ALBUQUERQUE - The Bureau of Reclamation will begin releasing water Friday morning from Caballo Dam for this year's irrigation season in the lower Rio Grande Valley.

Officials are warning that the allotments are expected to be only 27 percent of full supply given below-average precipitation and forecasted runoff in the Rio Grande Basin.

Precipitation in the basin so far this year is three-quarters of average, and snowpack stands at 68 percent of average compared to 114 percent last year. Runoff into Elephant Butte Reservoir in southern New Mexico is expected to be about half of average.

The Bureau of Reclamation says Elephant Butte and Caballo reservoirs are expected to remain at very low storage levels throughout the year.

Storage at Elephant Butte currently stands at about 504,000 acre-feet, or 23 percent full.


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