Water up at Elephant Butte ahead of weekend festivities
LAS CRUCES - Early-bird campers for the Memorial Day Weekend at Elephant Butte Lake State Park almost cooled more than their heels in the southern New Mexico lake.
Kay Dunlap, park superintendent, said campers hoping to score a prime spot by parking their RVs at campsites earlier this week didn’t realize the lake water was rising quickly due to snow melt flowing down from the upper Rio Grande. The water rose around some vehicles, reaching the tires but not swamping them.
Park employees were able to contact campers to move their rigs, pictures of which had been shared around Facebook.
“They are not supposed to do that,” Dunlap said of the early parking job. “But we can’t cite people until they are contacted.”
The unidentified camper moved his vehicle to safety. Dunlap said she checked on the campsites Wednesday morning and all was well. She cautioned weekend revelers to be aware the lake, currently at 43.38 feet, is expected to continue rising until mid-June.
The lake level “is up about 13, 14 feet over last year,” Dunlap said. “Rattlesnake island is an actual island.”
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The National Weather Service in El Paso reported on May 19 the lake was at its highest level since 2011 and continuing to rise. The lake is at 22.5 percent of capacity, compared to 14.7 percent last year.
Each Memorial Day, the lake and surrounding state park have a population approaching that of Las Cruces. Roughly 84,000 people came to the lake to celebrate the start of summer last year and Dunlap thinks that number could reach 100,000 this year, given the trend of increasing visitation this year.
The park will be fully staffed and area law enforcement agencies are lending their help to keep the celebrations safe, she said. Revelers are urged to drink plenty of water, always wear life jackets when on or near the water. Operating any type of watercraft while under the influence of alcohol is illegal in all 50 states. Violations can result in hefty fines, jail time and mandatory boating safety courses.
Saturday and Sunday, Four Wheel Parts, an auto supply company with stores in Albuquerque and El Paso, is hosting a lunch and raffle as well as a 4X4 trail ride outside the park. Sierra Vista Hospital employees will be on hand to promote children’s water safety with instruction and free life jackets.
“There’s lots of room for people to camp, but you may not get your favorite spot,” Dunlap said. “Be kind to your neighbors and pick up after yourselves.”
Jason Gibbs may be reached at 575-541-5451, jgibbs@lcsun-news.com or @fjgwriter on Twitter.
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