of the year, holding 4,608 acre-feet of water as of 11:15 a.m. on December 2, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. That’s down from 4,636 acre-feet recorded on November 25 and continues the steady decline that began in late spring.
The new year-long data chart from USGS illustrates that decline clearly: in early 2025, Bluewater Lake held more than 11,000 acre-feet of water. By midsummer, as heat and evaporation peaked, levels began a sharp downward slide – a loss of nearly 60 percent of total volume by autumn. The graph shows that since August, the decline has slowed but not stopped, reflecting minimal inflow and ongoing evaporation under persistent drought conditions.
Meanwhile, the Rio San Jose held steady at 1.91 feet on the morning of December 2.
The river has maintained this height for several months, with only brief fluctuations following late-summer storms. The USGS year-long record shows the river’s most significant activity occurred between July and September, when monsoon rains temporarily raised water levels above two feet before quickly receding.
Together, these two data sets tell the story of Cibola County’s water year: brief moments of replenishment amid a long-term decline. Even with seasonal rainfall, Bluewater Lake has not recovered from early-year losses, and the Rio San Jose remains stable but shallow — a sign of ongoing drought stress across the watershed.
As of early December, 100 percent of Cibola County remains in drought, with severe and extreme conditions dominating the region. With winter approaching and snowpack yet to accumulate in the Zuni/Bluewater Basin, both Bluewater Lake and the Rio San Jose will remain key indicators to watch heading into 2026.