The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Albuquerque District announced today that it has scheduled a block release of water from Santa Rosa Lake to start Monday, August 5, 2024, at 8:00 am.

This release will force closure of the boat ramp. This is the second release to affect boating at Santa Rosa Lake State Park this season. The previous release occurred May 16 through May 23.

This time, Bureau of Reclamation, acting on the behalf of Carlsbad Irrigation District, requested the approximately 13,400 acre-feet release. Carlsbad Irrigation District owns the irrigation water that makes up all of the water stored in Santa Rosa Lake.

The block release from Santa Rosa Lake is scheduled to last until Aug. 12, 2024, to transfer water to Sumner Lake.

"The final date and time for the end of the release will depend on when the full release of 13,400 acre-feet is complete, or if Bureau of Reclamation requests an earlier stop to retain more storage in Santa Rosa Lake," said Morgan Humphrey, Pecos River Basin Manager in the USACE-Albuquerque District's Water Management Section.

Based on current conditions, lake elevation at the beginning of the release is estimated to be at 4714 feet, or approximately 16,300 acre-feet of storage. At the end of the release, the lake elevation is estimated to be at 4,691 feet, or approximately 2,900 acre-feet of storage. This equates to about a 21-foot drop in lake elevation during the block release. The final drop in elevation depends on the actual inflows into the lake and the final release volume.

"The boat ramp will remain closed until the lake returns to a safe level from monsoon rain and runoff," said Toby Velasquez, State Parks Division Director. "We apologize to park visitors for any inconvenience. However, we recognize that irrigation is the primary purpose for the water in this lake, and we to cooperate with our partners who are responsible for managing this precious resource."

Santa Rosa Dam is the first major dam along the Pecos River, and its reservoir has a 2,434 square mile contributing drainage area. The other two dams, Sumner Lake and Dam, and Brantley Dam, are owned by the Bureau of Reclamation. The Santa Rosa Reservoir is a main component in the Pecos River Basin comprehensive plan, providing irrigation storage, flood control, and sediment retention.
Although the reservoir is a Corps' managed lake, the campgrounds and most recreation areas at Santa Rosa Lake are managed by New Mexico State Parks.