Caballo Lake

Caballo Reservoir
Location Sierra County, New Mexico
Coordinates 32°55′32″N 107°17′46″W / 32.92568°N 107.2961°W / 32.92568; -107.2961Coordinates: 32°55′32″N 107°17′46″W / 32.92568°N 107.2961°W / 32.92568; -107.2961
Type reservoir
Catchment area 79,574 km2 (30,724 sq mi)
Basin countries United States
Surface area 11,000 acres (4,500 ha)
Average depth 7 m
Water volume 428,000,000 m3 (1.51×1010 cu ft)(346 985 acre-feet)
Surface elevation 4,204 ft (1,281 m)

Caballo Lake is a reservoir on the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico, United States. It is the fourth largest reservoir in New Mexico in terms of surface area and the fifth largest body of water in New Mexico in terms of volume. The lake is in Caballo Lake State Park, which is approximately 16 miles (26 km) south of Truth or Consequences.

The lake is used for recreational activities, such as boating, swimming, waterskiing, and fishing. Fish in the lake include bass, catfish, crappie, and bluegill.

Caballo Lake is also a birdwatching site. Many migratory birds use the lake as a rest stop during their travels, and eagles are often seen in the area.

Caballo Lake is named for the Caballo Mountains that border the lake to the northeast, east, and southeast, in which wild horses roamed; Caballo means "horse" in Spanish. The upper area of the lake is very shallow and in recent years has been blocked from the lower, deeper end of the lake. The water has a slightly brownish hue from a distance, due to the shallow waters (usually about 75 feet (23 m) at the deepest point). The beaches of Caballo are rocky when compared to Elephant Butte Reservoir, but there are many sandy areas. Beware of the whirlpool at the dam, as it can be a hazard.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Caballo Lake.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Friday, September 04, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.