Elephant Butte Reservoir

infobox_lake
lake_name = Elephant Butte Reservoir
image_lake = Elephant_Butte_Reservoir.jpeg
type = Hydroelectric reservoir
caption_lake = Elephant Butte Reservoir and Dam
location = Sierra County, New Mexico
basin_countries = United States
coords = coord|33.153969|N|107.192113|W|type:waterbody_region:US-NM|display=inline,title
inflow = Rio Grande
outflow = Rio Grande
area = 36,500 acres (147.7 km²)
depth =
max-depth =
elevation = 4,414 ft (1,345 m)
volume = convert|2065010|acre.ft|km3|abbr=on|lk=on

Elephant Butte Reservoir is a reservoir on the Rio Grande in the U.S. state of New Mexico, convert|5|mi|km north of Truth or Consequences. It is impounded by Elephant Butte Dam and is the largest reservoir in New Mexico. The reservoir is also part of the largest state park in New Mexico, Elephant Butte Lake State Park.cite web | date = May 1 2004 | url = http://www.recreation.gov/recAreaDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&recAreaId=100 | title = Elephant Butte Reservoir | work = USDOI data | publisher = Bureau of Reclamation | accessmonthday = September 2 | accessyear = 2008]

The reservoir is part of the Rio Grande Project, a project to provide power and irrigation to south-central New Mexico and west Texas. It was filled starting between 1915 and 1916.cite web | date = December 28 2005 | url = http://www.usbr.gov/power/data/sites/elephant/elephant.html | title = Elephant Butte Powerplant | work = Rio Grande Project | publisher = Bureau of Reclamation | accessmonthday = October 11 | accessyear = 2006]

The reservoir can hold 2,065,010 acre-feet (2,547,152,330 m³) of water from a drainage of 28,900 square miles (74,850 km²).cite web | date = August 22 2006 | url = http://www.usbr.gov/dataweb/dams/nm00129.htm | title = Elephant Butte Dam | work = Dataweb | publisher = Bureau of Reclamation | accessmonthday = October 11 | accessyear = 2006] It provides irrigation to 178,000 acres (720 km²) of land.

The name "Elephant Butte" refers to a volcanic core similar to Devils Tower in Wyoming. It is now an island in the lake. The butte was said to have the shape of an elephant.

Fishing is a popular recreational activity on the reservoir, which contains striped bass, white bass, largemouth bass, crappie, walleye and catfish.

External links

* [http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/PRD/elephant.htm Elephant Butte Lake State Park]

References