Rain!!

NMPaul

NMPaul

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South East NM, specifically the Sacramento Mountains have been getting hammered since early June. On track to be the best rain year I have ever experienced here.
How is the rest of the state? Has to be pretty good also.

tempImagekGexiO.png
 
Had 2.7" at my place so far in July, and had 1" in June. Unit 53. But will take as much as we can get. Haven't looked at the tanks in a few weeks but some should have water now.
 
Awesome here east of abq. We have had almost 4” in the last month.
Was in red river this weekend and it was greener than I have ever seen. Hard rains each night and big brown river flowing.
 
Magdalena has gotten more than our share. I love and hate it all the same. Hate the roads towards my house getting washed out over and over and requiring a bulldozer to fix it.
 
But but but DROUGHT! According to our government, most of Lincoln County is in Extreme Drought! I have been watching radars, and seeing rain scattered across the state every day. Most places getting drenched. But our state still shows extreme drought in most areas. Hmm, wonder why...... People all around the state saying they have been hammered, but we are supposed to believe government info? And they wonder why people come up with conspiracy theories.
 
It takes many years to reach drought conditions. There are short term drought conditions and long term, both are measured. It will help short term with the rain your getting but will take multiple years to be back to normal and out of long term drought that the majority of the Western US is under currently. Glad to see the rain coming.
 
Good to hear you all are getting rain. I'm heading over to 34 to scout this weekend for my early bow hunt in Sept. (ahhh almost here!!!)
Most of the weather sites default down to Las Cruces for weather history. Gonna assume Lincoln National Forest has gotten its fair share of moisture too?

Glad you all are getting some moisture and fires are calming down. Same here in AZ.
 
muleylover said:
It takes many years to reach drought conditions. There are short term drought conditions and long term, both are measured. It will help short term with the rain your getting but will take multiple years to be back to normal and out of long term drought that the majority of the Western US is under currently. Glad to see the rain coming.
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We were completely out of drought last year. Have been getting wet weather all year, but are being told we are in extreme drought, that’s why they have to drain elephant butte. Something seems off to me about it, but what do I know, I just live here and witness the weather.
 
Interesting way of looking at it. The Butte level is controlled by two things: the amount of water flowing into it, and the amount flowing out, right?

Unfortunately for NM those two are controlled by different mechanisms. The amount flowing out is controlled by an Interstate Compact, which was developed during a rainy period, and which guarantees that down-stream users get a fixed volume of water every year. The amount flowing in is controlled by the weather (rainfall vs. drought).

When the weather is wet enough to supply the require releases, the lake fills up. When there is drought, the lake drains down. If the long-term weather is dryer than when the Compact was promulgated then the lake dries out completely.

So, yea, if the Butte is low, we're in a drought. If it's really low we're in a long term drought. That's just a natural condition.

How that natural condition is leveraged by mass media and government is something else all together.
 
Reuben_Soady said:
Interesting way of looking at it. The Butte level is controlled by two things: the amount of water flowing into it, and the amount flowing out, right?

Unfortunately for NM those two are controlled by different mechanisms. The amount flowing out is controlled by an Interstate Compact, which was developed during a rainy period, and which guarantees that down-stream users get a fixed volume of water every year. The amount flowing in is controlled by the weather (rainfall vs. drought).

When the weather is wet enough to supply the require releases, the lake fills up. When there is drought, the lake drains down. If the long-term weather is dryer than when the Compact was promulgated then the lake dries out completely.

So, yea, if the Butte is low, we're in a drought. If it's really low we're in a long term drought. That's just a natural condition.

How that natural condition is leveraged by mass media and government is something else all together.
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You are absolutely right. BUT there’s a reason all of the northern lakes that are fed by the Rio Grande are in the 90 th percentile for water…. And elephant butte is at five…… Aren’t they all fed from the same source?! So how are the northern lakes full, but the southern ones aren’t?! If we were in such a drought, wouldn’t those lakes be low as well?
 
mossback50cal said:
We were completely out of drought last year. Have been getting wet weather all year, but are being told we are in extreme drought, that’s why they have to drain elephant butte. Something seems off to me about it, but what do I know, I just live here and witness the weather.
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Ummm no. Not true. Don't know what weather you've witnessed but this is crazy talk. BTW I live here too. For almost 40 years now.
 
Inflow-outflow = Level change. The butte is required by law to have a minimum outflow, so when the inflow is below that rate, the lake level drops. That minimum required water delivery to down-stream users is probably higher than can be sustained, but the Compact was agreed to by both sides. The northern lakes are not controlled by the same rule.

And I'm pretty sure the northern lakes are not 90% full.
US Bureau of Reclamation Reservoir Levels

Stream flows are pretty low statewide too.
USGS stream flow

Here's monthly historic water levels in three upstream reservoirs since 1975. 1980-1990s was nice for boating. Heron holds water for NM drinking water utilities, but they sell some to the irrigation district.

HeronMonthly_1975.JPG


El Vado holds water destined for the NM irrigators, that's why it's up and down so much every year. Notice that the repeated lows match with the lows in Heron.
ElvadoMonthly_1975.JPG


Cochiti is a flood control project. The recreation pool (a legally established minimum level) is looking stable, but there hasn't been repeated flooding since the 1980's.
CochitiMonthly_1975.JPG


The Butte chart below has a different time scale...since 1915. The high water levels in the 1980s shown in the upper charts are still visible in the right 1/3 of the this chart. I suspect that many of us long-term residents remember the 80's when we lament the low levels seen today. The 1945-1980 period (35-years!) was lower though.
ButteMonthly_1910.JPG


There are several possible definitions of drought. One could think of NM's typical April to July dry season as "drought" which is alleviated in August when the monsoons kick in. It is more useful to track missing and/or weak monsoons and winter precipitation over longer time periods that affect reservoir storage and groundwater levels.

Also the tree ring data suggests that drought cycles in SW USA average 50 years, so the last few, which were 20-30 year cycles, are relatively short. We might want to expect/plan for a cycle that lasts closer 75 years. Would be nice if that was 75 wet years, but you know Murphy's law an all.
 
I know there is an ongoing debate about the pros and cons of damming rivers, and I don’t want to get into that here. However, I do believe the presence of these reservoirs and the different purposes each of them serve make it difficult to use water levels as a gauge for drought. Since we are controlling what goes out and when, it would be easy to make a false assumption without having all the facts. Now, I’m sure you can look at trends over a long period of time and draw some conclusions but just looking at levels at one point in time could lead you to some false assumptions regarding current drought conditions.

From my own perspective, here in far Eastern Placitas, it has been a great monsoon. I don’t keep a rain gauge but I can assure you we have gotten more rain this monsoon than the last few I can recall. On a broader scale, my observations would tell me that Northern, especially Northwestern NM and SW Colorado has been pretty dang dry.

I have always said, and this year is no different, weird $hit happens when you water the desert! The amount of toads we had hopping along the roads up here was unreal, Got some weeds, plants, flowers, coming up I’ve never seen before, Felt like we were being overtaken by millipedes, and I’ll be damn if I didn’t just swat a mosquito off of me at 6,200’ and about 11 miles from the Rio. Not complaining though!
 
Not sure about the overall draught levels, but I have been watching the weather for the last few months in the area we are hunting this fall and I really can't believe how much moisture and overall mild weather it has been. I have a feeling if things don't change drastically in the next month it is going to be a lights out fall in the NM elk woods.
 
Elkocd:
“
I have a feeling if things don't change drastically in the next month it is going to be a lights out fall in the NM elk woods.”

Forgive me, please. What is a “lights out fall”?
 
Dumdum said:
Elkocd:
“
I have a feeling if things don't change drastically in the next month it is going to be a lights out fall in the NM elk woods.”

Forgive me, please. What is a “lights out fall”?
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Very action packed elk hunting ;)

Good food, good water, mild weather all tend to lead to active elk rutting IMHO.
 
This is how much rain New Mexico has received since May 11th. Noone received 20+ inches in July. That's more moisture in a month than you get all year.

Screenshot_20210812-081555_Chrome.jpg
 
We didn't have a great July in the East Mountians. Started out well, but then didn't continue. It was pretty spotty. Some areas got more rain than others. At my house near Stanley we only got 3" total and in Moriarty they got closer to 6". I was really hoping for more in July.
 
bigbull said:
This is how much rain New Mexico has received since May 11th. Noone received 20+ inches in July. That's more moisture in a month than you get all year.

View attachment 49317
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It clearly shows near cloudcloft and that area 16+ inches…… so how do you know that no one got 20 inches?! La union, and Alamogordo just got five inches each yesterday! But, according to your logic, that’s half of what they get a year, so it didn’t happen… plus, where I live, it shows we have gotten two inches. We got that in one storm. And have had a few like that. Plus many more half inch storms. Flooded again yesterday and today. All of our arroyos are overflowing. That doesn’t happen if the ground is not saturated.
 
Here’s another for you. From June 15 to august 13th. Look at all of the areas with OVER 13 inches of rain. This shows eight inches for where I’m at, which is more like it.

D38DB393-6603-413E-8D28-128870BA3E38.png
 
Was down in the southwest part of the state last weekend (primarily 26) and everything was green, Green, GREEN!!! Drove home through Silver, Reserve then Quemado to Grants. Grass everywhere and the animals we saw looked really good. Lots of calves with the cows. Those of you with tags in 12, 15, 16s, 23 and 24 will hopefully have a blast!!! Whether these areas are getting 10", 16" or 20>" the rain that has been falling has been incredible.
 
34 was super green a couple weeks ago. Never seen anything like it....i'd never been there before, but figured I'd see what I do in AZ. NOpe, super green and lots of grass everywhere!
 
bigbull said:
What some $30 weather station bought at wal mart says vs what actually fell and what the NWS says is a whole different ballgame.
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I posted actual data. The stuff YOU posted says OVER 16 inches. Yet you still argue. And put someone down. People like you are the reason this site is losing members on a daily.
 
bigbull said:
What some $30 weather station bought at wal mart says vs what actually fell and what the NWS says is a whole different ballgame.
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And the NWS has gauges everywhere? You assume things were bought at Walmart? Is that where you buy your hunting gear? Is that also safe to assume? If you're not at every spot in every state it is most likely best to stay quiet...
 
mossback50cal said:
I posted actual data. The stuff YOU posted says OVER 16 inches. Yet you still argue. And put someone down. People like you are the reason this site is losing members on a daily.
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Lol I put someone down by calling out their BS? My only statement was that nowhere in the state of New mexico has received 23 inches of rain and that's a certifiable fact. I dont know if you know how to read but the map I posted doesn't show the brightest pink color of 16+ anywhere in the state. So that's how I know noone received 16+ inches. Pretty simple. Your "actual" data agrees with me and yet you still get butthurt. So to sum it up: no official data says new mexico received 16+ inches of rain anywhere. Your data doesn't say it and my data doesn't say it. Someone with a $30 walmart weather station claims they received 23 inches so you trust them. I call them out with actual data that your data agrees with and I'm somehow putting them down and causing people to leave mm. Life must be rough being so sensitive.
 
bigbull said:
Lol I put someone down by calling out their BS? My only statement was that nowhere in the state of New mexico has received 23 inches of rain and that's a certifiable fact. I dont know if you know how to read but the map I posted doesn't show the brightest pink color of 16+ anywhere in the state. So that's how I know noone received 16+ inches. Pretty simple. Your "actual" data agrees with me and yet you still get butthurt. So to sum it up: no official data says new mexico received 16+ inches of rain anywhere. Your data doesn't say it and my data doesn't say it. Someone with a $30 walmart weather station claims they received 23 inches so you trust them. I call them out with actual data that your data agrees with and I'm somehow putting them down and causing people to leave mm. Life must be rough being so sensitive.
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Thanks Al Roker.
 
Big Bull, calm the F... DOWN. NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR YOUR BS RANT.

Who cares. The Southern part of the state is getting amazing amounts of rainfall. The land is beautiful. Our game animals are going to benefit from it.

Who gives a rat's a$$ if some guy got 16" of rain according to you, or if he thinks he got 23" of rain.

We are getting a lot of rain.

Jeez man...drink a damn beer
 
Lol my rant? My first post was simple and to the point and wasn't looking for an argument. Just giving facts. Then everyone got butthurt so I had to really dumb it down for you guys. My first and only point of posting here was that nowhere in New mexico has received 23 inches of rain and I am correct. That's all.
 
bigbull said:
Lol my rant? My first post was simple and to the point and wasn't looking for an argument. Just giving facts. Then everyone got butthurt so I had to really dumb it down for you guys. My first and only point of posting here was that nowhere in New mexico has received 23 inches of rain and I am correct. That's all.
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Id take the $30 dollar wal mart special, which is how you are putting him down, over your chart you posted any day. Because, like I stated previously, your chart shows I have only gotten two inches of rain. Which, I KNOW IS BS because I can guarantee you I have gotten more than four times that amount. It is the argumentative attitude of a lot of people on here that is making people leave. Cannot even state how much rain we've received without "na uh, YOU'RE WRONG". THAT is what makes people leave this site, a bunch of know it alls who know absolutely nothing. And, since you are all seeing, and know for a fact the amounts of rain, I will leave it at that.
 
bigbull said:
Lol my rant? My first post was simple and to the point and wasn't looking for an argument. Just giving facts. Then everyone got butthurt so I had to really dumb it down for you guys. My first and only point of posting here was that nowhere in New mexico has received 23 inches of rain and I am correct. That's all.
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What a silly thing to get combative about. I have a 5 gallon bucket that has filled up to the top, dumped it and its half full again. I know its a lot of rain, just haven't gone to trouble of putting a measuring tape on bucket yet, though at one point I am sure I knew how tall a bucket was.

For the record, every single year, there will be places within a mile of each other that get almost twice as much rain as the other. There are not certified rain meters everywhere. Where I live I bet they are 3-5 miles apart or even more.
Never say never. Maybe if you live in the city there are measuring stations closer and you certainly cant take a 30 square mile area and say everyone got the same amount of rain. Dumb to even get dragged into this argument.
 
Who cares if it's 15 or 50, it is looking good! Leaving today, will be there Sunday. Weather looks perfect as far out as I can see to the 3rd. As long is there is not a great weather shift to really hot, it should be good.
 
bigbull,
You are posting charts of what looks like radar estimated rainfall data. Rainfall can be highly variable even in areas that are 1-2 miles apart. My dad and I have rain gauges 2 miles apart here in SE NM and they can vary quite widely due to localized heavy rains. I checked rain gauge data since May 1st on CoCoRaHS and the highest I saw for NM was 21.87 inches in Mayhill. So I would say 23" in a certain area is possible.
 
The Lincoln looks like a rain forest! So many wash outs everywhere. Lots of road equipment cleaning things up.
 
It's bad. We got another inch today. Puts us over ten inches in the past month. I do not remember getting ten inches of rain in a month ever. Usually average about 9. With all of the winter precipitation we got, everything is green and overgrown.
 
Saw the same thing in Lincoln last week scouting for deer. I have never seen it so lush and green. The animals looked very healthy and shootable. Too bad still need to wait a week to get it done.
 
It is funny how gullible people are and they don't use their brains for anything anymore. If the smart phone says it's not raining and there are water drops falling from the sky on your head well it must be something other than rain!
 
So how much is all this rain going to help with horn growth for Aoudad sheep? Unfortunately, that’s all I drew this year. Jealous of all those that drew elk or deer.
 

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