U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Scientific Investigations Report 2015–5086

Prepared in cooperation with Lincoln County, New Mexico

Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire 

Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, 

New Mexico, 2010–13
Cover:

Top, Burned forest near Bonito Lake after Little Bear Fire in June 2012 (U.S. Geological Survey

photograph by Michael J. Darr, July 2012).

Bottom, Streamflow-gaging station located on Eagle Creek below South Fork near Alto, New Mexico,

April 2013 (left) and July 2013 (right) (U.S. Geological Survey photographs by Lauren R. Sherson).
Water Resources During Drought 

Conditions and Postfire Water Quality in 

the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, 

New Mexico, 2010–13

By Lauren R. Sherson and Steven E. Rice

Prepared in cooperation with Lincoln County, New Mexico

Scientific Investigations Report 2015–5086

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior

SALLY JEWELL, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

Suzette M. Kimball, Acting Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2015

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Suggested citation:

Sherson, L.R. and Rice, S.E., 2015, Water resources during drought conditions and postfire water quality in the upper 

Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New Mexico, 2010–13: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 

2015–5086, 56 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20155086.

ISSN 2328-0328 (online)
iii

Contents

Abstract ..........................................................................................................................................................1

Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................2

Purpose and Scope .............................................................................................................................2

Description of Study Area ..................................................................................................................2

Hydrogeologic Setting ...............................................................................................................4

Precipitation .................................................................................................................................4

Drought Conditions .....................................................................................................................7

Wildfire .........................................................................................................................................8

Methods .................................................................................................................................................8

Streamflow Measurements ......................................................................................................8

Groundwater-Level Measurements .......................................................................................12

Determination of Recharge Mechanisms Using Isotopes .................................................12

Stable Isotopes ................................................................................................................12

Radioisotopes ...................................................................................................................12

Water Quality .............................................................................................................................15

Quality-Control Samples .................................................................................................16

Water Resources During Drought Conditions ........................................................................................33

Streamflow ..........................................................................................................................................33

Groundwater Levels ..........................................................................................................................36

Discrete Groundwater-Level Measurements ......................................................................36

Continuous Groundwater-Level Measurements .................................................................39

Determination of Recharge Mechanisms ......................................................................................40

Stable Isotope Results .............................................................................................................40

Radioisotope Results ................................................................................................................43

Postfire Water Quality ................................................................................................................................43

Surface Water ....................................................................................................................................44

General Chemistry and Historical Comparison ....................................................................44

Postfire Water Quality ..............................................................................................................47

General Groundwater Chemistry and Historical Comparison ....................................................49

Water Quality and Water Resources: Implications of Changes in Climate and Water Use ...........51

Summary .......................................................................................................................................................52

References Cited .........................................................................................................................................53

Figures

1. Map showing upper Rio Hondo Basin study area, Lincoln County, New Mexico ............3

2. Graphs showing A, Ruidoso, New Mexico, climate station total annual 

precipitation, 1942–2013; B, Palmer Drought Severity Index, New Mexico 

Climate Division 6, 1940–2013; and C, Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood, N. Mex., annual 

mean streamflow, 1954–2013 .....................................................................................................5

3. Graphs showing A, Ruidoso, New Mexico, climate station average monthly 

precipitation, 1942–2013; B, Sierra Blanca, New Mexico, SNOpack TELemetry 

(SNOTEL) climate station average median monthly snow-water equivalent, 

2002–10; and C, Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood, N. Mex., average monthly streamflow, 

1954–2013 ......................................................................................................................................6
iv

4. Graph showing average total annual and average total summer (June–

September) precipitation at the Ruidoso, New Mexico, precipitation station (CL1) 

and maximum snow-water equivalent at the Sierra Blanca SNOpack TELemetry 

(SNOTEL) station (CL2), Sierra Blanca, N. Mex., 2010–13 .....................................................7

5. Graphs showing A, Palmer Drought Severity Index, New Mexico Climate 

Division 6, 2010–13; and B, Extent of drought across New Mexico from the U.S. 

Drought Monitor, 2010–13 ...........................................................................................................9

6. Maps showing Little Bear Fire burn area and A, 37 groundwater wells in which 

groundwater-level measurements were made approximately bimonthly between 

2010 and 2013; and B, water-quality sampling locations in the upper Rio Hondo 

Basin, Lincoln County, New Mexico .......................................................................................10

7. Graph showing daily mean streamflow for Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood, New 

Mexico (08387000; S6), January 1, 2012–December 31, 2013, and water-quality 

sampling dates, upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, N. Mex. ....................................16

8. Graphs showing daily mean streamflow for 2010–13 and selected daily statistics 

at A, Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood, New Mexico (08387000; S6); and B, Eagle Creek 

below Southfork near Alto, N. Mex. (08387000; S9), streamflow-gaging stations ..........34

9. Graphs showing relation between Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood, New Mexico 

(08387000; S6) streamflow-gaging station annual mean streamflow and A, Ruidoso, 

New Mexico, climate station total annual precipitation; and B, Palmer Drought 

Severity Index, New Mexico Climate Division 6, 1954–2013 ...............................................36

10. Map showing water-level changes in 37 wells from 2010 to 2013, upper Rio Hondo 

Basin, Lincoln County, New Mexico .......................................................................................37

11. Normalized hydrographs of selected wells in the A, Rio Ruidoso watershed; and 

B, the Rio Bonito watershed from 2010 to 2013, upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln 

County, New Mexico .................................................................................................................38

12. Hydrographs of wells with continuous water-level recorders in the upper Rio 

Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New Mexico ..........................................................................39

13. Graphs showing A, Stable isotopes deuterium (δD) and oxygen-18 (δ18O) 

expressed as the deviation (δ), in parts per thousand, from Standard Mean Ocean 

Water; and B, Deuterium values with respect to site land-surface elevation in 

surface-water, groundwater, and spring samples collected in the upper Rio 

Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New Mexico ..........................................................................41

14. Graphs showing specific conductance according to approximate river mile in 

the A, Rio Ruidoso and B, Rio Bonito, upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, 

New Mexico ...............................................................................................................................44

15.Trilinear diagram showing hydrochemical-facies classification of major-ion 

chemistry of surface water in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New 

Mexico, sampled from 1955 to 1957 and in 2012 and 2013 ..................................................45

16. Graphs showing concentrations of selected water-quality constituents at Eagle 

Creek, Rio Bonito, and Rio Ruidoso, 2012–13, upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln 

County, New Mexico .................................................................................................................48

17.Trilinear diagram showing hydrochemical-facies classification of major-ion 

chemistry of groundwater in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New 

Mexico, sampled from 1926 to 1957 and 2013 .......................................................................50
v

Tables

1. Climate station and streamflow-gaging station information for stations used in 

analysis, upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New Mexico .........................................4

2. Categories and descriptions of drought severity for the Palmer Drought Severity 

Index and the U.S. Drought Monitor per http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/ ...........................8

3. Groundwater wells and water-level changes from 2010 to 2013, upper Rio Hondo 

Basin, Lincoln County, New Mexico .......................................................................................13

4. Water-quality and isotope sampling sites, upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln 

County, New Mexico .................................................................................................................14

5. Results from field blanks and replicate water-quality samples collected in the 

upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New Mexico ........................................................17

6. Water-quality data for surface-water and groundwater sites sampled in the 

upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New Mexico ........................................................19

7. Isotope data for sites sampled in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, 

New Mexico ...............................................................................................................................42

8. Median concentrations of selected water-quality constituents from filtered 

samples collected in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New Mexico ...........46

9. Number of surface-water and groundwater quality samples exceeding U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency National Secondary Drinking Water Regulation 

standards in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New Mexico ..........................47

Conversion Factors

Inch/Pound to International System of Units

Multiply By To obtain

Length

inch (in.) 2.54 centimeter (cm)

inch (in.) 25.4 millimeter (mm)

foot (ft) 0.3048 meter (m)

mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km)

Area

acre 4,047 square meter (m2

)

acre 0.004047 square kilometer (km2

)

square mile (mi2

) 2.590 square kilometer (km2) 

Flow rate

cubic foot per second (ft3

/s) 0.02832 cubic meter per second (m3/s)

inch per year (in/yr) 25.4 millimeter per year (mm/yr)

Temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) may be converted to degrees Fahrenheit (°F) as 

°F=(1.8×°C)+32
vi

Datum

Vertical coordinate information is referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 

(NAVD 88)

Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83)

Elevation, as used in this report, refers to distance above the vertical datum.

Supplemental Information

Specific conductance is given in microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius (μS/cm at 

25 °C).

Concentrations of chemical constituents in water are given either in milligrams per liter (mg/L) 

or micrograms per liter (μg/L).

A water year is the 12-month period from October 1 through September 30 designated by the 

calendar year in which it ends. 

Abbreviations

13C Carbon-13

14C Carbon-14

CFC Chloroflurocarbon

CL1 Ruidoso climate station

CL2 Sierra Blanca climate station

δ Delta

δD Deuterium

δ18O Oxygen-18

DO Dissolved oxygen

DOC Dissolved organic carbon

EPA Environmental Protection Agency

E Estimated

GMWL Global Meteoric Water Line

3

H Tritium

LMWL Local Meteoric Water Line

LRL Laboratory reporting level

LT-MDL Long-term method detection level

NCDC National Climatic Data Center

NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NRCS National Resources Conservation Service

NSDWR National Secondary Drinking Water Regulation

NTRU Nephelometric turbidity ratio units

NWIS National Water Information System

NWQL National Water Quality Laboratory
vii

PDSI Palmer Drought Severity Index

pM Percent modern

pmC Percent modern carbon

RPD Relative percent difference

SMT Sacramento Mountains Trend

SNOTEL SNOwpack TELemetry

TU Tritium units

USGS U.S. Geological Survey

VSMOW Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water

Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire 

Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln 

County, New Mexico, 2010–13

By Lauren R. Sherson and Steven E. Rice

Abstract

Stakeholders and water-resource managers in Lincoln 

County, New Mexico, have had long-standing concerns 

over the impact of population growth and groundwater 

withdrawals. These concerns have been exacerbated in recent 

years by extreme drought conditions and two major wildfires 

in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, located in south-central New 

Mexico. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation 

with Lincoln County, initiated a study in 2006 to assess and 

characterize water resources in the upper Rio Hondo Basin. 

Data collected during water years 2010–13 are presented and 

interpreted in this report. All data presented in this report are 

described in water years unless stated otherwise.

Annual mean streamflow at the Rio Ruidoso at 

Hollywood, N. Mex., streamflow-gaging station was less 

than 50 percent of the average streamflow during 2011–13 

and was of similar magnitude to annual mean streamflow 

values measured during the drought of the 1950s. The first 

zero-streamflow values for the period of record (1954–2013) 

were recorded at the Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood, N. Mex., 

streamflow-gaging station on June 27–29, 2013. The lowest 

annual mean streamflow on record (1969–80; 1988–2013) 

occurred in 2011 at the Eagle Creek below South Fork near 

Alto, N. Mex., streamflow-gaging station, with the station 

recording zero streamflow for approximately 50 percent of the 

year.

Discrete and continuous groundwater-level measurements 

indicated basinwide water-level declines during drought 

conditions in 2011–13. The average water-level change among 

37 wells in which discrete groundwater-level measurements 

were collected was -7.6 ft from 2010 to 2013. The largest 

water-level declines were observed in the upper reaches of the 

Rio Bonito and Rio Ruidoso watersheds, and smaller declines 

were observed in the lower reaches of the watersheds. In 

general, water-level changes observed during 2010–13 were 

on the order of decadal-scale changes that previously have 

been observed in the upper Rio Hondo Basin. 

Stable-isotope data indicate that high-elevation winter 

precipitation generally contributes more to groundwater 

recharge than summer rains, except when there are large 

summer recharge events. This implies that little recharge is 

occurring at the lower elevations in the upper Rio Hondo 

Basin because these areas receive a smaller amount of 

total precipitation, receive a smaller proportion of the 

annual total falling as winter precipitation, and have higher 

average temperatures that result in more evaporative losses. 

Groundwater in the upper Rio Hondo Basin is a mix of 

younger and older water, and recharge likely is occurring 

primarily at higher elevations but there may be some areas 

where localized recharge is occurring at lower elevations. 

Surface-water- and groundwater-quality results from 

samples collected in 2012–13 were examined to characterize 

overall chemistry and were compared to historical waterquality data from streams in the upper Rio Hondo Basin 

collected during 1926–57. In general, specific conductance 

showed an increasing trend moving eastward (downstream) 

through the upper Rio Hondo Basin in surface-water and 

groundwater samples. Surface-water and groundwater 

samples appear to have similar overall major-ion chemical 

characteristics when compared to historical water-quality data. 

Geology was found to influence the chemical characteristics of 

surface-water and groundwater samples, with relatively higher 

concentrations of sulfate occurring in samples collected at 

lower elevations in the Permian regional aquifer system.

Surface-water sample results also were analyzed to 

determine differences in unfiltered and filtered water-quality 

samples of streams in burned and unburned watersheds 

after the occurrence of the Little Bear Fire in June 2012. 

Samples were collected after postfire monsoon rain events 

and during periods of stable hydrologic conditions. The 

first postfire monsoon rain event in July 2012 generally 

produced the highest measured concentrations of selected 

fire-related constituents in unfiltered samples collected in 

the burned watersheds relative to later samples collected in 

burned watersheds and all samples collected in the unburned 

watershed. Monsoon rain events have impacted water 

quality by delivering larger sediment loads and fire-related 

constituents into streams in the upper Rio Hondo Basin. 

Changes in climate and increased groundwater and 

surface-water use are likely to affect the availability of water 

in the upper Rio Hondo Basin. Increased drought probably 

will increase the potential for wildfires, which can affect 

downstream water quality and increase flood potential. 
2 Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County

Climate-research predicted decreases in winter precipitation 

may have an adverse effect on the amount of groundwater 

recharge that occurs in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, given the 

predominance of winter precipitation recharge as indicated by 

the stable isotope results. Decreases in surface-water supplies 

because of persistent drought conditions and reductions in the 

quality of water because of the effects of wildfire may lead 

to a larger reliance on groundwater reserves in the upper Rio 

Hondo Basin. Decreasing water levels because of increasing 

groundwater withdrawal could reduce base flows in the Rio 

Bonito and Rio Ruidoso. Well organized and scientificallysupported regional water-resources management will be 

necessary for dealing with the likely scenario of increases in 

demand coupled with decreases in supply in the upper Rio 

Hondo Basin.

Introduction

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation 

with Lincoln County, initiated a study in 2006 to assess and 

characterize water resources in the upper Rio Hondo Basin. 

Stakeholders and water-resource managers have had longstanding concerns over the impact of population growth 

and groundwater withdrawals. These concerns have been 

exacerbated by recent drought and wildfire conditions in the 

upper Rio Hondo Basin.

The upper Rio Hondo Basin, located in south-central 

New Mexico (fig. 1), experienced extreme drought conditions 

(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National 

Climatic Data Center, 2014b) and two major wildfires from 

2011 to 2013. Total annual precipitation at the Ruidoso climate 

station was measured at a record low of 12.0 inches in 2011 

for the period of record 1942–2013. Annual Palmer Drought 

Severity Index (PDSI) values indicate that the two most 

extreme years of drought for New Mexico Climate Division 

6, which contains the upper Rio Hondo Basin, occurred in 

2011 (ranked 2nd) and 2012 (ranked 1st), with 2013 being 

the 4th-worst drought based on the period of record (1895–

2013) (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 

National Climatic Data Center, 2014b). The 2011 White Fire 

and the 2012 Little Bear Fire may have occurred because 

of or been intensified by drought conditions. In April 2011, 

the White Fire burned approximately 16 square miles (mi2

) 

(10,300 acres) near the city of Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico 

(Southwest Fire Science Consortium, 2013). Approximately 

one year later, in June 2012, the Little Bear Fire burned 

approximately 69 mi2 (44,300 acres) in the high-elevation 

forests of the upper Rio Bonito and Eagle Creek watersheds 

(Snyder and others, 2012). The documentation and analysis 

of streamflow, groundwater levels, and water quality during 

and following drought and wildfire conditions are important 

in future water-resource planning when investigating the 

effects of climatic extremes on water resources. In addition, 

investigations into the source and timing of recharge to 

the upper Rio Hondo Basin may assist water planners 

and managers in determining how the surface-water and 

groundwater systems will react to future drought conditions 

and increased municipal water demands.

Purpose and Scope

The purpose of this report is to present and interpret 

water resources and water quality on the basis of streamflow, 

groundwater-level, isotope, and water-quality data from 

the upper Rio Hondo Basin in south-central New Mexico 

collected during water years 2010–13 (a water year is 

the 12-month period of October 1 through September 30 

designated by the calendar year in which it ends). All data 

presented in this report are described in water years unless 

stated otherwise. This report documents the extent of the 

2011–13 drought, characterizes streamflow conditions and 

groundwater-level declines from 2010 to 2013, presents 

interpretations of isotope results from samples collected in 

2013 that inform recharge mechanisms, and presents waterquality data collected following the 2012 Little Bear Fire. 

Streamflow and groundwater-level data are presented from 

2010 to 2013, beginning one year prior to the 2011–13 

drought, in order to provide a year with more precipitation 

than average (2010) as a comparison period and create a 

continuous period of investigation with the previous report 

associated with this study (Darr and others, 2014), which 

ended in 2010.

Hydrologic data collected from streamflow-gaging 

stations and groundwater-monitoring wells are described 

and compared with historical data in the upper Rio Hondo 

Basin to assess the effect of drought conditions from 2011 

to 2013 on groundwater levels and streamflow. Isotope data 

were used to interpret regional recharge characteristics and 

the implications of climate variability on water resources of 

the upper Rio Hondo Basin. In addition, water-quality results 

are presented from surface-water samples and groundwater 

samples collected in calendar years 2012 and 2013. Surfacewater samples were collected at sites located downstream from 

burned and unburned watersheds.

Description of Study Area

A detailed description of the upper Rio Hondo Basin 

(study area) is available in Darr and others (2014) and is 

summarized here. The upper Rio Hondo Basin is located in 

south-central New Mexico within Lincoln and Otero Counties 

(fig. 1). The basin encompasses 585 mi2 (374,400 acres) 

and consists of two primary watersheds of approximately 

equal area: the Rio Bonito watershed (296 mi2) and the Rio 

Ruidoso watershed (289 mi2) (fig. 1). The upper Rio Hondo 

Basin contains three major reservoirs (fig. 1): Bonito Lake; 

Alto Reservoir; and Grindstone Reservoir, which provides 

drinking water to residents of the upper Rio Hondo Basin and 

an adjoining basin.
Introduction 3

Rio Bonito

Eagle Creek

Rio Ruidoso

Bonito Lake

Alto 

Reservoir

Grindstone

Reservoir

Rio

Hondo

Rio Bonito 246

380

380

37

48

70

48

70

Capitan

Fort Stanton

Lincoln

Glencoe

Alto

Hondo

Ruidoso

Ruidoso Downs

OTERO COUNTY

LINCOLN COUNTY

SIERRA BLANCA

CAPITAN MOUNTAINS

Mescalero

Reservation

SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS

CL2

CL1

S10

08390020

S9

08387600

S6

08387000

105°50' 40' 30' 105°20'

33°

40'

30'

20'

33°

10'

Base from U.S. Geological Survey, 2005, 10-meter

Digital Elevation Model data and Bureau of Land 

Management digital data, 2004, 1:100,000

Universal Transverse Mercator projection, zone 13

North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83)

T. 

07 

S.

T. 

08 

S.

T. 

09 

S.

T. 

10 

S.

T. 

11 

S.

T. 

12 

S.

T. 

13 

S.

R. 12 E.

0 2.5 5 7.5 10 KILOMETERS

0 2.5 5 7.5 10 MILES

R. 11 E. R. 12 E. R. 13 E. R. 14 E. R. 15 E. R. 16 E. R. 17 E.

EXPLANATION

Boundary of upper Rio Hondo Basin (study area)

Mescalero Reservation boundary

Climate station

Streamflow-gaging station

CL1

S6

08387000

Study Area

NEW MEXICO

Rio Grande

Pecos River

9,200 to 10,000

5,000 to 5,700

5,700 to 6,400

6,400 to 7,100

7,100 to 7,800

7,800 to 8,500

8,500 to 9,200

Elevation, in feet above North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88)

RIO BONITO

WATERSHED

RIO RUIDOSO 

WATERSHED

Figure 1. Upper Rio Hondo Basin study area, Lincoln County, New Mexico.
4 Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County

The elevation change in the upper Rio Hondo Basin 

is considerable, with the highest point being Sierra Blanca 

on the western edge of the study area (elevation 12,003 feet 

[ft]) and the lowest point being at the confluence of the Rio 

Bonito and Rio Ruidoso near the town of Hondo (elevation 

5,185 ft). Most of the land cover in the study area is piñonjuniper, ponderosa, and mixed conifer forests interspersed 

with grasslands. Desert grasses, cacti, and shrubs dominate the 

lower-elevation eastern part of the study area (Larry Cordova, 

U.S. Forest Service, written commun., 2014).

Hydrogeologic Setting

The upper Rio Hondo Basin is bounded on the north 

by the Capitan Mountains and the west and south by the 

Sacramento Mountains. The study area extends eastward to 

the confluence of the Rio Bonito and the Rio Ruidoso, which 

form the Rio Hondo at the eastern boundary of the study 

area (fig. 1). The Rio Bonito is mostly perennial in its upper 

reaches and becomes intermittent downstream in the lowerelevation eastern part of the study area. The Rio Ruidoso 

is perennial for most of its length. Eagle Creek is a major 

tributary to the Rio Ruidoso and is also largely perennial in 

its upper reaches but becomes intermittent a short distance 

downstream (fig. 1). 

There are multiple water-bearing geologic units 

(hydrostratigraphic units) in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, with 

as many as 12 hydrostratigraphic units serving as productive 

aquifers (Darr and others, 2014). In general, the primary 

water-bearing units in the basin are the San Andres Formation 

and Yeso Formation of Permian age and alluvium of 

Quaternary age (Mourant, 1963; Thompson, 1964; Newcomer 

and Shomaker, 1991; Rawling, 2011). Locally, Tertiaryage volcaniclastic rocks can provide substantial quantities 

of potable water (Matherne and others, 2010). The primary 

source of recharge to streams and aquifers in the study area is 

precipitation originating at high elevations in the Sacramento 

and Capitan Mountains (Darr and others, 2014). Surface water 

and groundwater generally flow eastward, from high to low 

elevation, through the upper Rio Hondo Basin.

Precipitation 

Precipitation data were collected from the Ruidoso 

climate station (CL1) by the National Climatic Data 

Center (NCDC) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA), and snowpack data were collected 

from the Sierra Blanca SNOwpack TELemetry (SNOTEL) 

climate station (CL2) by the National Resources Conservation 

Service (NRCS) (table 1). The CL1 is located near the city of 

Ruidoso at an elevation of 6,930 ft, and CL2 is located near 

the western border of the study area in the high-elevation 

Sacramento Mountains at 10,280 ft (fig. 1). 

Table 1. Climate station and streamflow-gaging station information for stations used in analysis, upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln 

County, New Mexico.

[USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; CL, climate; NA, not applicable; SNOTEL, SNOwpack TELemetry; SW, surface water]

Site 

type

USGS site 

identifier Site name

Map 

location 

identifier

Latitude

(decimal 

degrees)

Longitude

(decimal 

degrees)

Land-surface 

elevation 

above North 

American 

Vertical 

Datum of 1988 

(feet)

Period of 

record 

Average 

mean annual 

statistic for 

period of 

record1

CL NA Ruidoso Climate Station2 CL1 33.3677 -105.6611 6,930 1942–2013 321.1

CL NA Sierra Blanca SNOTEL Climate 

Station4

CL2 33.4000 -105.7830 10,280 2002–13 335.3

SW 08387000 Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood, New 

Mexico

S6 33.3267 -105.6253 6,422 1954–2013 5

18.3

SW 08387600 Eagle Creek below South Fork near 

Alto, New Mexico

S9 33.3929 -105.7233 7,603 1969–80; 

1988–2013

5

2.1

SW 08390020 Rio Hondo above Chavez Canyon 

near Hondo, New Mexico

S10 33.3713 -105.2574 5,162 2008–2013 5

19.0

1

Based on water year (October 1 to September 30).

2

Operated by the National Climatic Data Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; used Ruidoso2 station from August 1988 to April 

1993; years missing more than 2 months of data were excluded from average calculation.

3

Precipitation, in inches.

4

Operated by the National Resources Conservation Service.

5

Streamflow, in cubic feet per second.
Introduction 5

Total annual precipitation varies spatially throughout the 

study area depending on elevation, ranging from 15 inches 

per year (in/yr) in the eastern lowland areas and valleys 

to 40 in/yr at high elevations (Matherne and others, 2010; 

Darr and others, 2014). At the CL1 station, average total 

annual precipitation for the period of record (1942–2013) is 

21.1 inches with a range from 12.0 inches in 2011 to 30.4 

inches in 1965 (fig. 2A) (National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration, National Climatic Data Center, 2014a). 

Mean-monthly precipitation data indicate that a majority 

of the precipitation falls during the summer months 

(June-September) as monsoon storms (fig. 3A). Summer 

precipitation accounts for an average of 59 percent of the total 

annual precipitation for the period of record (1942–2013) 

(fig. 3A). Data from the CL1 station indicate that greater-thanaverage total annual precipitation occurred in 2010, whereas 

5 

10 

15 

20 

25 

30 

35 

-8 

-6 

-4 

-2 

0 

2 

4 

6 

8 

0 

10 

20 

30 

40 

50 

60 

1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 

Water year

Total annual precipitation, in inches Palmer Drought Severity Index

Annual mean streamflow, 

in cubic feet per second (ft3/s)

A

B

C

1942–2013 average 21.1 inches

1895–2010 normal 

1954–2013 average 18.3 ft3

/s

Climate station CL1 (table 1)

New Mexico Climate Division 6

Streamflow-gaging station 08387000; site S6 (table 1)

Figure 2. A, Ruidoso, New Mexico, climate station total annual precipitation, 1942–2013; B, Palmer Drought Severity Index, New 

Mexico Climate Division 6, 1940–2013; and C, Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood, N. Mex., annual mean streamflow, 1954–2013.
6 Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County

0.0 

0.5 

1.0 

1.5 

2.0 

2.5 

3.0 

3.5 

4.0 

4.5 

5.0 

0 

2 

4 

6 

8 

10 

12 

0 

5 

10 

15 

20 

25 

30 

35 

Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.

Average monthly precipitation, 

in inches

Average median monthly 

snow-water equivalent, in inches

Average monthly streamflow, 

in cubic feet per second

Month

A

B

C

Climate station CL1 (table 1)

Climate station CL2 (table 1)

Streamflow-gaging station 08387000; site S6 (table 1)

Figure 3. A, Ruidoso, New Mexico, climate station average monthly precipitation, 1942–2013; B, Sierra Blanca, New Mexico, SNOpack 

TELemetry (SNOTEL) climate station average median monthly snow-water equivalent, 2002–10; and C, Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood, N. 

Mex., average monthly streamflow, 1954–2013.

lower-than-average total annual precipitation occurred in 

2011, 2012, and 2013 (fig. 4). Total annual precipitation was 

23.7 inches in 2010, 2.6 inches above the average over the 

period of record. Total annual precipitation was 12.0 inches 

in 2011 and 13.7 inches in 2013, representing the 1st and 4th, 

respectively, lowest totals on record at this climate station. 

Total summer precipitation was below average (12.3 inches) in 

2011 (8.9 inches) and 2012 (8.1 inches) (fig. 4).

Despite 2013 receiving 7.4 inches less than the average 

total annual precipitation at the CL1 station (13.7 inches 

as opposed to the 21.1-in/yr average) (fig. 4), the area 

experienced above-average summer precipitation (13.1 inches) 

as a result of extreme rainfall in August and September 

2013. The CL1 station received 5.3 inches of precipitation in 

August 2013 and an additional 4.1 inches from September 10 

to September 17, 2013 (National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration, National Climatic Data Center, 2014a). The 

CL2 station also recorded an extreme amount of precipitation 

during this 8-day period in September (8.4 inches). From 2002 

to 2010, the CL2 station averaged 4.0 inches of precipitation 

for the entire month of September (Natural Resources 

Conservation Service, 2014). 
Introduction 7

Median monthly snow-water equivalent for the CL2 

station shows that for the period 2002–10, snowpack in 

the study area typically reaches the maximum snow-water 

equivalent in February and March, followed by a rapid melt 

period in April and May (fig. 3B). Maximum snow-water 

equivalent was greater than the median of 11.2 inches in 2010 

(29.4 inches) and 2012 (12.9 inches) but lower-than-average in 

2011 (6.7 inches) and 2013 (9.2 inches) (fig. 4). 

Drought Conditions

The extent of the 2011–13 drought is documented 

regionally by the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) 

and statewide by data from the U.S. Drought Monitor 

(University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2014) (table 2). The PDSI 

is a quantitative estimate of drought severity based on the 

metrics of soil moisture, precipitation, and temperature 

(Palmer, 1965). Negative PDSI values represent below-normal 

precipitation, or drought conditions, with values less than 

-3.99 representing extreme drought (Palmer, 1965) (table 2). 

New Mexico has eight climatic divisions and the upper Rio 

Hondo Basin is located in New Mexico Climate Division 6 

(Central Highlands) (fig. 5). According to the PDSI, New 

Mexico Climate Division 6 was classified as undergoing 

extreme drought from April 2011 to August 2013 (fig. 5A). 

Annual PDSI rankings for 2011, 2012, and 2013 were 2nd, 

1st, and 4th lowest, respectively, for New Mexico Climate 

Division 6, based on the period of record 1895–2013. The 

PDSI for New Mexico Climate Division 6 from 1940 through 

2013 is shown in figure 2B. During this period (1940–2013), 

0.0 

5.0 

10.0 

15.0 

20.0 

25.0 

30.0 

35.0 

40.0 

0.0 

5.0 

10.0 

15.0 

20.0 

25.0 

2010 2011 2012 2013 

Total annual precipitation (Climate station CL1 [table 1]) 

Summer precipitation (June–September) (Climate station CL1 [table 1]) 

Snow-water equivalent (Climate station CL2 [table 1]) 

Precipitation, in inches

Water year

1942–2013 average total

annual precipitation

21.1 inches 

1942–2013 average total

summer precipitation

12.3 inches 

2002–10

median

maximum 

snow-water 

equivalent 

11.2 inches 

Snow-water equivalent, in inches

13.1

8.9

8.1

13.1

23.7

12.0

14.9

13.7

EXPLANATION

Figure 4. Average total annual and average total summer (June–September) precipitation at the Ruidoso, New Mexico, precipitation 

station (CL1) and maximum snow-water equivalent at the Sierra Blanca SNOpack TELemetry (SNOTEL) station (CL2), Sierra Blanca, N. 

Mex., 2010–13.
8 Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County

the only years in which annual PDSI values dropped below 

-3.99 (extreme drought conditions) were 2011, 2012, and 2013 

(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National 

Climatic Data Center, 2014b). 

Drought conditions during the study period were not 

localized to the study area but extended regionally across 

New Mexico and the entire Southwest. Figure 5B shows the 

extent of the 2011–13 drought across New Mexico according 

to data from the U.S. Drought Monitor (University of 

Nebraska-Lincoln, 2014). Drought monitor categories and the 

equivalent PDSI categories are shown in table 2. On January 

1, 2011, about 90 percent of New Mexico was classified as 

being abnormally dry or in a moderate drought, but none 

of the State was considered to be in severe to exceptional 

drought (fig. 5B). By July 1, 2011, over 90 percent of New 

Mexico was in a severe to exceptional drought. Although 

2012 exhibited lower drought severity, according to the U.S. 

Drought Monitor, nearly all of the State exhibited drought 

conditions. The summer of 2013 exhibited a similar pattern 

of drought severity to the summer of 2011, with over 90 

percent of New Mexico in severe to exceptional drought. The 

U.S. Drought Monitor data and PDSI values indicate that in 

September 2013 drought conditions improved slightly, likely 

because of extreme rainfall events in the region. According 

to the PDSI, drought conditions for New Mexico Climate 

Division 6 transitioned from extreme to moderate or mild 

for the remainder of the calendar year (National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration, National Climatic Data Center, 

2014b) (fig. 5A; table 2). 

Wildfire

Three consecutive years of extreme drought in the 

upper Rio Hondo Basin likely contributed to the occurrence 

or intensity of two wildfires during the study period. In 

April 2011, the White Fire burned approximately 16 mi2

(10,300 acres) near the city of Ruidoso Downs, N. Mex., in 

the lower reaches of the Rio Ruidoso watershed (fig. 6). Burn 

severity was high or moderate on 71 percent of the burn area 

and low or unburned on 29 percent of the burn area (Southwest 

Fire Science Consortium, 2013). Although the White Fire 

occurred during the study period, the focus of this report is 

on the effects of the Little Bear Fire because of its larger size 

and the timing of water-quality sampling. In June 2012, the 

Little Bear Fire burned approximately 69 mi2

 (44,300 acres) in 

the high-elevation forests of the Rio Bonito and Rio Ruidoso 

watersheds (fig. 6) (Snyder and others, 2012). The Little Bear 

Fire originated on the northeastern flank of Sierra Blanca and 

spread rapidly to the north and east, destroying 254 structures. 

Burn severity was high or moderate on 53 percent of the burn 

area and low or unburned to very low on 47 percent of the burn 

area (Snyder and others, 2012). The Little Bear Fire burned 

19 percent of the Rio Bonito watershed (55 mi2) and 5 percent 

of the Rio Ruidoso watershed (14 mi2). In the Rio Ruidoso 

watershed, most of the burned area was located within the 

Eagle Creek watershed, with a small part (less than 3 mi2 or 

less than 1 percent) located outside the Eagle Creek watershed. 

Overall, approximately 12 percent of the upper Rio Hondo 

Basin was burned during the Little Bear Fire (fig. 6), but the 

burned area is located in the region of the watershed that 

receives the most rainfall (Darr and others, 2014).

Methods

Streamflow Measurements

Streamflow data were collected from two USGS 

streamflow-gaging stations in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, 

Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood (08387000; site S6) and Eagle 

Creek below South Fork near Alto (08387600; site S9) (fig. 1; 

table 1). Stream stages are recorded at 15-minute intervals and 

transmitted to the USGS National Water Information System 

(NWIS) database and reported as streamflow. The streamflowgaging station at Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood (site S6), located 

between Ruidoso and Ruidoso Downs (fig. 1), has been 

operated by the USGS continuously from 1954 through present 

(2013) and has the longest record of any site in the study area 

(fig. 2C). The drainage area upstream from the streamflowgaging station is approximately 120 mi2

. The streamflow-gaging 

station at Eagle Creek below South Fork near Alto (site S9) has 

been operated by the USGS during two periods—1969–80 and 

1988– present (2013). It is located 2.6 miles west of Alto, N. 

Mex. (fig. 1). The drainage area upstream from the streamflowgaging station is approximately 8.1 mi2

. Several other 

streamflow-gaging stations have been operated in the past in the 

upper Rio Hondo Basin (Darr and others, 2014), but a longterm record of streamflow on the Rio Bonito does not exist for 

the study period described in this report (2010–13). Streamflow 

leaving the study area has been measured from 2008 to present 

(2013) by the streamflow-gaging station at Rio Hondo above 

Chavez Canyon near Hondo, N. Mex. (08390020; site S10) 

(fig. 1; table 1). Streamflow data for USGS streamflow-gaging 

stations are available in the NWIS database (U.S. Geological 

Survey, 2014).

Table 2. Categories and descriptions of drought severity for the 

Palmer Drought Severity Index and the U.S. Drought Monitor per 

http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/.

[Palmer Drought Severity Index from Palmer, 1965; Drought Monitor from 

University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2014]

Palmer Drought Severity Index Drought Monitor

Category Description Category Description

-0.50 to -0.99 Incipient drought D0 Abnormally dry

-1.00 to -1.99 Mild drought D1 Moderate drought

-2.00 to -2.99 Moderate drought D2 Severe drought

-3.00 to -3.99 Severe drought D3 Extreme drought

Less than -3.99 Extreme drought D4 Exceptional drought
Introduction 9

0 

10 

20 

30 

40 

50 

60 

70 

80 

90 

100 

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

D0 - Abnormally dry

D1 - Moderate drought

D2 - Severe drought

D3 - Extreme drought

D4 - Exceptional drought 

Date

Percentage of New Mexico affected by drought

-8 

-6 

-4 

-2 

0 

2 

Monthly Palmer Drought 

Severity Index

A

B

< -3.99 extreme drought

Drought severity 

EXPLANATION

Oct. Jan. Apr. July Oct. Jan. Apr. July Oct. Jan. Apr. July Oct. Jan. Apr. July Oct.

Study 

Area

Climate

division boundary

New Mexico Climate Division 6 

(Central Highlands)

6

Figure 5. A, Palmer Drought Severity Index, New Mexico Climate Division 6, 2010–13; and B, Extent of drought across New Mexico 

from the U.S. Drought Monitor (University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2014), 2010–13.
10 Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County

Bonito Lake

246

380

380

48

70

48

70

RIO BONITO

WATERSHED

RIO RUIDOSO 

WATERSHED

Rio Bonito

Rio Ruidoso

Eagle Creek

Rio 

Hondo

Salado Creek

Alto

Ruidoso

Lincoln

Capitan

Glencoe

Fort Stanton

Ruidoso Downs

W9

W8

W3 W1

W4

W7

W2 W6

W5

W26

W30

W24

W27

W23

W22

W28 W29

W25

W16

W15

W17

W14

W13

W12

W18

W10

W20

W19

W11

W21

W31

W32

W36 W37

W34

W33

W35

105°50’ 40’ 30’ 105°20’

30’

20’

33°

40’

0 2.5 5 7.5 10 MILES

0 2.5 5 7.5 10 KILOMETERS

33°

10’

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital raster graphics, 1:24,000

Universal Transverse Mercator projection, zone 13

North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83)

EXPLANATION

Little Bear Fire

White Fire

Watershed boundary

Groundwater well equipped with 

continuous water-level recorder

W29 Groundwater well

W25

Fire outlines from MTBS Data Access: 

Individual Fire-Level Geospatial Data 

(USDA Forest Service/U.S. Geological Survey)

http://www.mtbs.gov/data/individualfiredata.html

A

Figure 6. Little Bear Fire burn area and A, 37 groundwater wells in which groundwater-level measurements were made approximately 

bimonthly between 2010 and 2013; and B, water-quality sampling locations in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New Mexico.
Introduction 11

Bonito Lake

246

380

380

48

70

48

70

RIO BONITO

WATERSHED

RIO RUIDOSO 

WATERSHED

Rio Bonito

Rio Ruidoso

Eagle Creek

Rio Hondo

Salado Creek

W9

S1

S7

S4

S8

S3

S2

S9

S6

S5

W42

W40

W41 W35

W38

W26

W39

SP1

SP2

SP4

W33

SP3

Hale

Spring

S10

Alto

Ruidoso

Lincoln

Capitan

Glencoe

Fort Stanton

Ruidoso 

Downs

105°50’ 40’ 30’ 105°20’

30’

20’

33°

40’

0 2.5 5 7.5 10 MILES

0 2.5 5 7.5 10 KILOMETERS

33°

10’

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital raster graphics, 1:24,000

Universal Transverse Mercator projection, zone 13

North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83)

EXPLANATION

Groundwater site

Spring

Surface-water site

Little Bear Fire

White Fire

Watershed boundary

Water-quality and isotope

sampling sites

Fire outlines from MTBS Data Access: 

Individual Fire-Level Geospatial Data 

(USDA Forest Service/U.S. Geological Survey)

http://www.mtbs.gov/data/individualfiredata.html

B

Figure 6. Little Bear Fire burn area and A, 37 groundwater wells in which groundwater-level measurements were made approximately 

bimonthly between 2010 and 2013; and B, water-quality sampling locations in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New 

Mexico.—Continued
12 Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County

Groundwater-Level Measurements

Groundwater-level measurements, reported as depth to 

water (ft) below the land surface, were made approximately 

bimonthly (once every 2 months) in 37 wells between 2010 

and 2013 (fig. 6A; table 3). Groundwater levels were measured 

using a steel tape graduated in hundredths of a foot; multiple 

measurements were made to confirm readings to within 0.02 

ft (Cunningham and Schalk, 2011a). Data were reviewed 

and entered into the USGS NWIS database (U.S. Geological 

Survey, 2014). If a well was being pumped at the time of a site 

visit, the groundwater-level measurement was disregarded for 

analysis in this report. Groundwater levels were normalized 

to a common scale (the mean) for the study period (2010–

13) to allow comparison of datasets with a wide range of 

groundwater-level values on the same plot using the equation:

di = yi – y (1)

where

di is the sample deviation of I, 

yi is the sample, and

y is the mean of the number of samples.

Increases or decreases in groundwater levels collected 

during 2010–13 were determined by calculating the difference 

in water levels from September 2009 to September 2013. 

The water levels collected nearest to September 2009 and 

last measured before September 2013 were selected for this 

calculation. Water levels in September and November 2013 

may have been influenced by extreme rainfall events and thus 

were excluded from this calculation. 

Of the 37 wells measured on a bimonthly basis, 3 were 

also equipped with continuous water-level recorders (wells 

W11, W25, and W26) (fig. 6A; table 3). The continuous 

water-level recorders were pressure transducers with 

internal dataloggers recording at 1-hour intervals that were 

downloaded and checked every 2–4 months, and data were 

transferred to the USGS NWIS database (U.S. Geological 

Survey, 2014). The continuous water-level data were verified 

and corrected when necessary to steel and electric tape 

measurements (Cunningham and Schalk, 2011b). 

Determination of Recharge Mechanisms Using 

Isotopes

Stable Isotopes

The stable isotopes of hydrogen (deuterium [D]) and 

oxygen (oxygen-18 [18O]) are ubiquitous in the oceans, 

atmosphere, precipitation, and surface and groundwater. The 

isotopes behave conservatively and predictably, making them 

useful in hydrologic investigations (Kendall and McDonnell, 

1998). The predictable signatures and behaviors of these 

isotopes make them particularly valuable in areas with distinct 

seasonal precipitation patterns and large variations in annual 

temperature, such as those of the upper Rio Hondo Basin. 

Stable isotope compositions of waters are expressed as 

a deviation (delta [δ]) in parts per thousand (per mil) from a 

known baseline standard, the Vienna Standard Mean Ocean 

Water (VSMOW) of Craig (1961), and are presented as δD

and δ18O, for deuterium and oxygen-18, respectively. To better 

understand how δD and δ18O relate to one another and patterns 

of precipitation, values are plotted against known linear 

relations of stable isotope composition including the Global 

Meteoric Water Line (GMWL; Craig, 1961) as well as local 

meteoric water lines (LMWL) created from local and regional 

datasets (Newton and others, 2012).

In general, more positive values (enriched/heavier 

water) are indicative of precipitation in warmer regions, 

during summer, or at lower elevations. More negative 

values (depleted/lighter water) are indicative of precipitation 

in colder regions, during winter, or at higher elevations. 

Evaporation is an important factor in stable isotope 

composition, especially in arid and semiarid environments. 

In areas with lower humidities, the remaining water after 

evaporation of precipitation will be more enriched, resulting 

in a deviation from the meteoric water line along a trend with 

a lower slope (Clark and Fritz, 1997). Other factors affecting 

stable isotope composition of precipitation include storm track 

and precipitation amount (rainout). These factors can help 

constrain the source and behavior of the water that recharges 

the aquifers in the study area. 

Stable-isotope samples were collected from 7 surfacewater sites, 9 groundwater wells, and 4 springs (table 4). 

Samples for stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen were 

collected without filtering or preservation and were sent to the 

USGS Reston Stable Isotope Laboratory in Reston, Virginia, 

for mass spectrometric analysis (Révész and Coplen 2008a, b). 

Radioisotopes

The radioisotopes of hydrogen (tritium [3H]) and 

carbon-14 (14C) are used to determine approximate 

groundwater age, groundwater flow paths, and aquifer mixing. 

Tritium is a short-lived isotope of hydrogen that has a halflife of 12.33 years (Unterweger and Lucas, 2000), making it 

useful for the dating of young water (recharged since about 

1950). Tritium is produced naturally from the bombardment 

of nitrogen by cosmic radiation in the upper atmosphere 

(Clark and Fritz, 1997), where it becomes incorporated into 

water molecules that fall to the land surface as precipitation. 

Because aboveground testing of nuclear weapons introduced 

large quantities of 3H into the atmosphere in the 1950s and 

1960s, 3H is a particularly useful environmental tracer of 

groundwater recharge occurring during this time period. 

Carbon, on the other hand, has a half-life of 5,730 years, 

making it useful for the dating of older water. Like 3H, 14C 

is formed naturally in the upper atmosphere and is quickly 

oxidized into carbon dioxide, which mixes into the lower 

atmosphere and becomes incorporated into the biologic and 

hydrologic cycles. Concentrations of 14C for age dating are 

measured for dissolved inorganic carbon in the water and are 

referenced against a known international standard (Clark and 

Fritz, 1997). 
Introduction 13

Table 3. Groundwater wells and water-level changes from 2010 to 2013, upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New Mexico.

[USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; mm, month; dd, day; yyyy, year]

USGS site 

identifier

Map 

location 

identifier

(fig. 6A)

Latitude 

(decimal 

degrees)

Longitude 

(decimal 

degrees)

Land-surface 

elevation 

above North 

American 

Vertical Datum 

of 1988 

(feet)

Water year 2010 

water level

Water year 2013 

water level

Waterlevel 

change 

(feet)1

Depth to 

water 

from land 

surface

(feet)

Date

(mm/dd/yyyy)

Depth to 

water 

from land 

surface

(feet)

Date

(mm/dd/yyyy)

333040105411901 W1 33.5110 -105.6903 7,132.65 54.18 08/13/2009 61.67 07/31/2013 -7.5

333058105373101 W2 33.5161 -105.6259 6,685.00 16.06 08/04/2009 23.1 05/29/2013 -7.0

333009105373301 W3 33.5026 -105.6282 6,702.54 26.93 08/13/2009 33.58 07/31/2013 -6.7

333229105361401 W4 33.5434 -105.6054 6,532.89 15.02 11/18/2009 20.56 07/31/2013 -5.5

333154105341001 W5 33.5332 -105.5712 6,412.45 33.82 09/09/2009 35.08 08/01/2013 -1.3

333107105341901 W6 33.5201 -105.5738 6,452.46 14.67 09/09/2009 20.33 08/01/2013 -5.7

333156105315001 W7 33.5339 -105.5320 6,271.40 103.63 09/10/2009 112.22 08/01/2013 -8.6

333340105310901 W8 33.5601 -105.5212 6,274.62 86.65 11/16/2009 95.19 08/01/2013 -8.5

333149105302601 W9 33.5303 -105.5072 6,181.00 152.52 01/25/2010 156.51 08/01/2013 -4.0

332538105402301 W10 33.4272 -105.6761 7,412.71 62.17 09/11/2009 69.15 07/31/2013 -7.0

332641105394501 2

W11 33.4455 -105.6699 6,932.67 41.41 08/03/2009 45.12 07/31/2013 -3.7

332638105382901 W12 33.4439 -105.6413 6,789.00 35.48 09/10/2009 32.2 08/02/2013 3.3

332710105372301 W13 33.4529 -105.6231 6,754.00 83.52 09/10/2009 82.77 08/02/2013 0.8

332644105365501 W14 33.4454 -105.6153 6,822.00 41.93 09/10/2009 47.53 08/02/2013 -5.6

332723105363401 W15 33.4564 -105.6095 6,875.00 303.45 09/10/2009 306.54 05/31/2013 -3.1

332655105361501 W16 33.4487 -105.6042 6,896.00 107.96 09/10/2009 112.09 05/31/2013 -4.1

332643105362301 W17 33.4453 -105.6065 7,054.00 343.13 09/10/2009 375.58 08/02/2013 -32.5

332552105373401 W18 33.4311 -105.6261 7,203.00 202.02 09/11/2009 215.96 08/02/2013 -13.9

332937105314501 W19 33.4946 -105.5307 6,210.19 18.68 09/10/2009 18.64 08/02/2013 0.0

332953105313401 W20 33.4986 -105.5286 6,233.49 207.74 09/10/2009 219.53 08/02/2013 -11.8

333030105294801 W21 33.5091 -105.5005 6,107.35 81.75 09/09/2009 90.1 08/01/2013 -8.4

332343105362701 W22 33.3934 -105.6175 7,022.00 216.67 09/11/2009 219.11 08/02/2013 -2.4

332347105355401 W23 33.3964 -105.5989 7,070.00 386.13 09/11/2009 394.52 08/02/2013 -8.4

332527105345101 W24 33.4241 -105.5808 6,706.00 536.88 11/18/2009 570.1 11/28/2012 -33.2

332144105411901 2

W25 33.3626 -105.6910 7,066.95 24.79 08/03/2009 26.32 07/31/2013 -1.5

332247105383401 2

W26 33.3797 -105.6428 7,142.62 124.23 08/03/2009 142.52 07/31/2013 -18.3

332228105383801 W27 33.3741 -105.6453 7,072.01 85.71 08/13/2009 96.77 08/01/2013 -11.1

332051105383801 W28 33.3475 -105.6439 6,712.00 47.99 08/14/2009 54.56 03/28/2013 -6.6

321959105360201 W29 33.3336 -105.6052 6,362.00 55.28 11/19/2009 88.47 07/31/2013 -33.2

331948105350101 W30 33.3303 -105.5860 6,460.39 193.78 09/09/2009 199.86 07/31/2013 -6.1

332230105310601 W31 33.3750 -105.5183 6,022.00 5.13 08/12/2009 14.73 05/30/2013 -9.6

332402105282201 W32 33.3970 -105.4749 5,901.41 78.67 09/09/2009 83.5 07/31/2013 -4.8

332355105270701 W33 33.3989 -105.4525 5,912.00 148.22 09/09/2009 148.23 07/31/2013 0.0

332932105225901 W34 33.4922 -105.3831 5,695.00 16.67 09/09/2009 16.98 08/01/2013 -0.3

332437105170301 W35 33.4103 -105.2842 5,372.00 88.94 08/12/2009 92.26 07/31/2013 -3.3

332329105164301 W36 33.3893 -105.2836 5,248.11 27.48 08/12/2009 28.89 07/31/2013 -1.4

332234105152301 W37 33.3761 -105.2564 5,182.00 33.8 09/09/2009 34.76 07/31/2013 -1.0

1

Negative value signifies a decline.

2

Equipped with continuous water-level recorder.
Table 4. Water-quality and isotope sampling sites, upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New Mexico. [USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; mm, month; dd, day; yyyy, year; SW, surface water; Y, yes; NA, not applicable; N, no; SP, spring; GW, groundwater]

Site 

type

USGS site 

identifier

Map 

location 

identifier

(fig. 6)

Watershed 

name

Burned or 

unburned 

watershed Latitude Longitude

Land-surface 

elevation 

above North 

American 

Vertical 

Datum of 1988 

(feet)

Sample 

dates 

(mm/dd/yyyy)

Sampled 

for 

water 

quality

Sampled 

for 

isotopes

Surface water

SW 332720105450410 S1 Rio Bonito Burned 33.4556 -105.7511 7,540 07/11/2012, 04/04/2013, 

07/22/2013, 11/04/2013

Y Y NA

SW 08388500 S2 Rio Bonito Burned 33.4472 -105.6611 6,582 07/11/2012, 04/04/2013, 

07/22/2013, 11/05/2013

Y Y NA

SW 08389055 S3 Rio Bonito Burned 33.5236 -105.4644 5,954 07/12/2012 Y N NA

SW 08389500 S4 Rio Bonito Burned 33.3889 -105.2756 5,207 07/11/2012, 04/03/2013, 

07/23/2013, 11/06/2013

Y Y NA

SW 08386505 S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned 33.3365 -105.7263 7,163 07/12/2012, 04/02/2013, 

11/05/2013

Y Y NA

SW 08387000 S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned 33.3267 -105.6253 6,422 07/11/2012, 04/02/2013, 

11/05/2013

Y Y NA

SW 332206105320510 S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned 33.3684 -105.5348 6,080 07/11/2012, 04/02/2013, 

11/05/2013

Y Y NA

SW 08388000 S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially 

burned

33.3833 -105.2756 5,184 07/11/2012, 04/03/2013, 

11/06/2013

Y Y NA

SW 08387600 S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned 33.3929 -105.7233 7,603 07/11/2012, 07/22/2013 Y N NASW 08390020 S10 Rio Hondo Partially 

burned

33.3713 -105.2574 5,162 04/03/2013, 07/23/2013, 

11/06/2013

Y N NA

Springs

SP 332905105473101 SP1 Rio Bonito NA 33.4848 -105.7918 8,120 11/08/2013 N Y NA

SP 332455105445701 SP2 Rio Ruidoso NA 33.4154 -105.7492 8,072 11/07/2013 N Y NA

SP 331937105350701 SP3 Rio Ruidoso NA 33.3269 -105.5858 6,598 11/07/2013 N Y NA

SP 332438105171201 SP4 Rio Bonito NA 33.4106 -105.2867 5,337 11/07/2013 N Y NA

Groundwater

GW 333149105302601 W9 Rio Bonito NA 33.5303 -105.5072 6,181 05/08/2013 Y Y Perm

GW 332247105383401 W26 Rio Ruidoso NA 33.3797 -105.6428 7,143 06/26/2013 Y Y Perm

GW 332355105270701 W33 Rio Ruidoso NA 33.3989 -105.4525 5,912 11/07/2013 N Y1 Perm

GW 332437105170301 W35 Rio Bonito NA 33.4103 -105.2842 5,372 05/09/2013 Y Y Perm

GW 332355105472301 W38 Rio Ruidoso NA 33.3986 -105.7897 9,816 06/25/2013 Y Y Terti

GW 332123105405201 W39 Rio Ruidoso NA 33.3564 -105.6810 6,945 06/24/2013 Y Y Creta

GW 332635105401001 W40 Rio Bonito NA 33.4430 -105.6693 7,017 05/07/2013 Y Y Terti

GW 332437105265601 W41 Rio Ruidoso NA 33.4102 -105.4489 5,857 06/25/2013 Y Y Perm

GW 332929105232501 W42 Rio Bonito NA 33.4915 -105.3901 5,784 05/09/2013 Y Y Perm

1Site 332355105270701 was sampled for stable isotopes only.
Introduction 15

Tritium values are reported in tritium units (TU), where 

1 TU is defined as one 3H atom in 1018 atoms of hydrogen. 

Tritium values indicate whether or not a groundwater 

sample contains a fraction of young (post-1950s) recharge, 

with values less than 0.2 TU representing groundwater 

that recharged prior to nuclear weapons testing, based on 

maximum prebomb initial activities of 7 TU (Solomon and 

Cook, 2001) and a decay time of 61 years (1952–2013) using 

the equation: 

A = A0e-(0.693t/T1/2) (2)

where

A is the final activity in 2013 (the year samples 

were collected);

A0 is the initial activity (the prebomb maximum 

in 1952);

t is the decay time, in years; and 

T1/2 is the half-life of tritium, 12.26 years.

Groundwater samples with 3H values of 0.2 TU or greater 

are likely to include some component of young (post-1950s) 

water but could also include a fraction of much older water as 

indicated by the concentrations of 14C. 

All 14C measurements are reported by the laboratory 

as absolute percent Modern (pM), which means that the 

laboratory results have been normalized for supposed 

carbon-13 (13C) isotopic fractionation from an assumed initial 

value of -25 per mil to the measured δ13C of the sample. 

For groundwater age-dating analysis, normalized values 

do not accurately reflect most of the geochemical reactions 

that cause isotopic variation in δ13C of dissolved inorganic 

carbon (Plummer and others, 2012); therefore, for this study, 

14C results were converted to percent modern carbon (pmC) 

(nonnormalized) using the equations outlined in Plummer and 

others (2012). Nonnormalized 14C values in pmC were used 

to calculate an unadjusted radiocarbon age in years before 

present relative to 1950 (tunadj.) using the equation: 

t

unadj. = (5568/ln 2)*ln(A0

/

14Cm)-((y-1950)/1.029) (3)

where

A0 is the initial 14C activity in pmC at the time of 

recharge; 14Cm is the measured concentration of 14C, in pmC; 

and

y is the year of sample collection.

It was assumed that the initial A0 is 100 pmC because not 

enough data are available to determine the actual A0 in 

the study area, which may be influenced by geochemical 

processes occurring during recharge. In addition, modeling 

of geochemical reactions in the aquifer and resulting mass 

transfers were not feasible because the sampled wells are 

not located along clearly defined flow paths as a result of 

variations in well depths, in local geology, and in proximity 

of the wells to potential recharge sources. Because most 

geochemical reactions that affect dissolved inorganic carbon 

lower the concentration of 14C that would be measured in 

groundwater samples, not accounting for these reactions 

generally results in calculated ages being too old. Therefore, 

the assumption that A0 is 100 pmC along with the lack of 

correction for geochemical mass transfers means that the 

calculated unadjusted radiocarbon ages reported in this 

study should be interpreted as maximum values. Without 

geochemical modeling, the extent to which the unadjusted 

radiocarbon ages might overestimate actual groundwater ages 

cannot be accurately quantified. 

Radioisotope samples were collected from seven 

groundwater wells in the upper Rio Hondo Basin between 

May and June 2013. Samples for 3H were collected without 

filtering or preservation and were sent to the USGS Menlo 

Park Tritium Laboratory in Menlo, California, for analysis 

(Thatcher and others, 1977). Samples for 14C were collected 

through a 0.45-micrometer (μm) filter and shipped to the 

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Woods Hole, 

Massachusetts, for analysis (National Ocean Sciences 

Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Facility, 2010). 

Water Quality

Water-quality samples were collected from 10 surfacewater sites and 8 groundwater wells (table 4). Unfiltered and 

filtered surface-water samples were collected in July 2012 

and July 2013 after postfire monsoon rain events. Samples 

were collected during July 11–12, 2012, after 3.6 inches of 

precipitation were recorded on July 6–11, 2012, and during 

July 22–23, 2013, after 1.5 inches of precipitation were 

recorded on July 18–22, 2013, at the Sierra Blanca SNOTEL 

climate station (CL2) (Natural Resources Conservation 

Service, 2014). Unfiltered and filtered surface-water samples 

were also collected during periods of relatively stable 

hydrologic conditions (small change in streamflow prior 

to sampling and outside of monsoon season) in April and 

November 2013 (fig. 7; table 4). Samples were collected 

at sites located downstream from burned and unburned 

watersheds (fig. 6B). For the purposes of comparison, all 

sites located in the Rio Bonito watershed (S1, S2, S3, and 

S4) and on Eagle Creek (S9) were considered to be within 

burned watersheds. Three sites located on the Rio Ruidoso 

(S5, S6, and S7) were considered to be within an unburned 

watershed despite potentially receiving a small contribution of 

streamflow from the burned area. The remaining sites on the 

Rio Ruidoso (S8) and the Rio Hondo (S10) were considered 

partially burned and were not used for comparison (fig. 6B). 

Standard USGS protocols were used to collect and 

process surface-water and groundwater samples (U.S. 

Geological Survey, 2006). Surface-water samples were 

collected using grab or equal-width increment methods, 

depending on streamflow conditions. Filtered groundwater 

samples were collected after purging at least three casing 

volumes (calculated from the height of water column and the 

well casing diameter) of water, or, if purging was not possible, 
16 Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County

it was ensured that the pressure tank had been completely 

emptied and that field measurements (water temperature, 

pH, specific conductance, and dissolved oxygen [DO]) had 

stabilized prior to sampling (U.S. Geological Survey, 2006). 

Groundwater samples were collected before any pressure 

tanks and water-treatment systems for wells with installed 

pumps (wells W9, W35, W38, W39, W40, W41, and W42). 

Well W26 did not have an installed pump and was sampled 

using a submersible piston pump equipped with Teflon-lined 

tubing (U.S. Geological Survey, 2006). 

Field measurements (temperature, pH, specific 

conductance, and DO) were made onsite (or in the field), 

and major ions, trace elements, nutrients, alkalinity, and 

turbidity were analyzed in each water sample at the laboratory. 

Field measurements were made prior to sample collection 

and alkalinity values were measured in the field and in the 

laboratory by digital titration methods (Rounds, 2006). 

Samples analyzed for dissolved major-ion, trace-element, 

and nutrient analyses were filtered through a 0.45-μm filter 

that was preconditioned in the field with 2 liters (L) of 

deionized water and acidified to pH less than 2 (if necessary). 

Filtered and unfiltered samples were shipped to the USGS 

National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) in Lakewood, 

Colorado, for analysis (Fishman and Friedman, 1989; 

Fishman, 1993; Gabarino, 2006). The USGS NWQL reports 

concentrations as quantitative, estimated (semiquantitative), 

or censored (nonquantitative) (Childress and others, 1999). 

Quantitative results are reported with no accompanying 

remark and are equal to or greater than the laboratory 

reporting level (LRL). The LRL is defined as two times the 

long-term method detection level (LT-MDL). In general, when 

an analyte is not detected or is detected at a concentration less 

than the LT-MDL, the laboratory reports the analyte as less 

than (remark code of “<”) the LRL, which limits the chance 

of a false negative result to no greater than 1 percent. Results 

for analytes that are detected at concentrations between the 

LT-MDL and the LRL are reported as estimated (remark code 

of “E”).

Quality-Control Samples

In addition to environmental samples, quality-control 

samples (two field blanks and a replicate sample) were 

collected in the field during sampling to evaluate potential 

contamination and variability of results. A surface-water 

field blank was collected on April 4, 2013 (site S2), and a 

groundwater field blank was collected using the portable 

submersible sample pump on June 26, 2013 (well W26) 

(fig. 6B). Field blanks were prepared using NWQL certified 

inorganic blank water that was passed through the sampling 

equipment and filter, then processed and analyzed as a regular 

environmental sample. Constituents in the surface-water field 

blank did not exceed LRLs, except for unfiltered calcium and 

filtered fluoride, manganese, and dissolved organic carbon 

(DOC), which were measured at 0.022 milligrams per liter 

(mg/L), 0.08 mg/L (estimated), 0.894 micrograms per liter 

(μg/L), and 79.5 mg/L, respectively (table 5). Dissolved 

organic carbon was collected by a separate filtration method 

0 

1 

10 

100 

1,000 

Little Bear

Fire begins

June 04, 2012

Surface-water

sampling

July 2012 

Surface-water

sampling

April 2013

Surface-water

sampling

July 2013 

Surfacewater

sampling

November Ground- 2013 

water

sampling

May 2013 

and 

June 2013

Streamflow, in cubic feet per second

Jan. Apr. July Oct. Jan. Apr. July Oct. Jan.

2012 2013

Date

Figure 7. Daily mean streamflow for Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood, New Mexico (08387000; S6), January 1, 2012–December 31, 2013, and 

water-quality sampling dates, upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, N. Mex.
Introduction 17

Table 5. Results from field blanks and replicate water-quality samples collected in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New 

Mexico.

[E, estimated; --, not available; μS/cm at 25 °C, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; <, less than; mg/L, milligrams per liter; CaCO3, calcium 

carbonate; SiO2, silicon dioxide; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; μg/L, micrograms per liter]

Constituent

Field blanks Replicate

Surfacewater 

blank1

Groundwater 

blank2

Environmental 

result3

Replicate 

result3

Relative 

percent 

difference

pH, unfiltered, lab (standard units) E6.6 -- 7.8 7.8 0.0

Specific conductance, unfiltered, lab (μS/cm at 25 °C) <5 <5 1,680 1,680 0.0

Dissolved solids dried at 180 degrees Celsius, filtered (mg/L) <20 <20 1,240 1,300 4.7

Calcium, filtered (mg/L) <0.022 0.518 285 277 2.8

Calcium, unfiltered (mg/L) 0.022 -- 262 270 3.0

Magnesium, filtered (mg/L) <0.011 0.035 62.1 61.4 1.1

Magnesium, unfiltered (mg/L) <0.007 -- 65.6 63.4 3.4

Potassium, filtered (mg/L) <0.004 <0.004 1.49 1.44 3.4

Potassium, unfiltered (mg/L) <0.015 -- 1.94 1.87 3.7

Sodium, filtered (mg/L) <0.06 <0.06 39.8 39.6 0.5

Sodium, unfiltered, (mg/L) <0.06 -- 44.6 42.6 4.6

Alkalinity, lab (mg/L as CaCO3

) <4.6 <4.6 216 216 0.0

Alkalinity, field (mg/L as CaCO3

) -- -- 211 212 0.5

Chloride, filtered (mg/L) <0.06 <0.06 56.9 57.8 1.6

Fluoride, filtered (mg/L) E0.08 <0.01 0.52 0.48 8.0

Silica, filtered (mg/L as SiO2

) <0.060 0.139 16.9 16.9 0.0

Silica, unfiltered (mg/L as SiO2

) <0.018 -- 22.2 22.2 0.0

Sulfate, filtered (mg/L) <0.090 0.124 702 716 2.0

Ammonia + organic nitrogen, filtered (mg/L as N) <0.07 <0.07 0.10 0.08 22.2

Ammonia + organic nitrogen, unfiltered (mg/L as N) <0.07 -- 0.34 0.30 12.5

Ammonia, filtered (mg/L as N) <0.010 <0.010 0.032 0.032 0.0

Nitrate + nitrite, filtered (mg/L as N) <0.01 <0.01 0.51 0.51 0.0

Nitrite, filtered (mg/L as N) <0.0010 <0.0010 0.003 0.003 0.0

Orthophosphate, filtered (mg/L as P) <0.004 <0.004 0.015 <0.004 --

Phosphorus, filtered (mg/L as P) <0.003 <0.003 0.011 0.012 8.7

Phosphorus, unfiltered (mg/L as P) <0.004 -- 0.088 0.085 3.5

Aluminum, filtered (μg/L) <2.2 <2.2 2.2 <2.2 --

Aluminum, unfiltered (μg/L) <3.80 -- 1,800 1,160 43.2

Cadmium, filtered (μg/L) <0.016 <0.016 <0.016 <0.016 --

Cadmium, unfiltered (μg/L) <0.016 -- <0.048 0.057 --

Copper, filtered (μg/L) <0.80 <0.80 <0.80 <0.80 --

Copper, unfiltered, (μg/L) <0.70 -- 1.2 1.7 34.5

Iron, filtered (μg/L) <4.0 <4.0 <4.0 <4.0 --

Iron, unfiltered, (μg/L) <4.6 -- 1,360 1,270 6.8

Lead, filtered (μg/L) <0.025 <0.025 <0.025 <0.025 --

Lead, unfiltered, (μg/L) <0.040 -- 1.38 1.26 9.1

Manganese, filtered (μg/L) 0.894 0.311 85.8 84.9 1.1

Manganese, unfiltered, recoverable (μg/L) <0.400 -- 123 99.6 21.0

Zinc, filtered (μg/L) <1.4 <1.4 <1.4 <1.4 --

Zinc, unfiltered, (μg/L) <3.0 -- 4.3 4.46 3.7

Arsenic, filtered (μg/L) <0.04 <0.04 0.55 0.53 3.7

Arsenic, unfiltered (μg/L) <0.28 -- 1.9 2.3 19.0

Organic carbon, filtered (mg/L) 79.5 <0.23 0.78 0.87 10.9

Organic carbon, unfiltered (mg/L) <0.050 -- 3.4 3.6 5.7

Uranium (natural), filtered (μg/L) <0.004 <0.004 1.45 1.43 1.4

Uranium (natural), unfiltered (μg/L) <0.014 -- 1.76 1.68 4.7

1

Surface-water blank taken from site S2 (table 4) on April 4, 2013.

2

Groundwater blank taken from well W26 (table 4) on June 26, 2013.

3

Replicate taken from site S10 (table 4) on July 23, 2013.
18 Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County

than the other dissolved constituents. It was determined 

that rinsing procedures for this filtration method were 

inadequate for DOC filtration, and contamination likely 

affected all environmental samples from April 2013, resulting 

in the rejection of these DOC results. Constituents in the 

groundwater field blank did not exceed LRLs, except for 

trace amounts (< 1.0 mg/L) of filtered calcium, magnesium, 

silica, sulfate, and manganese (table 5). The concentrations 

of filtered calcium, magnesium, sulfate, and manganese in 

the field blank were less than the concentrations measured 

in the environmental sample collected at the same well, 

indicating that possible contamination likely did not 

affect the concentrations in the environmental sample. For 

example, although filtered calcium was measured in the 

groundwater field blank at 0.518 mg/L, it was measured in the 

environmental sample to be 508 mg/L (table 6). Detections 

in the groundwater field blank could have resulted from the 

additional equipment used at W26 (submersible piston pump 

equipped with Teflon-lined tubing), which had been stored for 

a long period of time prior to sampling. The other groundwater 

wells did not require a pump for sampling, making it unlikely 

that any introduced contamination was present in other 

groundwater samples.

A sequential surface-water replicate sample was collected 

on July 23, 2013, at site S10 to evaluate variability in the 

stream, processing procedures, and analytical precision. A 

sequential surface-water replicate is a type of sample that is 

collected immediately after the environmental sample such 

that the samples are thought to be of the same composition. 

The relative percent difference (RPD) was used to determine 

differences in detected constituent concentrations for the 

replicate samples. The RPD was calculated as {(a–b) / [(a+b) 

/2]}× 100, where a and b are concentrations in each replicate 

pair. Generally, the absolute value of the RPD between 

replicate samples was less than 10 percent, with a mean RPD 

of 7 percent. The calculated RPDs for some trace elements 

and nutrients ranged as much as 43.2 percent, with RPDs for 

selected trace elements exceeding 20 percent. The RPDs for 

trace elements that exceeded 20 percent were observed for 

unfiltered manganese (21.0 percent), copper (34.5 percent), 

and aluminum (43.2 percent) and filtered ammonia + organic 

nitrogen (22.2 percent). The RPDs for constituents that 

exceeded 10 percent, but were less than 20 percent, were 

observed for unfiltered ammonia + organic nitrogen (12.5 

percent) and arsenic (19.0 percent) and filtered organic 

carbon (10.9 percent) (table 5). These larger RPDs may have 

been due to variability in stream concentrations over time, 

sample processing, analytical precision, or low constituent 

concentrations (near the reporting level). Instantaneous 

streamflow-gage height data at the sampling site (S10) show 

that stage was stable between the time of collection of the 

environmental and replicate samples. General agreement 

(mostly less than 10 percent RPD) between these samples 

indicates that the environmental sample was representative of 

the river under stable conditions.

Water-quality results also revealed some uncertainty 

with laboratory reporting for selected parameters. For most 

groundwater samples, orthophosphate concentrations were 

greater than phosphorus concentrations. This may be due to 

the methods or reporting levels used by the laboratory for 

these constituents. In addition, results for some constituents 

showed greater concentrations in filtered samples when 

compared to unfiltered samples. These differences were 

generally small and within allowable laboratory error 

(10 percent) (table 6). 
Introduction 19

Table 6. Water-quality data for surface-water and groundwater sites sampled in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New 

Mexico.

[mm, month; dd, day; yyyy, year; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, no data; NA, not applicable; μS/cm at 25 °C, microsiemens per 

centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; NTRU, nephelometric turbidity ratio unit; <, less than; E, estimated; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; SiO2, 

silicon dioxide; +, plus; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; μg/L, micrograms per liter]

Map 

location 

identifier 

(table 4)

Watershed 

name

Burned or 

unburned 

watershed

Hydrologic 

condition

Sample 

date

(mm/dd/yyyy)

Time Streamflow 

(ft3

/s)

Dissolved 

oxygen 

(mg/L)

pH, field 

(standard 

units)

pH, lab 

(standard 

units)

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 12:20 p.m. -- 6.5 8.2 7.7

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 11:30 a.m. 5.0 13.8 7.8 8.2

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 11:00 a.m. 1.4 7.1 7.9 8.3

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/04/2013 2:00 p.m. 0.9 8.8 7.9 8.2

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 1:45 p.m. -- 4.4 8.1 7.6

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 10:15 a.m. -- 10.5 7.7 8.2

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 2:00 p.m. -- 5.9 8.4 8.5

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/05/2013 8:00 a.m. 0.8 8.1 8.0 8.1

S3 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/12/2012 10:15 a.m. -- 5.9 8.0 7.6

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 6:30 p.m -- 6.5 8.1 7.8

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/03/2013 11:20 a.m. 1.3 10.4 8.4 8.1

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/23/2013 11:45 a.m. 1.7 7.6 7.5 7.9

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/06/2013 8:15 a.m. 4.2 10.0 8.5 8.2

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/12/2012 8:15 a.m. 1.1 8.6 7.2 8.0

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 10:15 a.m. 1.2 9.8 7.8 8.1

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 11:15 a.m. 1.1 8.2 7.5 8.5

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 8:30 a.m. 11.0 7.6 7.7 8.1

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 12:30 p.m. 6.6 10.3 8.4 8.2

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 12:45 p.m. 9.5 7.7 7.9 8.2

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 3:30 p.m. -- 6.7 8.1 8.2

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 3:10 p.m. 4.1 14.9 8.9 8.3

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 2:30 p.m. 8.3 7.9 7.3 8.3

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned after rain event 07/11/2012 5:40 p.m. -- 6.1 7.7 7.8

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 2:15 p.m. 1.6 10.2 7.9 8.0

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 12:45 p.m. 5.9 9.3 8.1 7.8

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 10:34 a.m. -- 6.9 8.2 8.1

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 4:15 p.m. 0.6 6.7 8.0 8.3

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 3:45 p.m. 9.6 7.8 7.8 7.9

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned after rain event 07/23/2013 8:30 a.m. 3.3 7.8 7.7 7.8

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 11:00 a.m. 25.0 9.6 7.8 7.9

W9 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/08/2013 10:10 a.m. -- 0.5 6.4 --

W26 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/26/2013 5:00 p.m. -- 1.1 6.4 --

W35 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 12:20 p.m. -- 1.0 6.6 --

W38 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 10:45 a.m. -- 1.3 6.8 --

W39 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/24/2013 2:45 p.m. -- 9.8 6.4 --

W40 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/07/2013 11:20 a.m. -- 0.8 6.6 --

W41 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 4:30 p.m. -- 5.4 7.6 --

W42 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 9:50 a.m. -- 4.2 7.0 --
20 Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County

Table 6. Water-quality data for surface-water and groundwater sites sampled in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New 

Mexico.—Continued

[mm, month; dd, day; yyyy, year; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, no data; NA, not applicable; μS/cm at 25 °C, microsiemens per 

centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; NTRU, nephelometric turbidity ratio unit; <, less than; E, estimated; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; SiO2, 

silicon dioxide; +, plus; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; μg/L, micrograms per liter]

Map 

location 

identifier 

(table 4)

Watershed 

name

Burned or 

unburned 

watershed

Hydrologic 

condition

Sample 

date

(mm/dd/yyyy)

Time

Specific 

conductance, 

field 

(μS/cm at 

25 °C)

Specific 

conductance, 

lab 

(μS/cm at 

25 °C)

Water 

temperature 

(°C)

Turbidity 

(NTRU)

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 12:20 p.m. 464 543 23.9 410

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 11:30 a.m. 525 472 9.5 <2.0

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 11:00 a.m. 406 411 19.4 56

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/04/2013 2:00 p.m. 627 620 11.4 --

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 1:45 p.m. 805 834 23.2 950

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 10:15 a.m. 854 868 10.4 <2.0

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 2:00 p.m. 918 928 33.6 400

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/05/2013 8:00 a.m. 838 829 8.1 --

S3 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/12/2012 10:15 a.m. 888 913 18.2 2,060

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 6:30 p.m 1,120 1,120 24.3 4,090

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/03/2013 11:20 a.m. 1,350 1,350 11.1 E3.7

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/23/2013 11:45 a.m. 1,910 1,950 20.7 23

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/06/2013 8:15 a.m. 1,510 1,490 6.8 --

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/12/2012 8:15 a.m. 381 385 13.9 59

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 10:15 a.m. 296 302 6.0 E9.5

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 11:15 a.m. 325 322 8.8 --

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 8:30 a.m. 1,120 1,140 16.0 150

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 12:30 p.m. 1,050 1,060 11.0 E2.7

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 12:45 p.m. 1,300 1,280 12.3 --

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 3:30 p.m. 1,560 1,550 24.3 45

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 3:10 p.m. 1,940 2,000 18.9 <2.0

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 2:30 p.m. 1,640 1,610 14.7 --

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned after rain event 07/11/2012 5:40 p.m. 1,350 1,340 21.1 2,270

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 2:15 p.m. 1,870 1,920 16.6 <2.0

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 12:45 p.m. 1,970 1,950 12.0 --

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 10:34 a.m. 612 629 20.2 E4.5

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 4:15 p.m. 369 376 21.6 89

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 3:45 p.m. 1,600 1,640 17.4 <2.0

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned after rain event 07/23/2013 8:30 a.m. 1,650 1,680 17.6 36

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 11:00 a.m. 1,720 1,680 13.4 --

W9 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/08/2013 10:10 a.m. 1,300 1,310 17.4 --

W26 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/26/2013 5:00 p.m. 2,760 3,050 15.1 --

W35 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 12:20 p.m. 1,830 1,830 18.4 --

W38 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 10:45 a.m. 771 797 8.8 --

W39 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/24/2013 2:45 p.m. 1,460 1,560 11.5 --

W40 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/07/2013 11:20 a.m. 2,320 2,250 14.7 --

W41 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 4:30 p.m. 1,570 1,570 17.7 --

W42 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 9:50 a.m. 1,790 1,800 15.2 --
Introduction 21

Table 6. Water-quality data for surface-water and groundwater sites sampled in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New 

Mexico.—Continued

[mm, month; dd, day; yyyy, year; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, no data; NA, not applicable; μS/cm at 25 °C, microsiemens per 

centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; NTRU, nephelometric turbidity ratio unit; <, less than; E, estimated; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; SiO2, 

silicon dioxide; +, plus; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; μg/L, micrograms per liter]

Map 

location 

identifier 

(table 4)

Watershed 

name

Burned or 

unburned 

watershed

Hydrologic 

condition

Sample 

date

(mm/dd/yyyy)

Time

Dissolved 

solids dried 

at 180 °C, 

filtered 

(mg/L)

Hardness, 

water 

(mg/L as 

CaCO3

)

Calcium, 

filtered 

(mg/L)

Calcium, 

unfiltered 

(mg/L)

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 12:20 p.m. 381 256 79.8 93.3

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 11:30 a.m. 312 211 63.6 63.1

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 11:00 a.m. 266 179 54.3 55.2

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/04/2013 2:00 p.m. 424 284 85.8 87.9

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 1:45 p.m. 660 431 138 168

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 10:15 a.m. 596 425 127 124

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 2:00 p.m. 633 448 135 142

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/05/2013 8:00 a.m. 502 397 118 117

S3 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/12/2012 10:15 a.m. 718 463 146 212

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 6:30 p.m 884 569 174 231

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/03/2013 11:20 a.m. 1,060 638 164 200

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/23/2013 11:45 a.m. 1,520 1,070 310 319

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/06/2013 8:15 a.m. 1,130 834 232 221

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/12/2012 8:15 a.m. 260 155 49.8 51.1

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 10:15 a.m. 172 105 34.3 33.9

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 11:15 a.m. 197 119 38.3 38.9

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 8:30 a.m. 855 551 158 158

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 12:30 p.m. 746 524 149 142

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 12:45 p.m. 835 609 172 177

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 3:30 p.m. 1,200 744 221 215

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 3:10 p.m. 1,470 713 194 225

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 2:30 p.m. 1,120 783 226 214

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned after rain event 07/11/2012 5:40 p.m. 1,070 713 217 352

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 2:15 p.m. 1,620 1,070 303 298

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 12:45 p.m. 1,510 1,100 316 306

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 10:34 a.m. 458 320 101 94.6

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 4:15 p.m. 233 152 48.0 49.3

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 3:45 p.m. 1,320 884 253 262

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned after rain event 07/23/2013 8:30 a.m. 1,240 967 285 262

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 11:00 a.m. 1,290 961 276 265

W9 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/08/2013 10:10 a.m. 990 648 170 --

W26 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/26/2013 5:00 p.m. 2,490 1,610 508 --

W35 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 12:20 p.m. 1,630 1,130 331 --

W38 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 10:45 a.m. 497 305 78.0 --

W39 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/24/2013 2:45 p.m. 1,040 710 204 --

W40 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/07/2013 11:20 a.m. 1,510 659 186 --

W41 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 4:30 p.m. 1,180 772 216 --

W42 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 9:50 a.m. 1,540 994 277 --
22 Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County

Table 6. Water-quality data for surface-water and groundwater sites sampled in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New 

Mexico.—Continued

[mm, month; dd, day; yyyy, year; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, no data; NA, not applicable; μS/cm at 25 °C, microsiemens per 

centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; NTRU, nephelometric turbidity ratio unit; <, less than; E, estimated; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; SiO2, 

silicon dioxide; +, plus; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; μg/L, micrograms per liter]

Map 

location 

identifier 

(table 4)

Watershed 

name

Burned or 

unburned 

watershed

Hydrologic 

condition

Sample 

date

(mm/dd/yyyy)

Time

Magnesium, 

filtered 

(mg/L)

Magnesium, 

unfiltered 

(mg/L)

Potassium, 

filtered 

(mg/L)

Potassium, 

unfiltered 

(mg/L)

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 12:20 p.m. 13.9 18.0 6.75 9.53

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 11:30 a.m. 12.7 11.9 1.43 1.45

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 11:00 a.m. 10.5 10.6 2.23 2.64

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/04/2013 2:00 p.m. 17.0 17.0 1.62 1.70

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 1:45 p.m. 20.8 34.1 18.0 24.5

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 10:15 a.m. 26.1 24.8 1.77 1.72

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 2:00 p.m. 26.8 30.3 3.35 5.24

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/05/2013 8:00 a.m. 24.5 23.9 2.04 2.07

S3 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/12/2012 10:15 a.m. 23.7 44.3 16.3 26.2

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 6:30 p.m 32.6 49.6 13.3 21.7

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/03/2013 11:20 a.m. 55.6 54.8 1.55 1.53

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/23/2013 11:45 a.m. 72.2 73.5 1.84 2.12

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/06/2013 8:15 a.m. 61.9 58.7 1.95 1.90

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/12/2012 8:15 a.m. 7.42 7.58 3.68 3.97

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 10:15 a.m. 4.76 5.32 1.17 1.21

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 11:15 a.m. 5.77 6.10 1.14 1.18

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 8:30 a.m. 37.8 39.0 3.14 3.89

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 12:30 p.m. 36.8 35.0 1.45 1.37

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 12:45 p.m. 43.6 43.4 1.90 1.96

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 3:30 p.m. 46.7 50.7 6.23 6.67

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 3:10 p.m. 55.6 54.4 10.4 10.3

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 2:30 p.m. 52.8 51.8 5.02 4.93

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned after rain event 07/11/2012 5:40 p.m. 41.5 70.8 3.90 8.14

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 2:15 p.m. 76.1 70.7 1.62 1.49

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 12:45 p.m. 75.7 74.1 1.97 1.93

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 10:34 a.m. 16.4 16.0 11.2 10.8

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 4:15 p.m. 7.76 8.56 3.55 4.08

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 3:45 p.m. 61.2 60.0 1.36 1.42

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned after rain event 07/23/2013 8:30 a.m. 62.1 65.6 1.49 1.94

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 11:00 a.m. 65.8 64.9 1.75 1.81

W9 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/08/2013 10:10 a.m. 54.2 -- 1.59 --

W26 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/26/2013 5:00 p.m. 82.8 -- 2.29 --

W35 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 12:20 p.m. 74.4 -- 1.23 --

W38 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 10:45 a.m. 26.7 -- 0.89 --

W39 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/24/2013 2:45 p.m. 48.6 -- 1.08 --

W40 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/07/2013 11:20 a.m. 47.4 -- 2.08 --

W41 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 4:30 p.m. 56.3 -- 1.45 --

W42 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 9:50 a.m. 73.5 -- 1.42 --
Introduction 23

Table 6. Water-quality data for surface-water and groundwater sites sampled in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New 

Mexico.—Continued

[mm, month; dd, day; yyyy, year; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, no data; NA, not applicable; μS/cm at 25 °C, microsiemens per 

centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; NTRU, nephelometric turbidity ratio unit; <, less than; E, estimated; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; SiO2, 

silicon dioxide; +, plus; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; μg/L, micrograms per liter]

Map 

location 

identifier 

(table 4)

Watershed 

name

Burned or 

unburned 

watershed

Hydrologic 

condition

Sample 

date

(mm/dd/yyyy)

Time

Sodium 

adsorption 

ratio 

(number)

Sodium, 

filtered 

(mg/L)

Sodium, 

unfiltered, 

(mg/L)

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 12:20 p.m. 0.36 13.3 13.5

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 11:30 a.m. 0.37 12.4 12.4

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 11:00 a.m. 0.38 11.6 11.1

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/04/2013 2:00 p.m. 0.47 18.3 18.2

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 1:45 p.m. 0.34 16.3 16.6

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 10:15 a.m. 0.57 27.2 28.1

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 2:00 p.m. 0.68 33.3 32.0

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/05/2013 8:00 a.m. 0.64 29.3 28.4

S3 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/12/2012 10:15 a.m. 0.45 22.4 22.3

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 6:30 p.m 0.61 33.3 32.8

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/03/2013 11:20 a.m. 0.65 37.9 38.9

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/23/2013 11:45 a.m. 0.73 55.0 57.5

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/06/2013 8:15 a.m. 0.72 47.9 45.4

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/12/2012 8:15 a.m. 0.63 18.0 17.4

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 10:15 a.m. 0.65 15.2 15.6

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 11:15 a.m. 0.61 15.3 15.4

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 8:30 a.m. 0.82 44.1 44.0

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 12:30 p.m. 0.78 40.9 42.0

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 12:45 p.m. 0.96 54.4 54.8

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 3:30 p.m. 1.21 75.7 78.2

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 3:10 p.m. 2.12 130 137

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 2:30 p.m. 1.31 84.3 80.3

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned after rain event 07/11/2012 5:40 p.m. 0.67 40.9 41.4

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 2:15 p.m. 0.77 57.5 58.1

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 12:45 p.m. 0.9 68.7 67.6

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 10:34 a.m. 0.32 13.1 12.8

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 4:15 p.m. 0.45 12.9 12.6

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 3:45 p.m. 0.61 41.7 41.8

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned after rain event 07/23/2013 8:30 a.m. 0.56 39.8 44.6

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 11:00 a.m. 0.72 51.4 49.8

W9 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/08/2013 10:10 a.m. 0.84 48.9 --

W26 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/26/2013 5:00 p.m. 0.87 80.5 --

W35 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 12:20 p.m. 0.38 29.5 --

W38 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 10:45 a.m. 0.77 31.0 --

W39 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/24/2013 2:45 p.m. 1.07 65.5 --

W40 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/07/2013 11:20 a.m. 4.12 243 --

W41 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 4:30 p.m. 0.9 57.6 --

W42 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 9:50 a.m. 0.76 54.9 --
24 Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County

Table 6. Water-quality data for surface-water and groundwater sites sampled in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New 

Mexico.—Continued

[mm, month; dd, day; yyyy, year; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, no data; NA, not applicable; μS/cm at 25 °C, microsiemens per 

centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; NTRU, nephelometric turbidity ratio unit; <, less than; E, estimated; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; SiO2, 

silicon dioxide; +, plus; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; μg/L, micrograms per liter]

Map 

location 

identifier 

(table 4)

Watershed 

name

Burned or 

unburned 

watershed

Hydrologic 

condition

Sample 

date

(mm/dd/yyyy)

Time

Alkalinity, lab 

(mg/L as 

CaCO3

)

Alkalinity, field 

(mg/L as 

CaCO3

)

Chloride, 

filtered 

(mg/L)

Fluoride, 

filtered 

(mg/L)

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 12:20 p.m. 142 -- 12.2 0.68

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 11:30 a.m. 86.9 86.3 13.3 --

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 11:00 a.m. 95.8 90 10.9 0.82

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/04/2013 2:00 p.m. 128 122 20.4 0.41

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 1:45 p.m. 243 -- 16.1 0.39

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 10:15 a.m. 232 227 32.7 --

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 2:00 p.m. 270 262 33.9 0.51

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/05/2013 8:00 a.m. 193 185 40.6 0.38

S3 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/12/2012 10:15 a.m. 238 -- 29.4 0.40

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 6:30 p.m 214 -- 49.8 0.48

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/03/2013 11:20 a.m. 160 181 51.5 --

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/23/2013 11:45 a.m. 232 226 56.7 0.55

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/06/2013 8:15 a.m. 195 192 62.1 0.71

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/12/2012 8:15 a.m. 109 -- 23.0 0.27

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 10:15 a.m. 59.7 57.2 29.4 0.26

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 11:15 a.m. 68.2 62 20.3 0.22

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 8:30 a.m. 188 -- 55.5 0.35

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 12:30 p.m. 149 153 57.1 0.28

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 12:45 p.m. 204 198 70.0 0.24

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 3:30 p.m. 185 -- 112 0.37

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 3:10 p.m. 114 116 217 0.39

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 2:30 p.m. 201 195 114 0.29

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned after rain event 07/11/2012 5:40 p.m. 163 -- 58.1 0.44

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 2:15 p.m. 195 210 92.4 --

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 12:45 p.m. 248 243 100 0.51

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 10:34 a.m. 217 -- 12.6 0.49

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 4:15 p.m. 93.8 92 21.7 0.68

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 3:45 p.m. 206 203 59.8 --

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned after rain event 07/23/2013 8:30 a.m. 216 211 56.9 0.52

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 11:00 a.m. 222 216 69.0 0.55

W9 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/08/2013 10:10 a.m. 170 171 76.5 1.08

W26 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/26/2013 5:00 p.m. 206 202 428 0.15

W35 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 12:20 p.m. 159 148 31.2 0.79

W38 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 10:45 a.m. 81.9 77 133 1.75

W39 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/24/2013 2:45 p.m. 318 317 109 0.14

W40 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/07/2013 11:20 a.m. 186 179 334 0.5

W41 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 4:30 p.m. 208 205 95.1 0.47

W42 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 9:50 a.m. 173 173 69.0 0.5
Introduction 25

Table 6. Water-quality data for surface-water and groundwater sites sampled in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New 

Mexico.—Continued

[mm, month; dd, day; yyyy, year; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, no data; NA, not applicable; μS/cm at 25 °C, microsiemens per 

centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; NTRU, nephelometric turbidity ratio unit; <, less than; E, estimated; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; SiO2, 

silicon dioxide; +, plus; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; μg/L, micrograms per liter]

Map 

location 

identifier 

(table 4)

Watershed 

name

Burned or 

unburned 

watershed

Hydrologic 

condition

Sample 

date

(mm/dd/yyyy)

Time

Silica, 

filtered 

(mg/L as 

SiO2

)

Silica, 

unfiltered 

(mg/L as 

SiO2

)

Sulfate, 

filtered 

(mg/L)

Ammonia 

+ organic 

nitrogen, 

filtered 

(mg/L as N)

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 12:20 p.m. 13.4 52.0 120 1.8

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 11:30 a.m. 13.5 12.0 127 0.13

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 11:00 a.m. 14.7 21.2 86.9 0.25

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/04/2013 2:00 p.m. 18.4 16.8 165 0.21

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 1:45 p.m. 9.91 83.9 182 4.5

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 10:15 a.m. 14.4 12.6 206 0.15

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 2:00 p.m. 19.0 51.0 207 0.47

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/05/2013 8:00 a.m. 10.6 9.46 213 0.25

S3 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/12/2012 10:15 a.m. 10.1 114 224 3.9

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 6:30 p.m 12.9 111 329 3.3

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/03/2013 11:20 a.m. 12.2 10.9 545 0.19

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/23/2013 11:45 a.m. 17.5 21.8 701 0.13

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/06/2013 8:15 a.m. 15.3 13.9 588 0.1

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/12/2012 8:15 a.m. 11.2 17.1 49.1 0.82

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 10:15 a.m. 8.86 9.18 38.0 0.11

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 11:15 a.m. 9.56 8.78 56.3 0.12

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 8:30 a.m. 12.7 23.6 350 0.48

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 12:30 p.m. 8.46 7.61 347 0.14

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 12:45 p.m. 12.4 11.0 429 0.14

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 3:30 p.m. 14.1 18.6 534 0.34

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 3:10 p.m. 9.77 8.56 721 0.4

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 2:30 p.m. 13.3 13.1 561 0.22

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned after rain event 07/11/2012 5:40 p.m. 13.0 103 513 0.57

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 2:15 p.m. 16.2 13.9 903 0.09

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 12:45 p.m. 15.4 14.0 805 0.10

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 10:34 a.m. 12.1 11.6 105 3.1

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 4:15 p.m. 13.7 24.1 53.7 0.33

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 3:45 p.m. 16.0 13.8 719 0.09

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned after rain event 07/23/2013 8:30 a.m. 16.9 22.2 702 0.1

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 11:00 a.m. 16.1 14.7 702 0.1

W9 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/08/2013 10:10 a.m. 19.3 -- 475 <0.07

W26 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/26/2013 5:00 p.m. 21.5 -- 1,000 <0.07

W35 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 12:20 p.m. 18.8 -- 973 <0.07

W38 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 10:45 a.m. 16.4 -- 114 <0.07

W39 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/24/2013 2:45 p.m. 18.6 -- 424 <0.07

W40 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/07/2013 11:20 a.m. 15.9 -- 534 0.12

W41 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 4:30 p.m. 15.8 -- 564 <0.07

W42 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 9:50 a.m. 18.2 -- 821 <0.07
26 Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County

Table 6. Water-quality data for surface-water and groundwater sites sampled in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New 

Mexico.—Continued

[mm, month; dd, day; yyyy, year; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, no data; NA, not applicable; μS/cm at 25 °C, microsiemens per 

centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; NTRU, nephelometric turbidity ratio unit; <, less than; E, estimated; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; SiO2, 

silicon dioxide; +, plus; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; μg/L, micrograms per liter]

Map 

location 

identifier 

(table 4)

Watershed 

name

Burned or 

unburned 

watershed

Hydrologic 

condition

Sample 

date

(mm/dd/yyyy)

Time

Ammonia 

+ organic 

nitrogen, 

unfiltered 

(mg/L as N)

Ammonia, 

filtered 

(mg/L as N)

Nitrate 

+ nitrite, 

filtered 

(mg/L as N)

Nitrite, 

filtered 

(mg/L as N)

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 12:20 p.m. 6.4 0.289 0.76 0.033

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 11:30 a.m. 0.15 <0.010 2.53 0.003

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 11:00 a.m. 0.81 0.023 2.28 0.009

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/04/2013 2:00 p.m. 0.15 <0.010 3.41 0.004

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 1:45 p.m. 18 0.034 <0.01 <0.001

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 10:15 a.m. 0.16 <0.010 <0.01 <0.001

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 2:00 p.m. 2.4 0.067 0.06 0.013

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/05/2013 8:00 a.m. 0.30 <0.010 0.27 0.005

S3 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/12/2012 10:15 a.m. 27 0.032 <0.01 <0.001

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 6:30 p.m 20 0.583 0.08 0.010

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/03/2013 11:20 a.m. 0.19 <0.010 0.03 0.002

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/23/2013 11:45 a.m. 0.26 0.030 0.25 0.005

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/06/2013 8:15 a.m. 0.14 <0.010 0.02 <0.001

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/12/2012 8:15 a.m. 1.7 0.068 0.33 0.013

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 10:15 a.m. 0.29 <0.010 1.12 0.002

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 11:15 a.m. 0.21 <0.010 1.93 0.003

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 8:30 a.m. 1.9 0.075 0.22 0.009

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 12:30 p.m. 0.16 <0.010 0.06 0.002

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 12:45 p.m. 0.19 <0.010 0.29 0.003

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 3:30 p.m. 0.8 0.054 0.74 0.008

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 3:10 p.m. 0.43 <0.010 0.67 0.016

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 2:30 p.m. 0.27 0.010 0.72 0.003

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned after rain event 07/11/2012 5:40 p.m. 6.5 0.119 0.64 0.035

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 2:15 p.m. <0.07 <0.010 0.13 <0.001

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 12:45 p.m. 0.16 <0.010 0.12 0.001

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 10:34 a.m. 3.6 0.225 0.02 0.003

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 4:15 p.m. 1.1 0.011 1.83 0.029

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 3:45 p.m. 0.12 0.011 0.42 0.002

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned after rain event 07/23/2013 8:30 a.m. 0.34 0.032 0.51 0.003

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 11:00 a.m. 0.13 <0.010 0.27 <0.001

W9 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/08/2013 10:10 a.m. -- 0.014 <0.01 <0.001

W26 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/26/2013 5:00 p.m. -- 0.012 0.94 0.006

W35 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 12:20 p.m. -- <0.010 0.25 <0.001

W38 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 10:45 a.m. -- 0.012 <0.01 <0.001

W39 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/24/2013 2:45 p.m. -- 0.011 0.14 <0.001

W40 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/07/2013 11:20 a.m. -- 0.045 <0.01 <0.001

W41 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 4:30 p.m. -- <0.010 1.06 <0.001

W42 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 9:50 a.m. -- 0.013 0.66 <0.001
Introduction 27

Table 6. Water-quality data for surface-water and groundwater sites sampled in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New 

Mexico.—Continued

[mm, month; dd, day; yyyy, year; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, no data; NA, not applicable; μS/cm at 25 °C, microsiemens per 

centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; NTRU, nephelometric turbidity ratio unit; <, less than; E, estimated; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; SiO2, 

silicon dioxide; +, plus; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; μg/L, micrograms per liter]

Map 

location 

identifier 

(table 4)

Watershed 

name

Burned or 

unburned 

watershed

Hydrologic 

condition

Sample 

date

(mm/dd/yyyy)

Time

Orthophosphate, 

filtered 

(mg/L as P)

Phosphorus, 

filtered 

(mg/L as P)

Phosphorus, 

unfiltered 

(mg/L as P)

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 12:20 p.m. 0.193 0.232 2.40

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 11:30 a.m. 0.035 0.037 0.043

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 11:00 a.m. 0.100 0.102 0.287

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/04/2013 2:00 p.m. 0.032 0.033 0.039

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 1:45 p.m. <0.004 0.190 4.36

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 10:15 a.m. 0.038 0.041 0.049

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 2:00 p.m. 0.181 0.186 1.04

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/05/2013 8:00 a.m. <0.004 0.006 0.022

S3 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/12/2012 10:15 a.m. 0.132 0.271 5.95

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 6:30 p.m 0.453 0.613 4.94

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/03/2013 11:20 a.m. 0.005 0.008 0.026

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/23/2013 11:45 a.m. 0.016 0.013 0.063

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/06/2013 8:15 a.m. <0.004 <0.003 0.015

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/12/2012 8:15 a.m. 0.178 0.215 0.543

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 10:15 a.m. 0.018 0.021 0.062

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 11:15 a.m. 0.007 0.007 0.019

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 8:30 a.m. 0.144 0.154 0.755

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 12:30 p.m. <0.004 <0.003 0.013

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 12:45 p.m. <0.004 0.003 0.012

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 3:30 p.m. 0.059 0.069 0.226

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 3:10 p.m. <0.004 0.007 0.013

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 2:30 p.m. 0.010 0.011 0.036

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned after rain event 07/11/2012 5:40 p.m. 0.044 0.054 1.14

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 2:15 p.m. 0.006 0.003 0.007

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 12:45 p.m. 0.007 0.006 0.162

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 10:34 a.m. 0.269 0.399 0.486

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 4:15 p.m. 0.154 0.154 0.426

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 3:45 p.m. 0.009 0.007 0.013

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned after rain event 07/23/2013 8:30 a.m. 0.015 0.011 0.088

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 11:00 a.m. 0.008 0.008 0.015

W9 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/08/2013 10:10 a.m. 0.008 0.005 --

W26 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/26/2013 5:00 p.m. 0.007 <0.003 --

W35 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 12:20 p.m. 0.006 <0.003 --

W38 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 10:45 a.m. 0.005 <0.003 --

W39 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/24/2013 2:45 p.m. 0.023 0.034 --

W40 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/07/2013 11:20 a.m. 0.005 <0.003 --

W41 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 4:30 p.m. 0.006 <0.003 --

W42 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 9:50 a.m. 0.007 <0.003 --
28 Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County

Table 6. Water-quality data for surface-water and groundwater sites sampled in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New 

Mexico.—Continued

[mm, month; dd, day; yyyy, year; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, no data; NA, not applicable; μS/cm at 25 °C, microsiemens per 

centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; NTRU, nephelometric turbidity ratio unit; <, less than; E, estimated; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; SiO2, 

silicon dioxide; +, plus; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; μg/L, micrograms per liter]

Map 

location 

identifier 

(table 4)

Watershed 

name

Burned or 

unburned 

watershed

Hydrologic 

condition

Sample 

date

(mm/dd/yyyy)

Time

Aluminum, 

filtered 

(μg/L)

Aluminum, 

unfiltered 

(μg/L)

Cadmium, 

filtered 

(μg/L)

Cadmium, 

unfiltered 

(μg/L)

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 12:20 p.m. 25.1 15,300 <0.016 1.62

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 11:30 a.m. 8.0 51.0 0.026 0.020

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 11:00 a.m. 35.4 1,890 0.038 0.119

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/04/2013 2:00 p.m. 3.1 11.2 <0.030 <0.030

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 1:45 p.m. <2.2 29,800 0.017 1.44

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 10:15 a.m. 3.7 36.6 0.033 0.020

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 2:00 p.m. 40.1 9,090 <0.080 0.254

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/05/2013 8:00 a.m. <2.2 22.4 <0.030 <0.030

S3 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/12/2012 10:15 a.m. 2.5 44,600 <0.016 2.33

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 6:30 p.m 2,040 36,600 0.396 1.72

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/03/2013 11:20 a.m. 4.9 133 <0.016 <0.016

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/23/2013 11:45 a.m. <2.2 793 <0.016 <0.048

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/06/2013 8:15 a.m. 3.5 149 <0.030 <0.030

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/12/2012 8:15 a.m. 12.4 2,170 0.037 0.207

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 10:15 a.m. 18.5 442 <0.016 0.036

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 11:15 a.m. 2.7 10.7 <0.030 <0.030

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 8:30 a.m. 44.2 4,200 0.030 0.274

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 12:30 p.m. 4.2 94.4 <0.016 <0.016

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 12:45 p.m. <2.2 35.9 <0.030 <0.030

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 3:30 p.m. 10.2 1,620 0.023 0.064

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 3:10 p.m. 27.2 59.9 0.028 0.025

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 2:30 p.m. 10.7 211 <0.030 <0.030

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned after rain event 07/11/2012 5:40 p.m. 6.8 27,300 0.059 0.705

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 2:15 p.m. <2.2 27.9 <0.016 <0.016

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 12:45 p.m. <2.2 88.0 <0.030 <0.030

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 10:34 a.m. 3.3 193 <0.016 0.29

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 4:15 p.m. 75.6 2,890 0.050 0.136

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 3:45 p.m. 2.4 79.4 <0.016 <0.016

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned after rain event 07/23/2013 8:30 a.m. 2.2 1,800 <0.016 <0.048

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 11:00 a.m. <2.2 82.4 <0.030 <0.150

W9 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/08/2013 10:10 a.m. <2.2 -- <0.016 --

W26 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/26/2013 5:00 p.m. <15.4 -- <0.112 --

W35 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 12:20 p.m. <2.2 -- <0.016 --

W38 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 10:45 a.m. 72.1 -- 0.163 --

W39 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/24/2013 2:45 p.m. 21.9 -- 0.020 --

W40 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/07/2013 11:20 a.m. <2.2 -- <0.016 --

W41 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 4:30 p.m. <2.2 -- <0.016 --

W42 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 9:50 a.m. <2.2 -- <0.016 --
Introduction 29

Table 6. Water-quality data for surface-water and groundwater sites sampled in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New 

Mexico.—Continued

[mm, month; dd, day; yyyy, year; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, no data; NA, not applicable; μS/cm at 25 °C, microsiemens per 

centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; NTRU, nephelometric turbidity ratio unit; <, less than; E, estimated; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; SiO2, 

silicon dioxide; +, plus; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; μg/L, micrograms per liter]

Map 

location 

identifier 

(table 4)

Watershed 

name

Burned or 

unburned 

watershed

Hydrologic 

condition

Sample 

date

(mm/dd/yyyy)

Time

Copper, 

filtered 

(μg/L)

Copper, 

unfiltered,

(μg/L)

Iron, 

filtered 

(μg/L)

Iron, 

unfiltered

(μg/L)

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 12:20 p.m. 1.2 15.0 18.9 18,800

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 11:30 a.m. <0.80 <0.70 <4.0 57.0

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 11:00 a.m. <0.80 2.2 8.4 1,650

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/04/2013 2:00 p.m. <0.80 <0.80 <4.0 12.1

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 1:45 p.m. <0.80 40.9 66.0 32,100

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 10:15 a.m. <0.80 <0.70 12.4 90.7

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 2:00 p.m. <4.0 12.6 4.6 10,500

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/05/2013 8:00 a.m. <0.80 <0.80 13.5 63.5

S3 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/12/2012 10:15 a.m. <0.80 64.4 51.6 49,400

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 6:30 p.m 24.1 53.3 21.4 38,400

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/03/2013 11:20 a.m. <0.80 <0.70 6.3 126

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/23/2013 11:45 a.m. <0.80 0.77 <4.0 906

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/06/2013 8:15 a.m. <0.80 <0.80 6.3 122

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/12/2012 8:15 a.m. 1.6 4.2 17.8 1,870

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 10:15 a.m. <0.80 0.91 5.6 381

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 11:15 a.m. <0.80 <0.80 <4.0 10.1

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 8:30 a.m. 1.0 7.9 9.6 3,660

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 12:30 p.m. <0.80 <0.70 5.8 107

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 12:45 p.m. <0.80 <0.80 14.2 61.3

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 3:30 p.m. <0.80 2.7 5.7 1,500

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 3:10 p.m. <0.80 0.8 9.1 35.7

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 2:30 p.m. <0.80 <0.80 29.1 194

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned after rain event 07/11/2012 5:40 p.m. 2.4 21.7 11.7 21,300

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 2:15 p.m. <0.80 <0.70 14.2 67.1

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 12:45 p.m. <0.80 <2.4 18.1 248

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 10:34 a.m. <0.80 1.8 16.4 293

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 4:15 p.m. <0.80 3.1 17.9 2,470

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 3:45 p.m. <0.80 <0.70 <4.0 95.3

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned after rain event 07/23/2013 8:30 a.m. <0.80 1.2 <4.0 1,360

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 11:00 a.m. <0.80 <4.0 10.7 126

W9 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/08/2013 10:10 a.m. <0.80 -- 125 --

W26 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/26/2013 5:00 p.m. <5.6 -- 165 --

W35 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 12:20 p.m. <0.80 -- 7.8 --

W38 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 10:45 a.m. <4.0 -- 321 --

W39 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/24/2013 2:45 p.m. <0.80 -- 54.0 --

W40 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/07/2013 11:20 a.m. 1.1 -- 42.1 --

W41 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 4:30 p.m. <0.80 -- 187 --

W42 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 9:50 a.m. 0.84 -- 6.2 --
30 Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County

Table 6. Water-quality data for surface-water and groundwater sites sampled in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New 

Mexico.—Continued

[mm, month; dd, day; yyyy, year; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, no data; NA, not applicable; μS/cm at 25 °C, microsiemens per 

centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; NTRU, nephelometric turbidity ratio unit; <, less than; E, estimated; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; SiO2, 

silicon dioxide; +, plus; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; μg/L, micrograms per liter]

Map 

location 

identifier 

(table 4)

Watershed 

name

Burned or 

unburned 

watershed

Hydrologic 

condition

Sample 

date

(mm/dd/yyyy)

Time

Lead, 

filtered 

(μg/L)

Lead, 

unfiltered 

(μg/L)

Manganese, 

filtered 

(μg/L)

Manganese, 

unfiltered, 

recoverable 

(μg/L)

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 12:20 p.m. 0.213 57.7 0.15 3,820

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 11:30 a.m. 0.031 0.13 7.68 23.2

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 11:00 a.m. <0.025 3.91 32.8 231

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/04/2013 2:00 p.m. <0.040 <0.04 3.18 3.8

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 1:45 p.m. <0.025 78.5 121 4,060

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 10:15 a.m. <0.025 0.06 54.6 74.1

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 2:00 p.m. <0.125 13.8 185 798

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/05/2013 8:00 a.m. 0.042 <0.04 96.0 94.0

S3 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/12/2012 10:15 a.m. 0.755 134 9.02 5,780

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 6:30 p.m 0.798 105 85.3 4,000

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/03/2013 11:20 a.m. 0.050 0.19 24.7 29.4

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/23/2013 11:45 a.m. <0.025 0.96 82.7 84.4

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/06/2013 8:15 a.m. <0.040 0.15 13.8 18.2

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/12/2012 8:15 a.m. 0.250 5.58 94.0 478

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 10:15 a.m. 0.040 1.07 7.66 60.8

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 11:15 a.m. <0.040 <0.04 1.62 2.0

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 8:30 a.m. 0.036 10.1 64.5 610

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 12:30 p.m. 0.036 0.26 6.93 11.0

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 12:45 p.m. <0.040 0.05 33.5 36.8

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 3:30 p.m. <0.025 2.63 31.0 225

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 3:10 p.m. 0.213 0.22 16.9 16.3

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 2:30 p.m. <0.040 0.24 30.4 45.5

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned after rain event 07/11/2012 5:40 p.m. 0.210 32.7 1.45 1,250

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 2:15 p.m. 0.026 0.05 17.8 16.4

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 12:45 p.m. <0.040 0.08 62.6 66.2

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 10:34 a.m. <0.025 0.29 472 1,460

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 4:15 p.m. 0.038 4.34 34.9 381

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 3:45 p.m. 0.034 0.11 18.4 21.4

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned after rain event 07/23/2013 8:30 a.m. <0.025 1.38 85.8 123

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 11:00 a.m. <0.040 <0.20 39.5 41.5

W9 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/08/2013 10:10 a.m. 0.176 -- 3.13 --

W26 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/26/2013 5:00 p.m. <0.175 -- 32.2 --

W35 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 12:20 p.m. 0.035 -- 0.21 --

W38 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 10:45 a.m. 2.78 -- 2,820 --

W39 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/24/2013 2:45 p.m. 0.225 -- 2.41 --

W40 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/07/2013 11:20 a.m. 0.295 -- 61.9 --

W41 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 4:30 p.m. <0.025 -- 33.1 --

W42 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 9:50 a.m. 0.084 -- 0.81 --
Introduction 31

Table 6. Water-quality data for surface-water and groundwater sites sampled in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New 

Mexico.—Continued

[mm, month; dd, day; yyyy, year; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, no data; NA, not applicable; μS/cm at 25 °C, microsiemens per 

centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; NTRU, nephelometric turbidity ratio unit; <, less than; E, estimated; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; SiO2, 

silicon dioxide; +, plus; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; μg/L, micrograms per liter]

Map 

location 

identifier 

(table 4)

Watershed 

name

Burned or 

unburned 

watershed

Hydrologic 

condition

Sample 

date

(mm/dd/yyyy)

Time

Zinc, 

filtered 

(μg/L)

Zinc, 

unfiltered, 

(μg/L)

Arsenic, 

filtered 

(μg/L)

Arsenic, 

unfiltered 

(μg/L)

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 12:20 p.m. <1.4 160 0.24 8.7

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 11:30 a.m. 8.9 <3.0 0.25 <0.28

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 11:00 a.m. <1.4 12.0 0.59 1.2

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/04/2013 2:00 p.m. <2.0 <2.0 0.22 <0.28

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 1:45 p.m. <1.4 154 1.4 11.1

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 10:15 a.m. 3.0 <3.0 0.37 0.37

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 2:00 p.m. <7.0 35.8 0.99 3.1

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/05/2013 8:00 a.m. <2.0 <2.0 0.28 0.30

S3 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/12/2012 10:15 a.m. <1.4 241 0.07 13.5

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 6:30 p.m 79.7 216 1.2 12.3

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/03/2013 11:20 a.m. <1.4 3.8 0.61 0.74

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/23/2013 11:45 a.m. <1.4 <3.0 0.73 2.7

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/06/2013 8:15 a.m. <2.0 <2.0 0.53 0.86

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/12/2012 8:15 a.m. <1.4 25.4 1.3 2.2

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 10:15 a.m. 1.8 5.3 0.23 0.29

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 11:15 a.m. <2.0 <2.0 0.11 <0.28

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 8:30 a.m. <1.4 53.2 1.2 3.5

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 12:30 p.m. 1.5 <3.0 0.24 0.30

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 12:45 p.m. <2.0 <2.0 0.32 0.48

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 3:30 p.m. <1.4 20.7 1.5 1.6

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 3:10 p.m. 28.1 24.8 0.26 0.42

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 2:30 p.m. 6.3 6.8 0.44 0.70

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned after rain event 07/11/2012 5:40 p.m. <1.4 76.4 2.0 7.1

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 2:15 p.m. 1.7 <3.0 0.4 0.37

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 12:45 p.m. <2.0 <6.0 0.51 <0.84

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 10:34 a.m. <1.4 <3.0 1.5 4.8

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 4:15 p.m. <1.4 15.7 1.2 2.3

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 3:45 p.m. 3.5 <3.0 0.41 0.50

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned after rain event 07/23/2013 8:30 a.m. <1.4 4.3 0.55 1.9

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 11:00 a.m. <2.0 <10.0 0.47 <1.4

W9 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/08/2013 10:10 a.m. 8.4 -- 0.14 --

W26 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/26/2013 5:00 p.m. <9.8 -- 1.0 --

W35 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 12:20 p.m. 2.4 -- 0.41 --

W38 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 10:45 a.m. 17.3 -- 0.4 --

W39 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/24/2013 2:45 p.m. 21.5 -- 0.23 --

W40 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/07/2013 11:20 a.m. 7.2 -- 0.21 --

W41 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 4:30 p.m. 10.2 -- 0.17 --

W42 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 9:50 a.m. 3.8 -- 0.52 --
32 Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County

Table 6. Water-quality data for surface-water and groundwater sites sampled in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New 

Mexico.—Continued

[mm, month; dd, day; yyyy, year; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, no data; NA, not applicable; μS/cm at 25 °C, microsiemens per 

centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; NTRU, nephelometric turbidity ratio unit; <, less than; E, estimated; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; SiO2, 

silicon dioxide; +, plus; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; μg/L, micrograms per liter]

Map 

location 

identifier

Watershed 

name

Burned or 

unburned 

watershed

Hydrologic 

condition

Sample 

date

(mm/dd/yyyy)

Time

Organic 

carbon, 

filtered 

(mg/L)

Organic 

carbon, 

unfiltered 

(mg/L)

Uranium 

(natural), 

filtered 

(μg/L)

Uranium 

(natural), 

unfiltered 

(μg/L)

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 12:20 p.m. 22.2 77.2 0.027 6.81

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 11:30 a.m. -- 2.3 0.597 0.555

S1 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 11:00 a.m. 2.69 9.3 0.451 0.567

S1 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/04/2013 2:00 p.m. 1.87 -- 0.631 0.611

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 1:45 p.m. 79.1 223 2.56 13.4

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/04/2013 10:15 a.m. 12.3 -- 5.14 4.56

S2 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 2:00 p.m. 4.64 26.1 3.99 4.50

S2 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/05/2013 8:00 a.m. 4.10 -- 2.59 2.50

S3 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/12/2012 10:15 a.m. 63.4 325 0.050 16.4

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 6:30 p.m 35.6 218 0.205 17.8

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 04/03/2013 11:20 a.m. -- 2.5 2.04 1.76

S4 Rio Bonito Burned after rain event 07/23/2013 11:45 a.m. 1.25 3.2 1.61 2.11

S4 Rio Bonito Burned stable 11/06/2013 8:15 a.m. 1.78 -- 1.90 1.93

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/12/2012 8:15 a.m. 10.4 18.4 0.060 1.45

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 10:15 a.m. -- 3.7 0.232 0.259

S5 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 11:15 a.m. 1.77 -- 0.187 0.203

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 8:30 a.m. 5.79 19.2 1.70 2.19

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 12:30 p.m. -- 2.0 1.26 1.10

S6 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 12:45 p.m. -- -- 1.35 1.45

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned after rain event 07/11/2012 3:30 p.m. 3.94 8.0 1.43 1.69

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 04/02/2013 3:10 p.m. -- 4.3 1.19 1.10

S7 Rio Ruidoso Unburned stable 11/05/2013 2:30 p.m. 1.90 -- 1.33 1.39

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned after rain event 07/11/2012 5:40 p.m. 6.58 63.8 1.48 2.21

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 2:15 p.m. -- 1.5 1.98 1.74

S8 Rio Ruidoso Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 12:45 p.m. 1.33 -- 1.72 1.78

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/11/2012 10:34 a.m. 46.1 38.9 0.745 7.04

S9 Rio Ruidoso Burned after rain event 07/22/2013 4:15 p.m. 4.25 13.3 0.851 1.22

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 04/03/2013 3:45 p.m. -- 1.5 1.78 1.62

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned after rain event 07/23/2013 8:30 a.m. 0.78 3.4 1.45 1.76

S10 Rio Hondo Partially burned stable 11/06/2013 11:00 a.m. 1.17 -- 1.70 1.92

W9 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/08/2013 10:10 a.m. 0.26 -- 0.127 --

W26 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/26/2013 5:00 p.m. 0.94 -- 9.77 --

W35 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 12:20 p.m. <0.23 -- 0.609 --

W38 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 10:45 a.m. 0.51 -- 1.02 --

W39 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/24/2013 2:45 p.m. 1.08 -- 1.67 --

W40 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/07/2013 11:20 a.m. 0.41 -- 0.376 --

W41 Rio Ruidoso NA NA 06/25/2013 4:30 p.m. 0.49 -- 2.02 --

W42 Rio Bonito NA NA 05/09/2013 9:50 a.m. 0.41 -- 1.83 --
Water Resources During Drought Conditions 33

Water Resources During Drought 

Conditions

Streamflow

Streamflow data were collected from two streamflowgaging stations in the upper Rio Hondo Basin: Rio Ruidoso 

at Hollywood, N. Mex. (08387000; site S6) and Eagle Creek 

below South Fork near Alto, N. Mex. (08387600; site S9), 

herein referred to as “Eagle Creek streamflow-gaging station” 

(fig. 1; table 1). Annual mean streamflow at the Rio Ruidoso 

at Hollywood streamflow-gaging station (site S6) ranged from 

4.17 cubic feet per second (ft3/s) in 1964 to 49.7 ft3/s in 1987 

(fig. 2C). Average mean annual streamflow for the period of 

record (1954–2013) is 18.3 ft3/s. The Eagle Creek streamflowgaging station has been operated by the USGS during two 

periods —1969–80 and 1988–present (2013). Annual mean 

streamflow at this station (site S9) ranged from 0.10 ft3

/s in 

2011 to 8.48 ft3/s in 1979. Average mean annual streamflow 

for the period of record (1969–80 and 1988–2013) is 2.1 ft3/s 

(U.S. Geological Survey, 2014). 

Figure 8A shows daily mean streamflow at the Rio 

Ruidoso at Hollywood streamflow-gaging station (site S6) 

for the study period (2010–13) along with historical statistics 

(10th, 50th, and 90th percentiles) for the period of record 

(1954–2013). The average mean annual streamflow of 

18.3 ft3/s (table 1) was exceeded in 2010 (31.2 ft3/s) largely 

because of an above normal snowpack and subsequent spring 

snowmelt (fig. 4). Annual mean streamflow at site S6 was less 

than 50 percent of the average mean annual in 2011 (7.0 ft3/s, 

38 percent), 2012 (6.2 ft3/s, 34 percent), and 2013 (7.5 ft3/s, 

41 percent). A noticeable feature in the streamflow record 

for 2011–13 at site S6 is that the snowmelt pulse between 

March 1 and June 1 was diminished compared to the 50thpercentile statistic for the period of record (fig. 8A). At site S6, 

all 3 years exhibited minimal increases in streamflow during 

this period, with 2011 and 2013 near the 10th percentile of 

historical values. Slight increases in streamflow were observed 

during early April and early May 2012, but daily mean values 

remained well below the 50th-percentile statistic for the 

period of record (fig. 8A). Fall and winter (October-February) 

streamflow values at S6 were near the 50th-percentile statistic 

for water years 2010, 2011, and 2012 but were lower than the 

50th-percentile statistic in 2013. The first zero-streamflow 

values for the period of record (1954–2013) were recorded at 

site S6 on June 27–29, 2013. 

Figure 8B shows daily mean streamflow at the Eagle 

Creek streamflow-gaging station (site S9) for the study period 

(2010–13) along with historical statistics (10th, 50th, and 90th 

percentiles) for the period of record (1969–80; 1988–2013). 

Annual mean streamflow at site S9 was above the average 

mean annual of 2.1 ft3

/s (table 1) in 2010 (2.7 ft3/s) but below 

average for water years 2011, 2012, and 2013 (fig. 8B). The 

lowest annual mean streamflow on record occurred in 2011 

(0.10 ft3/s), with the streamflow-gaging station recording 

zero streamflow for approximately 50 percent of the year 

(183 days) (U.S. Geological Survey, 2014). Annual mean 

streamflow values at site S9 in 2012 (0.15 ft3/s) and 2013 

(0.40 ft3/s) were the 3rd and 8th lowest on record at this 

station, respectively. More days of zero streamflow were 

recorded in 2012 and 2013 (320 and 311 days, respectively) 

despite higher annual mean values in 2012 and 2013 than 

2011.The occurrence of zero streamflow values at the Eagle 

Creek streamflow-gaging station has increased over time and 

was not as common during dry periods in the past (Matherne 

and others, 2010). Some of the rapid increases in streamflow 

in Eagle Creek in 2012 and 2013 (fig. 8B) were likely the 

result of monsoon rainfall runoff from burn scar areas because 

almost the entire drainage area of the gage is within the burn 

perimeter of the 2012 Little Bear Fire (fig. 6A). The Eagle 

Creek and Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood streamflow-gaging 

stations exhibited large (> 90th percentile) streamflow 

peaks (fig. 8) that coincided with an extreme rainfall event 

that occurred from September 10 to September 17, 2013 

(4.1 inches at CL1 and 8.5 inches at CL2) (fig. 1; National 

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Climatic 

Data Center, 2014a). 
34 Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County

Month

Streamflow, in cubic feet per second

0.1 

1 

10 

100 

1,000 

0.1 

1 

10 

100 

1,000 

0.1 

1 

10 

100 

1,000 

0.1 

1 

10 

100 

1,000 

Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept.

2010

2011

2012

2013

90th percentile 

10th percentile 50th percentile 

Daily mean streamflow

Mar. 1

June 1

A

Figure 8. Daily mean streamflow for 2010–13 and selected daily statistics at A, Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood, New Mexico (08387000; S6); 

and B, Eagle Creek below Southfork near Alto, N. Mex. (08387000; S9), streamflow-gaging stations.
Water Resources During Drought Conditions 35

Historical total annual precipitation, relative drought 

conditions, and annual mean streamflow at the Rio Ruidoso at 

Hollywood streamflow-gaging station are shown in figure 2. 

Data indicate that annual mean streamflow values (fig. 2C) 

observed during 2011–13 drought conditions were of similar 

magnitude to those measured during the drought of the 1950s, 

despite less precipitation (fig. 2A) and more severe drought 

conditions (fig. 2B). Although annual mean streamflow 

values were similar, spring (March–May) streamflow values 

from 2011 to 2013 were lower than spring streamflow values 

observed during the drought of the 1950s when streamflow 

data were available (1954–56) by about 13 percent, perhaps 

as a result of a smaller snowpack from 2011 to 2013. The 

relations of total annual precipitation and annual PDSI to 

annual mean streamflow at Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood for 

1954–2013 are shown in figure 9. Annual mean streamflow 

values were 7.0, 6.2, and 7.5 ft3/s in 2011, 2012, and 2013, 

respectively. Although these streamflow values were not the 

lowest on record, they were under the 15th percentile for the 

period of record. 

Increases in the number and magnitude of large flow 

events at the Eagle Creek streamflow-gaging station (site S9), 

located downstream from a burned watershed, were observed 

after the occurrence of the Little Bear Fire in 2012 (fig. 8B), 

but annual mean streamflow remained below average for 

2012 and 2013 (fig. 2C). In general, periodic increases in 

streamflow related to snowmelt or monsoon rain events were 

observed at both the Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood (fig. 8A) and 

Eagle Creek (fig. 8B) streamflow-gaging stations during the 

study period (2010–13), but these increases overlay a longerterm trend of decreasing annual streamflow in the Rio Ruidoso 

watershed since the 1980s (fig. 2C). 

Streamflow, in cubic feet per second

0.01 

0.1 

1 

10 

100 

2010

0.01 

0.1 

1 

10 

100 2011

90th percentile 

10th percentile 

50th percentile 

0.01 

0.1 

1 

10 

100 

2012

0.01 

0.1 

1 

10 

100 

2013

Month

Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept.

Daily mean streamflow

Mar. 1

June 1

B

Figure 8. Daily mean streamflow for 2010–13 and selected daily statistics at A, Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood, New Mexico (08387000; S6); 

and B, Eagle Creek below Southfork near Alto, N. Mex. (08387000; S9), streamflow-gaging stations.—Continued
36 Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County

Groundwater Levels 

Discrete Groundwater-Level Measurements

The USGS monitored groundwater levels in the upper 

Rio Hondo Basin approximately bimonthly in 37 wells 

between 2010 and 2013. Rises or declines in groundwater 

levels collected during 2010–13 were determined by 

calculating the difference in water levels from September 

2009 to September 2013. Water-level declines were observed 

in 34 wells, water-level rises were observed in 2 wells (W12 

and W13), and 2 wells had no change in water level (W19 and 

W33). The average water-level change among all 37 wells 

was -7.6 ft with several wells exhibiting declines of more 

than 25 ft (W17, W24, and W29) (fig. 10; table 3). The largest 

water-level declines were observed in the upper reaches of 

the Rio Bonito and Rio Ruidoso watersheds, coincident with 

the highest population density in the upper Rio Hondo Basin 

(Darr and others, 2014), and smaller declines were observed 

in the lower reaches of the watersheds. Both of the wells that 

exhibited water-level rises are located along the Rio Bonito.

Normalized hydrographs (explained in the “Methods” 

section) from selected wells are shown in figure 11. Water 

levels from 10 wells located in Rio Ruidoso watershed 

(fig. 11A) and 12 wells located in the Rio Bonito watershed 

(fig. 11B) exhibited mostly above-average water levels in 

early 2011 and mostly below-average water levels from 2011 

to 2013. Most water levels were relatively stable or slightly 

increasing from 2010 to 2011 and exhibited a decline from 

2011 to 2013. No obvious change in water levels was observed 

in the Rio Bonito watershed (fig. 11B) after the occurrence of 

the Little Bear Fire in June. 

Decadal-scale water-level changes were observed 

(Darr and others, 2014) to be coincident with precipitation 

patterns in which average water-level changes in the upper 

Rio Hondo Basin varied from +4.0 ft to -17.0 ft. Water levels 

were relatively lower in the 1950s, higher in the late 1980s 

and early 1990s, lower in 2003, and higher in 2010. Longterm water-level changes were also reported on the order of 

±4 ft when comparing conditions in the 1950s to those in 

2003 (Donohoe, 2004), two time periods exhibiting drought 

conditions. Donohoe (2004) also observed water-level declines 

of as much as 50 ft in 52 of the 61 wells measured between 

March 2003 and July 2003. These water-level changes 

were likely affected by localized and seasonal groundwater 

withdrawals. Basinwide comparisons between water levels 

measured during the 1950s, 2003, and 2011–13 drought 

conditions were not feasible for this report because only four 

wells have a historical record with measurements during all 

three of these periods (W1, W19, W25, and W32) (table 3). 

In general, water-level changes observed from 2010 to 2013, 

in which a majority of the change occurred during drought 

conditions from 2011 to 2013, were on the order of decadalscale changes that previously have been observed in the upper 

Rio Hondo Basin (Darr and others, 2014). 

-7 -5 -3 -1 1 3 5 7 

2013

2011

2012

1 

10 

100 

10 15 20 25 30 35 

2013

2011

2012

Total annual precipitation, in inches Palmer Drought Severity Index

Annual mean streamflow, in cubic feet per second

A B

r2 is the coefficient of determination

Annual mean streamflow = 15.897e0.1963Palmer Drought Severity Index

r

2

 = 0.60829 

r2

 is the coefficient of determination

Annual mean streamflow = 2.2093e0.0898Total annual precipitaion

r

2

 = 0.40409

Figure 9. Relation between Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood, New Mexico (08387000; S6) streamflow-gaging station annual mean streamflow 

and A, Ruidoso, New Mexico, climate station total annual precipitation; and B, Palmer Drought Severity Index, New Mexico Climate 

Division 6, 1954–2013.
Water Resources During Drought Conditions 37

Rio

Hondo

Rio Ruidoso

E

L

a

i

gle Creek

ttle Creek

Rio Bonito

Salado Creek

Carrizo Creek

Rio Bonito

Magad o Creek

W14

W13 W12

W31

W19

W9

W32

W30

W10

W36

W34

W22 W23

W8

W33

W37 W28

W35

W1 W3

W25

W4

W11

W7

W6

W2

W21

W26

W18

W29

W24

W16

W27

W15

W5

W17

W20

0.1 to 4.9

0.0

-0.1 to -4.9

-5.0 to -9.9

-10 to -24.9

Greater than -25.0

Ruidoso

Downs Hollywood

Ruidoso

Alto

Angus

Fort Stanton

Capitan

Glencoe

Hondo

San Patricio

Lincoln

105°50’ 40’ 30’ 105°20’

30’

20’

33°

40’

0 2.5 5 7.5 10 MILES

0 2.5 5 7.5 10 KILOMETERS

33°

10’

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital raster graphics, 1:24,000

Universal Transverse Mercator projection, zone 13

North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83)

EXPLANATION

Study area boundary

Well used to calculate water-level 

change and well identifier

Water-level change, in feet. Changes 

are listed in table 3

W31

Figure 10. Water-level changes in 37 wells from 2010 to 2013, upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New Mexico.
38 Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County

-30 

-20 

-10 

0 

10 

20 

30 

-30 

-20 

-10 

0 

10 

20 

30 

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 

Normalized water level, in feet

EXPLANATION

 Map location identifier and U.S. Geological Survey site identifier (table 3)

EXPLANATION

 Map location identifier and U.S. Geological Survey site identifier (table 3)

A. Wells in the Rio Ruidoso watershed

B. Wells in the Rio Bonito watershed

W22. 332343105362701

W25. 332144105411901

W26. 332247105383401

W27. 332228105383801

W28. 332051105383801

W29. 321959105360201

W30. 331948105350101

W32. 332402105282201

W33. 332355105270701

W36. 332329105164301 

W1. 333040105411901

W2. 333058105373101

W4. 333229105361401

W5. 333154105341001

W6. 333107105341901

W7. 333156105315001

W10. 332538105402301

W11. 332641105394501

W19. 332937105314501

W20. 332953105313401

W21. 333030105294801

W35. 332437105170301 

Date

Figure 11. Selected wells in the A, Rio Ruidoso watershed; and B, the Rio Bonito watershed from 2010 to 2013, upper Rio Hondo Basin, 

Lincoln County, New Mexico.
Water Resources During Drought Conditions 39

Continuous Groundwater-Level Measurements

Changes in groundwater levels occur on various time 

scales, and rapid fluctuations resulting from precipitation 

events can go undetected by measurements on a bimonthly 

time scale. Hydrographs from three wells equipped with 

continuous water-level recorders since 2008 are shown in 

figure 12. Groundwater-level declines were observed from 

January 2011 to summer 2013 in wells W11 (fig. 12A) and 

W26 (fig. 12C) that are consistent with declines in bimonthly 

water-level measurements (7 ft and 22 ft, respectively) 

(fig. 11A and 11B). However, well W25 (fig. 12B) did not 

exhibit a noticeable groundwater-level decline over the same 

time period. Well W26 is completed in the Permian regional 

aquifer system, while wells W11 and W25 are completed in 

Cretaceous sandstones or shales (Rawling, 2011; Darr and 

others, 2014). Although well W25 is completed in similar 

geology to well W11 (Cretaceous sandstones or shales), it 

exhibits faster response time to events and diurnal behavior 

consistent with a closer hydraulic connection to surface water 

at this location. In addition, the western part of the upper Rio 

Hondo Basin where W25 is located is highly fractured and 

faulted, and as a result, groundwater movement and response 

to pumping and precipitation events can vary substantially 

over small distances and depths. This is illustrated by highly 

variable well production in similar geologic units (Darr and 

others, 2014).

All three sites exhibited water-level increases beginning 

in September 2013 in response to an extreme rainfall event 

that occurred in the upper Rio Hondo Basin from September 

10 to September 17, 2013. After this event, water-level 

increases in wells equipped with continuous water-level 

37 

39 

41 

43 

45 

47 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

105 

110 

115 

120 

125 

130 

135 

140 

145 

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 

Water level, in feet below land surface

W25. 332144105411901

Well depth = 100 feet

W26. 332247105383401

Well depth = 510 feet

W11. 332641105394501

Well depth = 154 feet

A

B

C

Year

Figure 12. Wells with continuous water-level recorders in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New Mexico.
40 Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County

recorders ranged from about 4 ft in wells W11 (fig. 12A) and 

W25 (fig. 12B) to about 10 ft in well W26 (fig. 12C) and 

began almost instantaneously (increases in all three wells 

began before September 17). These water-level increases 

are of similar orders of magnitude to observed increases in 

other wells in response to historical precipitation events in 

the upper Rio Hondo Basin (Donohoe, 2004; Matherne and 

others, 2010) and outside of the study area in the Sacramento 

Mountains (Newton and others, 2012). 

Darr and others (2014) also documented responses 

to weather related events in wells W11, W25, and W26 

from 2008 to 2010, making note of water-level increases in 

response to heavy precipitation as a result of Hurricane Dolly 

in 2008 and an above-average snowmelt in 2010. Although 

water levels increased in wells W11 and W26 at the end of 

2013, water levels remained near or below minimum values 

observed during 2008–11 (figs. 12A and 12C). The recharge 

pulse observed in well W25 beginning in September 2013 

begins to decline by the end of 2013, indicating that these 

event-based recharge pulses are temporary in this location. 

Surface-water diversions and groundwater withdrawals 

have increased over time in the upper Rio Hondo Basin (Darr 

and others, 2014) and may increase further during persistent 

drought conditions. It is likely that increases in surface-water 

diversions and (or) groundwater pumping have contributed to 

declining streamflow and groundwater levels in the upper Rio 

Hondo Basin, but their effects are difficult to differentiate from 

the effects of drought conditions. Regardless of the magnitude 

of the influences of surface-water diversions and groundwater 

pumping on current streamflow and groundwater-level 

conditions, a reduction in precipitation and worsening drought 

conditions may lead to increased reliance on groundwater for 

public supply and cause further strain on the water resources 

of the upper Rio Hondo Basin. 

Determination of Recharge Mechanisms

Stable Isotope Results

Seven surface-water samples, four spring samples, and 

nine groundwater well samples were collected between May 

and November 2013 and analyzed for δD and δ18O. Values 

of δD ranged from -68.4 to -57.6 per mil and values of δ18O 

ranged from -10.0 to -8.2 per mil for surface-water samples. 

Values of δD ranged from -70.4 to -53.9 per mil and values 

of δ18O ranged from -10.3 to -7.9 per mil for spring samples. 

Values of δD ranged from -70.1 to -53.0 per mil and values 

of δ18O ranged from -10.5 to -7.5 per mil for groundwater 

samples (fig. 13A, table 7). The similar isotope composition 

of the three types of samples (surface water, springs, and 

wells) suggests an interaction between surface water and 

groundwater, at least in areas near streams. 

Samples for this study were collected from sites with 

land-surface elevations ranging from 5,184 ft to 9,816 ft, 

representing a majority of the elevation range in the upper 

Rio Hondo Basin. Sample values for δD exhibit a correlation 

with elevation based on linear regression methods (Helsel 

and Hirsch, 2002) with the heaviest (least negative) samples 

associated with lower elevations and the lightest (most 

negative) samples associated with higher elevation samples 

(fig. 13B). A similar correlation was seen with δ18O but is 

not presented in a figure. The gradient was due to elevation 

change and was seen in δD as -3.7 per mil every 1,000 ft of 

elevation increase and in δ18O as -0.06 per mil every 1,000 ft 

of elevation increase. These rates of change are lower than a 

range of other gradients reported from mountainous terrains 

around the world (Vuataz and Goff, 1986) but are similar 

to gradients from precipitation in the southern Sacramento 

Mountains (Newton and others, 2012; Eastoe and Rodney, 

2014).

The stable isotope values are plotted in figure 13A and 

are compared to the GMWL and two regional water lines: the 

LMWL from Newton and others (2012) and the Sacramento 

Mountains Trend (SMT) from Eastoe and Rodney (2014). 

The LMWL represents the relation between δD and δ18O in 

precipitation collected from the Sacramento Mountains to 

the south of the study area. The SMT is a relation developed 

from the stable isotope values from surface water, springs, and 

groundwater wells in the higher elevations (approximately 

5,300–8,500 ft) of the Sacramento Mountains. The LMWL 

plots above the GMWL but with a similar slope of 8.4 

compared to 8 for the GMWL. The SMT has a lower slope 

of 6.1, which is attributed to an evaporation trend on water 

with an initial winter precipitation signature (Eastoe and 

Rodney, 2014). The data collected for this study fall outside 

the LMWL typical summer precipitation in the Sacramento 

Mountains (with δD and δ18O values above approximately 

-67 and -11, respectively) and correspond well to the slope 

of the SMT (Newton and others, 2012) (fig. 13A), which 

would be consistent with the relatively heavy stable isotopic 

compositions of water samples from lower elevations largely 

being the result of evaporation of precipitation that originated 

at higher elevations. 

The LMWL was developed during a time when two 

anomalous summer precipitation seasons (2006 and 2008) 

occurred (Matherne and others, 2010), which may have 

skewed the volume-weighted LMWL line away from the 

long-term average composition for the area; therefore, this line 

may not be ideal for comparisons to values from the upper 

Rio Hondo Basin, especially during abnormally dry periods. 

Newton and others (2012) observed that seasonal stable 

isotope values of surface water, springs, and groundwater 

wells varied in response to the large summer recharge events 

that occurred in 2006 and 2008. Samples collected after the 

recharge events plot closer to the LMWL, then shift over time 

back to a trend more similar to the SMT. Samples collected for 

this study were not coincident with any large recharge events, 

and values plot close to the SMT (fig. 13A).
Water Resources During Drought Conditions 41

Stable isotope results from groundwater samples 

collected in upper Eagle Creek in 2008 and 2009 by Matherne 

and others (2010) fall largely near the SMT but with a best-fit 

line similar to that of the LMWL (slope 7.8). This difference 

in slope compared to the samples from this study and the SMT 

are likely the result of the influence of the large July 2008 

summer precipitation event associated with the remnants of 

Hurricane Dolly. As was seen in the samples collected for the 

Newton and others (2012) investigation, samples collected 

after these large summer precipitation events skew towards the 

LMWL, only to later trend back towards the SMT. Samples 

from the Matherne and others (2010) study in upper Eagle 

Creek are more depleted in δD and δ18O than the samples from 

this study, likely because of the effect of higher elevation, as 

samples for the Matherne and others (2010) study were from 

an elevation of about 7,800 ft compared to about 6,600 ft 

for this study. The depletion effects of rainout from the large 

precipitation event in July 2008 also likely play a role in the 

composition of these samples.

Deviation of isotope values along the evaporation trend 

represented by the SMT indicates that rather than rapid 

recharge into aquifers some component of groundwater 

recharge (particularly at lower elevations) is being evaporated 

first, perhaps within shallow alluvial stream channels or 

by repeated cycles of stream water exiting and entering the 

alluvial materials of streambanks along gaining and losing 

stream reaches, referred to as “daylighting and diving” 

(Matherne and others, 2010; Newton and others, 2012). 

Repeated gaining and losing streamflow reaches are common 

in the area and have been observed on upper Eagle Creek 

(Matherne and others, 2010) and other streams in the upper 

Rio Hondo Basin (Darr and others, 2014). Isotope values 

further along the SMT (heavier values; less negative) indicate 

repeated evaporation events, and the general presence of the 

-80 

-75 

-70 

-65 

-60 

-55 

-50 

-12 -11.5 -11 -10.5 -10 -9.5 -9 -8.5 -8 -7.5 -7 

Deuterium (δD), in per mil 

GMWL

δD = 8.018O + 10 

LMWL

δD = 8.418O + 23.4 

SMT

δD = 6.118O - 6.9 

Global meteoric water line (GMWL) (Craig, 1961)

Local meteoric water line (LMWL) (Newton and others, 2012)

Sacramento Mountains trend (SMT) (Eastoe and Rodney, 2014)

Matherne and others (2010)

Surface water

Springs

Groundwater wells

Oxygen-18 (δ18O), in per mil 

EXPLANATION

A

Winter precipitation

Summer precipitation

SP4

W35

W42

S4

S8 W26

W39

S7

S2

W41

W40

S6

S1

W9

SP1

W38 SP2

S5

W33

SP3

Deuterium (δD), in per mil 

δD = -0.0037(elevation) - 36.55

 R2 = 0.67 

EXPLANATION

Surface water

Springs

Groundwater wells

-75 

-70 

-65 

-60 

-55 

-50 

4,500 5,500 6,500 7,500 8,500 9,500 10,500 

Elevation, in feet above the North American 

Vertical Datum of 1988

B

Figure 13. A, Stable isotopes deuterium (δD) and oxygen-18 (δ18O) expressed as the deviation (δ), in parts per thousand, from Standard 

Mean Ocean Water (Craig, 1961); and B, Deuterium values with respect to site land-surface elevation in surface-water, groundwater, 

and spring samples collected in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New Mexico.
42 Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County

lowest-elevation samples on the distal end of this evaporative 

trend line supports this because low-elevation samples 

have more opportunities for daylighting and evaporation. 

Conversely, values nearer to the intersection of the LMWL and 

SMT correspond to depleted waters, likely winter precipitation 

(snowmelt), that were subjected to less evaporation. The SMT 

intersects the LMWL near an isotope composition similar to 

winter precipitation at a site located at an elevation of about 

9,150 ft based on a relation between elevation and isotopic 

composition of precipitation (Eastoe and Rodney, 2014).

Stable-isotope data from this study and others from the 

Sacramento Mountains to the south of the upper Rio Hondo 

Basin (Newton and others, 2012; Eastoe and Rodney, 2014) 

indicate that water originating as high-elevation winter 

precipitation, and subsequently undergoing evaporation at 

lower elevations, generally contributes more recharge to 

groundwater than summer rains, except in situations where 

there are large summer recharge events, such as those 

observed in 2006, 2008, and 2013. These stable-isotope data 

imply that little recharge is occurring at the lower elevations 

in the upper Rio Hondo Basin because these areas receive 

a smaller amount of total precipitation, receive a smaller 

proportion of the annual total falling as winter precipitation, 

and have higher average temperatures that result in more 

evaporative losses. Areas at lower elevations, however, may 

receive some amounts of focused local recharge because 

of proximity to surface water and (or) prominent structural 

features such as the Ruidoso fault zone, located near the center 

of the study area (Darr and others, 2014). 

Table 7. Isotope data for sites sampled in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New Mexico.

[mm, month; dd, day; yyyy, year; δD, Deuterium/Protium ratio; δ18O, delta Oxygen-18; TU, tritium units; δ13C, delta Carbon-13; 14C, Carbon-14; NS, not 

sampled]

Map 

location 

identifier 

(table 3)

Land-surface 

elevation 

above North 

American 

Vertical 

Datum of 1988 

(feet)

Sample 

date

(mm/dd/yyyy)

δD

(per mil)

δ18O

(per mil)

Tritium

(TU)1

δ13C

(per mil)

14C

(percent 

modern)

14C

(percent 

modern 

carbon)

Unadjusted 

radiocarbon 

age

(years)

Surface water

S1 7,540 11/04/2013 -64.2 -9.5 NS2 NS NS NS NS

S2 6,582 11/05/2013 -60.4 -8.7 NS NS NS NS NS

S4 5,207 11/06/2013 -57.6 -8.2 NS NS NS NS NS

S5 7,163 11/05/2013 -68.4 -10.0 NS NS NS NS NS

S6 6,422 11/05/2013 -61.7 -8.9 NS NS NS NS NS

S7 6,080 11/05/2013 -60.7 -8.6 NS NS NS NS NS

S8 5,184 11/06/2013 -59.0 -8.4 NS NS NS NS NS

Springs

SP1 8,120 11/08/2013 -70.4 -10.3 NS NS NS NS NS

SP2 8,072 11/07/2013 -69.8 -10.1 NS NS NS NS NS

SP3 6,598 11/07/2013 -57.0 -8.2 NS NS NS NS NS

SP4 5,337 11/07/2013 -53.9 -7.9 NS NS NS NS NS

Groundwater

W9 6,181 05/08/2013 -64.9 -9.3 1

0.07 -8.0 32.7 33.9 8,644.3

W26 7,143 06/26/2013 -59.9 -8.2 2.5 -10.9 39.9 41.1 7,093.6

W33 5,912 11/07/2013 -58.7 -8.3 NS NS NS NS NS

W35 5,372 05/09/2013 -53.0 -7.7 2

0.05 -13.2 49.8 51.0 5,350.1

W38 9,816 06/25/2013 -70.1 -10.5 3.1 -14.6 72.0 73.6 2,410.3

W39 6,945 06/24/2013 -61.0 -8.6 NS NS NS NS NS

W40 7,017 05/07/2013 -62.2 -8.8 1.0 -6.1 31.0 32.2 9,053.4

W41 5,857 06/25/2013 -59.9 -8.7 1.8 -10.8 65.8 67.7 3,072.0

W42 5,784 05/09/2013 -53.6 -7.5 0.3 -7.9 44.0 45.6 6,258.0

1

Below laboratory detection limit of 0.09 TU.

2

Below laboratory detection limit of 0.08 TU.
Postfire Water Quality 43

Radioisotope Results

Radioisotope samples were collected from seven 

groundwater wells in the upper Rio Hondo Basin between 

May and June 2013 (table 7). Radioisotope samples were 

not collected at surface-water or spring sites. Tritium levels 

ranged from less than the laboratory detection limit (0.08–0.09 

TU) to 3.1 TU. The highest tritium values are generally 

associated with sites at the higher elevations (table 7), 

indicating that groundwater at higher elevations generally 

has a larger component of young (post-1950s) recharge. A 

positive relation between elevation and recharge has also been 

identified for the nearby Sacramento Mountains by Newson 

and others (2012) and Eastoe and Rodney (2014). Unadjusted 

radiocarbon ages for groundwater collected from the seven 

wells ranged from about 2,400 to 9,100 years (table 7). The 

14C results do not have the same pattern of increasing age 

with decreasing elevation except for well W38, which is the 

highest elevation site for radioisotope analysis at 9,816 ft 

and is closest to the upgradient boundary of the upper Rio 

Hondo Basin. The sample from this well contained the largest 

tritium concentration (3.1 TU) as well as containing the largest 

14C concentration at 73.6 pmC. These values indicate that 

the groundwater likely has a relatively large component of 

young water and a relatively young mean age, which implies 

proximity to an area of recharge. 

Near the outlet of the upper Rio Hondo Basin, site W35 

is the lowest elevation site sampled for radioisotope analysis 

at 5,372 ft. The samples collected from this site contained 

a tritium concentration of 0.05 TU, which is less than the 

laboratory detection limit of 0.08 TU, and a 14C concentration 

of 51.0 pmC. The relatively low tritium and 14C concentrations 

of groundwater from site W35 indicate that the groundwater 

has a smaller component of young water (if any) and an older 

mean age on the far eastern side of the basin compared to 

the highest elevations to the west, and that other than local, 

focused recharge, local recharge on the far eastern side likely 

is minor and not widespread.

Although tritium results indicate that the proportion 

of young groundwater decreases away from the primary 

recharge areas in the higher elevation areas of the upper 

Rio Hondo Basin, the lack of a similar spatial pattern of 14C 

results indicates that geochemical reactions may be affecting 

the 14C concentrations and calculated unadjusted radiocarbon 

ages and (or) that there are areas where some localized 

recharge is occurring at lower elevations. The introduction 

of dead carbon from the dissolution of carbonate rocks in the 

Permian regional aquifer system, which likely contributes 

water to several of the sampled wells (W9, W26, W35, W41, 

and W42), can lower 14C concentrations and thus artificially 

increase calculated groundwater ages. The relatively large 

variability in δ13C values for the seven sampled wells (-14.6 

to -6.1 per mil; table 7) indicates that reactions that affect 

dissolved inorganic carbon are likely to be important. In 

addition, the seven wells are screened at various depths, some 

unknown, and are located at varying distances to streams 

and other recharge sources. For example, samples from 

site W41, at an elevation of 5,857 ft, contained a tritium 

concentration of 1.8 TU and a 14C concentration of 65.8 pM. 

These values appear more representative of a site closer to a 

high-elevation recharge area than to a lower-elevation area 

with less anticipated recharge. However, this well is located 

in the Rio Ruidoso alluvial valley and is screened across the 

young alluvium and the Permian Yeso Formation; therefore, 

the well is likely producing a mix of older water from the 

Yeso Formation and younger recharge through the alluvium 

from surface water originating at higher elevations. Taken as 

a whole, the results of the age tracers reflect the complexity of 

the hydrogeology of the upper Rio Hondo Basin. 

The presence of a tracer used for the dating of young 

groundwater (tritium) in groundwater samples having 

unadjusted radiocarbon ages on the order of thousands of 

years indicates that there is a mix of younger and older 

groundwater within the upper Rio Hondo Basin. Other 

studies conducted within or in proximity to the upper Rio 

Hondo Basin have identified similar groundwater conditions. 

Matherne and others (2010) collected groundwater samples for 

chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) age dating in the upper Eagle Creek 

watershed and concluded that groundwater withdrawal wells 

in the North Fork of Eagle Creek were supplied by a mixture 

of younger and older groundwater. A mixture of younger and 

older groundwater was also identified in the findings of studies 

to the south (Newton and others, 2012; Eastoe and Rodney, 

2014) and east (Hoy and Gross, 1982; Land and Huff, 2010) 

of the upper Rio Hondo Basin.

The mix of younger and older groundwater at varying 

depths and locations within the upper Rio Hondo Basin is an 

indication that there are multiple mechanisms of recharge, 

with older groundwater representing recharge that is traveling 

through the aquifer matrix and younger recharge likely 

traveling through fractures, voids, and other preferential 

pathways. These conditions are consistent with an area with 

complex geology and structural features. Although data are 

not robust enough to calculate relative percentages of younger 

and older groundwater, decreasing tritium concentrations with 

decreasing elevation (roughly west to east) indicate that recent 

recharge (post-1950s) likely is occurring primarily at higher 

elevations.

Postfire Water Quality 

Water-quality results presented in this report are from 

10 surface-water sites and 8 groundwater wells (water-quality 

sample not collected from W33) in the upper Rio Hondo Basin 

that were sampled during 2012–13 (fig. 6B; table 4). Filtered 

results were examined to characterize overall chemistry and 

were compared to historical water-quality data from streams 

in the upper Rio Hondo Basin collected during 1926–57 

(Mourant, 1963). Surface-water-sample results were also 

analyzed to determine differences in unfiltered and filtered 

water-quality samples of streams in burned and unburned 
44 Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County

watersheds after the occurrence of the Little Bear Fire in June 

2012. Samples were collected after postfire monsoon rain 

events and during periods of stable hydrologic conditions. 

Surface Water

General Chemistry and Historical Comparison

Results from the analyses of the 30 surface-water 

samples collected in the upper Rio Hondo Basin during 

2012–13 are presented in table 6. Specific conductance 

typically increased downstream in both the Rio Ruidoso and 

Rio Bonito watersheds and was similar at each sampling site 

during sampling rounds in July 2012, April 2013, July 2013, 

and November 2013 (fig. 14). Mourant (1963) observed that 

increased contact with carbonate rocks of the San Andres 

Formation resulted in increasing concentrations of dissolved 

solids in the downstream (eastward) direction through the 

upper Rio Hondo Basin. Specific conductance in the upper 

reaches of the Rio Bonito (site S1, fig. 14) ranged from 

406 microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius 

(μS/cm at 25 °C) to 627 μS/cm at 25 °C (table 6) with a 

median value of 495 μS/cm at 25 °C. Specific conductance 

in the Rio Bonito increased downstream, with maximum 

values observed just above the confluence of the Rio Bonito 

and the Rio Ruidoso (site S4) (figs. 6B and 14). Specific 

conductance at site S4 ranged from 1,120 μS/cm at 25 °C (July 

2012) to 1,910 μS/cm at 25 °C (July 2013) (table 6) with a 

median value of 1,430 μS/cm at 25 °C. Specific conductance 

in the Rio Ruidoso also generally increased downstream, 

with maximum values observed at sites S7 and S8 (figs. 6B

and 14). The median value of specific conductance was 

1,640 μS/cm at 25 °C at site S7 and 1,870 μS/cm at 25 °C 

at site S8. Specific conductance measured in the Rio Bonito 

and Rio Ruidoso as part of this study was similar to historical 

specific conductance data collected during 1955–57 (fig. 14) 

that had a median value of 1,010 μS/cm at 25 °C in the 

Rio Bonito and 1,395 μS/cm at 25 °C in the Rio Ruidoso 

(Mourant, 1963).

EXPLANATION

0 

500 

1,000 

1,500 

2,000 

2,500 

0 

500 

1,000 

1,500 

2,000 

2,500 

-5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 

Approximate river mile downstream from farthest upstream site

Specific conductance, in microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius

July 2012

April 2013

 July 2013

November 2013

Mourant (1963) 1955–57

A. Rio Bonito

B. Rio Ruidoso

S1

S2

S3

S4

S5

S6

S7 S8

Figure 14. Specific conductance according to approximate river mile in the A, Rio Ruidoso and B, Rio Bonito, upper Rio Hondo Basin, 

Lincoln County, New Mexico.
Postfire Water Quality 45

Other field measurements varied from site to site but 

did not show obvious spatial or temporal trends. Dissolvedoxygen concentrations among all surface-water samples and 

sites ranged from 4.4 mg/L to 14.9 mg/L (table 6) with a 

median value of 7.85 mg/L. It is presumed that the minimum 

dissolved-oxygen concentration of 4.4 mg/L, observed at 

site S2, was influenced by the presence of fire debris during 

elevated streamflow conditions at the time of sampling. Water 

temperature ranged from 6.0 °C to 33.6 °C with a median 

value of 16.3 °C. The range of temperatures can be primarily 

attributed to the time of day and season that the sample was 

collected. Values of pH ranged from 7.2 to 8.9 (table 6) with a 

median value of 7.9. 

Major-ion concentrations varied from site to site in the 

upper Rio Hondo Basin. A trilinear diagram that illustrates 

the relative proportion of major cations and anions in 

milliequivalents per liter (fig. 15) indicates that surface water 

can be characterized as calcium-type, with variability in 

relative major-anion concentration (bicarbonate, sulfate, and 

chloride) (Piper, 1944). The Rio Bonito and Rio Ruidoso 

watershed samples exhibit similar variability in relative 

concentrations of major anions and cations, except for 

chloride. Median chloride concentrations were higher in the 

Rio Ruidoso watershed (57.6 mg/L) than in the Rio Bonito 

watershed (32.7 mg/L) (table 8). Water type also varied 

with elevation in the upper Rio Hondo Basin with regard to 

Calcium (Ca) Chloride (Cl)

Chloride (Cl) + Sulfate (SO4

)

Bicarbonate (HCO3

) + Carbonate (CO3

)

Magnesium (Mg)

Calcium (Ca) + Magnesium (Mg)

Sodium (Na) + Potassium (K)

Sulfate (SO4

)

EXPLANATION

Rio Hondo

Rio Bonito

Rio Ruidoso

Historical sample 1955–57

(Mourant, 1963)

Current sample (2013)

Elevation, in feet above the 

North American Vertical 

Datum of 1988

 4,950

 7,650

100

80

60

40

20

0

 20

 0

 40

 60

 80

 100 0

20

40

60

80

100

0

20

40

60

80

100

0

20

40

60

80

100

 100 

 80

 60

 40

 20

 0

0

20

40

60

80

100 100

80

60

40

20

0

80

100

20

40

60

0

80

100

20

40

60

0

Percent of total ions in milliequivalents per liter

Percent of total ions in milliequivalents per liter

Percent of total ions in milliequivalents per liter

Figure 15. Hydrochemical-facies classification of major-ion chemistry of surface water in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, 

New Mexico, sampled from 1955 to 1957 and in 2012 and 2013. 
46 Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County

major anions. Samples generally evolved from bicarbonate 

dominant at higher elevations to sulfate dominant at lower 

elevations (fig. 15). Increasing sulfate concentrations can be 

attributed to the greater influence of gypsum or anhydrite 

found in the Yeso Formation as streams flow eastward through 

the upper Rio Hondo Basin in the Permian regional aquifer 

system (Hall, 1964). Surface-water samples appear to have 

similar overall major-ion chemical characteristics when 

compared to historical water-quality data collected from 1955 

to 1957 (Mourant, 1963), when samples were also collected 

during drought conditions. In the Sacramento Mountains, 

groundwater from the primary water-bearing formations of 

the Yeso and San Andres Formations has been previously 

identified as calcium sulfate to calcium bicarbonate-sulfate 

type (Hall, 1964; Newton and others, 2012). 

Concentrations of selected nutrients analyzed in the 

filtered surface-water samples varied between sites. For 

example, median nitrate plus nitrite concentrations in the Rio 

Ruidoso watershed were greater than those in the Rio Bonito 

watershed (0.49 mg/L and 0.08 mg/L, respectively) (table 8), 

but the highest concentrations (as much as 3.41 mg/L) 

(table 6) were observed in the Rio Bonito watershed at site 

S1, located above Bonito Lake within the perimeter of the 

Little Bear Fire (fig. 6B). Median nitrite concentrations in the 

Rio Ruidoso watershed and the Rio Bonito watershed were 

low (0.003 mg/L and 0.010, respectively) (table 8). Median 

phosphorus concentrations in the Rio Bonito watershed were 

greater than those in the Rio Ruidoso watershed (0.041 mg/L 

and 0.016 mg/L, respectively) (table 8), but it is suspected 

that flushing of nutrients during monsoon rain events after 

the Little Bear Fire caused this difference. Influence of the 

Little Bear Fire on filtered samples is further discussed in the 

“Postfire Water Quality” section. 

Similar to nutrient concentrations, selected traceelement concentrations in the filtered surface-water samples 

varied between sites. The trace element with the highest 

concentrations in both the Rio Ruidoso and Rio Bonito 

watersheds was manganese, with median concentrations 

of 30.7 μg/L and 32.8 μg/L, respectively (table 8). 

Concentrations of aluminum, iron, arsenic, and uranium 

exhibited variability but a consistent spatial or temporal 

pattern was not identified. Generally, median concentrations 

of these constituents were similar in the Rio Ruidoso and 

the Rio Bonito (table 8). Concentrations of manganese 

exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 

National Secondary Drinking Water Regulation (NSDWR) 

of 50 μg/L (table 9) in 11 filtered samples collected during 

various times of the year from sites located in burned and 

unburned watersheds. Results show that dissolved aluminum 

exceeded the EPA NSDWR of 200 μg/L (table 9) by an 

order of magnitude in a single sample collected from the Rio 

Bonito (site S4) (table 6), approximately 1 month after the 

occurrence of the Little Bear Fire. The EPA NSDWRs are 

nonenforced standards that are established as guidelines to 

assist public water systems in managing their drinking water 

for aesthetic considerations, such as taste, color, and odor 

(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2014). 

Table 8. Median concentrations of selected water-quality constituents from filtered samples collected in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, 

Lincoln County, New Mexico.

[mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm at 25 °C, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; NMED, New Mexico Environment Department; USGS, U.S. 

Geological Survey; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not measured]

Watershed 

name

Collecting 

agency

Year 

collected

Dissolved 

oxygen 

(mg/L)

pH, field 

(standard 

units)

Specific 

conductance, 

field 

(μS/cm 

at 25 °C)

Water 

temperature 

(degrees 

Celsius)

Calcium, 

filtered 

(mg/L)

Magnesium, 

filtered 

(mg/L)

Potassium, 

filtered 

(mg/L)

Sodium, 

filtered 

(mg/L)

Alkalinity, lab 

(mg/L as 

calcium 

carbonate)

Chloride, 

filtered 

(mg/L)

Rio Bonito1 NMED 2003 8.2 7.6 823 13.7 117 24.6 4.1 44.1 148 59.0

Rio Bonito USGS 2012–13 7.6 8.0 854 18.2 135 24.5 2.0 27.2 195 32.7

Rio Ruidoso USGS 2012–13 8.1 7.9 1,210 15.4 165 39.7 3.3 42.5 174 57.6

Watershed 

name

Collecting 

agency

Year 

collected

Sulfate, 

filtered 

(mg/L)

Nitrate + 

nitrite, 

filtered 

(mg/L as N)

Nitrite, 

filtered 

(mg/L as N)

Phosphorus, 

filtered 

(mg/L as P)

Aluminum, 

filtered 

(μg/L)

Iron, 

filtered 

(μg/L)

Manganese, 

filtered 

(μg/L)

Arsenic, 

filtered 

(μg/L)

Uranium 

(natural), 

filtered 

(μg/L)

Rio Bonito1 NMED 2003 270 0.11 -- 0.058 1.0 0.1 1.28 0.1 --

Rio Bonito USGS 2012–13 207 0.08 0.010 0.041 3.7 8.4 32.8 0.5 1.6

Rio Ruidoso USGS 2012–13 390 0.49 0.003 0.016 8.5 13.0 30.7 0.5 1.3

1

Collected from different sites than those used in this study (New Mexico Environment Department Surface Water Quality Bureau, 2003).
Postfire Water Quality 47

Postfire Water Quality

Wildfires, when coupled with precipitation events, can 

lead to substantial sediment loading in streams (Moody and 

Martin, 2001), leaving the burned watersheds of the upper 

Rio Hondo Basin at risk of substantial postfire debris flows 

and flash floods (Tillery and Matherne, 2013). Wildfires can 

also have substantial effects on downstream water quality 

(Neary and others, 2008; Smith and others, 2011; Stevens, 

2013). This section of the report compares water quality of 

streams in burned (Eagle Creek and Rio Bonito) and unburned 

(Rio Ruidoso) watersheds after the Little Bear Fire of June 

2012 in samples collected after postfire monsoon rain events 

and during periods of stable hydrologic conditions. Field 

measurements and water-quality data collected in 2012–13 

from burned and unburned watersheds are shown in table 6. 

After the occurrence of the Little Bear Fire (June 2012), 

surface-water samples were collected after postfire monsoon 

rain events (July 2012 and July 2013) and during periods 

of stable hydrologic conditions (April 2013 and November 

2013) in burned (Rio Bonito, which includes Eagle Creek) 

and unburned (Rio Ruidoso) watersheds (fig. 6B). Sampling 

sites in burned watersheds included one site on Eagle Creek 

(site S9) and four sites on the Rio Bonito (sites S1, S2, S3, and 

S4) (fig. 6B; table 4). Site S3 was sampled only in July 2012 

because of stagnant, nonflowing conditions during the rest of 

the sampling events. Dry conditions prevented the sampling 

of site S9 in April 2013 and November 2013. Sampling sites 

in the unburned watershed included three sites on the Rio 

Ruidoso (sites S5, S6, and S7) (fig. 6B; table 4). Sites in the 

unburned watershed were sampled three times—July 2012, 

April 2013, and November 2013. 

Large sediment loads after postfire monsoon rain events 

in July 2012 and July 2013 occurred in the Rio Bonito 

watershed (burned), with streams exhibiting maximum 

turbidity values of 4,090 nephelometric turbidity ratio units 

(NTRU) (site S4) in July 2012 and 400 NTRU (site S2) in July 

2013 (table 6). The median turbidity value in the Rio Bonito 

watershed in July 2012 was 1,505 NTRU compared to streams 

in the Rio Ruidoso watershed (unburned) exhibiting a median 

turbidity value of 59 NTRU (table 6) for the same time period.

Turbidity values in the Rio Bonito watershed were greatly 

diminished during stable hydrologic conditions less than 

one year after the Little Bear Fire in April 2013 (<2 NTRU; 

table 6); but increased again in July 2013 because of increased 

monsoon precipitation. This reflects a pattern related to 

flushing and transport occurring primarily during high flow.

Despite substantial sediment loading during postfire 

monsoon rain events, specific conductance and most major 

ions did not exhibit major increases in July 2012 and July 

2013 relative to stable hydrologic conditions in April 2013 

and November 2013 in the Rio Bonito watershed (table 6). 

Potassium was the only major ion that did not follow this 

pattern, as filtered concentrations in the Rio Bonito watershed 

ranged from 6.75 to 18.0 mg/L in July 2012 during high 

streamflow following the first postfire monsoon rain event and 

decreased in subsequent sampling events (fig. 16; table 6). The 

median potassium concentration was 2.0 mg/L for all other 

filtered samples collected in the Rio Bonito watershed and 

3.1 mg/L for all filtered samples collected in the unburned Rio 

Ruidoso watershed. Samples collected during the first postfire 

monsoon rain event in July 2012 generally had the lowest 

specific conductance values of all four sampling events on the 

Rio Bonito (fig. 14A) and at the downstream stations on the 

Rio Ruidoso (S7 and S8) (fig. 14B). In general, major ions 

exhibited some variability through time but no obvious trend 

of increasing concentrations over time in samples collected 

after the occurrence of the Little Bear Fire was observed. 

The first postfire monsoon rain event in July 2012 

generally produced the highest measured concentrations 

of potassium, selected nutrients, and total organic carbon 

in unfiltered samples collected in the burned watersheds of 

the Rio Bonito (S1, S2, S3, and S4) and Eagle Creek (S9) 

relative to later samples collected in burned watersheds and 

all samples collected in the unburned watershed of the Rio 

Ruidoso (S5, S6, and S7) (fig. 16). Maximum concentrations 

of the unfiltered samples of potassium (26.2 mg/L), ammonia 

plus organic nitrogen (total as N) (27 mg/L), phosphorus 

(5.95 mg/L), and total organic carbon (325 mg/L) in the Rio 

Bonito observed in July 2012 exceeded concentrations of later 

samples collected in the Rio Bonito and all samples collected 

in the unburned watershed of the Rio Ruidoso. Maximum 

concentrations of potassium (10.8 mg/L), ammonia plus 

organic nitrogen (total as N) (3.6 mg/L), and total organic 

carbon (38.9 mg/L) in Eagle Creek observed in July 2012 

exceeded concentrations of the later sample collected in Eagle 

Creek and all samples collected in the unburned watershed of 

the Rio Ruidoso.

Table 9. Number of surface-water and groundwater quality 

samples exceeding U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

National Secondary Drinking Water Regulation standards in the 

upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New Mexico.

[NSDWR, National Secondary Drinking Water Regulation; mg/L, milligrams 

per liter; --, no exceedances; μg/L, micrograms per liter]

Contaminant NSDWR

Number of 

surface-water 

exceedances1

Number of 

groundwater 

exceedances2

Chloride (mg/L) 250 -- 2

Sulfate (mg/L) 250 16 7

Aluminum (μg/L) 200 1 --

Manganese (μg/L) 50 11 2

1

Thirty total surface-water-quality samples.

2

Eight total groundwater-quality samples.
48 Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County

S3

S2

S4

S1

S3

S4

S2

S1

S3

S4

S2

S1

S3

S4

S2

S1

S3

S4

S2

S1

S3

S4

S2

S1

S3

S2

S4

S1

S4

S3

S2

S1

S3

S2

S4

S1

S3

S4

S2

S1

S2

S1

S4

S3

S1

S2

S3

S4

0 

10,000 

20,000 

30,000 

40,000 

50,000 

60,000 

0 

50 

100 

150 

200 

250 

300 

350 

400 

0 

5 

10 

15 

20 

25 

30 

0 

5,000 

10,000 

15,000 

20,000 

25,000 

30,000 

35,000 

40,000 

45,000 

50,000 

0 

2 

4 

6 

8 

10 

12 

14 

16 

0 

20 

40 

60 

80 

100 

120 

140 

160 

0 

1,000 

2,000 

3,000 

4,000 

5,000 

6,000 

7,000 

0 

2 

4 

6 

8 

10 

12 

14 

16 

18 

20 

0 

5 

10 

15 

20 

25 

30 

0 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

0 

50 

100 

150 

200 

250 

0 

100 

200 

300 

400 

500 

600 

700 

Ammonia + organic nitrogen, 

in milligrams per liter as N Chloride, in milligrams per liter

Potassium, 

in milligrams per liter

Aluminum, 

in micrograms per liter

Iron, in micrograms per liter

Manganese, 

in micrograms per liter Organic carbon, 

in milligrams per liter

Phosphorus, 

in milligrams per liter as P Sulfate, in milligrams per liter

Arsenic, 

in micrograms per liter Lead, in micrograms per liter

Uranium, 

in micrograms per liter

Eagle Creek

(S9)

Rio Bonito

(S1, S2, S3, S4)

Rio Ruidoso

(S5, S6, S7)

July

2012

July

2013

July

2012

Apr.

2013

July

2013

All

dates

Nov.

2013

Eagle Creek

(S9)

Rio Bonito

(S1, S2, S3, S4)

Rio Ruidoso

(S5, S6, S7)

July

2012

July

2013

July

2012

Apr.

2013

July 

2013

All

dates

Nov.

2013

EXPLANATION

Filtered sample

Unfiltered sample

Figure 16. Concentrations of selected water-quality constituents at Eagle Creek, Rio Bonito, and Rio Ruidoso, 2012–13, upper Rio 

Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New Mexico.
Postfire Water Quality 49

High concentrations of selected trace elements in 

unfiltered samples also were observed after the first postfire 

monsoon rain event in July 2012 (fig. 16). Maximum 

concentrations of aluminum (44,600 μg/L; S3), iron 

(49,400 μg/L; S3), lead (134 μg/L; S3), manganese 

(5,780 μg/L; S3), arsenic (13.5 μg/L; S3), and uranium 

(17.8 μg/L; S4) in the Rio Bonito observed in July 2012 

exceeded concentrations of later samples collected in the Rio 

Bonito, samples collected during July 2012 in Eagle Creek, 

and all samples collected in the unburned watershed of the Rio 

Ruidoso (table 6). Maximum concentrations of manganese 

(1,460 μg/L), arsenic (4.8 μg/L), and uranium (7.0 μg/L) in 

Eagle Creek observed in July 2012 exceeded concentrations 

of the later sample collected in Eagle Creek and all samples 

collected in the unburned watershed of the Rio Ruidoso. 

Elevated concentrations of several other trace elements also 

were observed in unfiltered samples collected in the Rio 

Bonito in July 2012 relative to subsequent sampling events. 

Maximum concentrations were observed at site S3 and include 

cadmium (2.33 μg/L), copper (64.4 μg/L), and zinc (241 μg/L) 

(table 6). 

Concentrations of selected constituents in unfiltered 

samples collected from the Rio Bonito in July 2012 

exhibited a consistent spatial pattern (fig. 16), with the 

lowest concentrations observed at site S1 and the highest 

concentrations typically observed at site S3. Site S1 is located 

above Bonito Lake and sites S2, S3, and S4 are located below 

Bonito Lake (fig. 6B; table 4). Postfire monsoon rain events 

occurring on burned drainages delivered high amounts of 

sediment and ash into Bonito Lake during the summer of 2012 

(Snyder and others, 2012). Substantial dredging and pumping 

has occurred in Bonito Lake since 2012 (Stallings, 2012), 

which has resulted in sediment and ash flows downstream 

from the lake that have likely contributed to the spatial pattern 

of degraded water quality.

Although diminished compared to concentrations 

observed in samples collected after the first postfire monsoon 

rain event in July 2012, some sites in the burned watersheds 

(Rio Bonito and Eagle Creek) exhibited higher concentrations 

of selected constituents in unfiltered samples collected after 

precipitation events approximately 1 year after the Little 

Bear Fire in July 2013 when compared to concentrations 

observed during stable hydrologic conditions (fig. 16; table 6). 

It is important to note that samples collected in July 2013 

were collected prior to the peak streamflow observed in 

summer 2013 (fig. 7), and thus may not reflect the maximum 

concentrations of fire-related constituents that occurred during 

other monsoon rain events.

Concentrations of constituents shown in figure 16 in the 

Rio Bonito were generally lower during stable hydrologic 

conditions in April 2013 and November 2013, in filtered 

and unfiltered samples, relative to samples collected in July 

2012 and July 2013 after postfire monsoon rain events. 

Concentrations of fire-related constituents in samples 

collected in the Rio Bonito in April 2013 and November 2013 

were mostly less than or equal to concentrations during all 

sampling periods in the unburned watershed (Rio Ruidoso). 

Concentrations of selected major ions and fire-related 

constituents from all filtered samples in the Rio Bonito in 

2013 were generally similar to a limited set of historical waterquality samples collected in the Rio Bonito as part of a New 

Mexico State survey of the Rio Hondo watershed completed 

in 2003 (New Mexico Environment Department Surface Water 

Quality Bureau, 2003), with certain trace elements exhibiting 

slightly higher values in 2013 than 2003 (aluminum, iron, 

manganese, and arsenic) (table 8). Despite no obvious 

indications of major changes to water quality in the Rio Bonito 

after the Little Bear Fire during stable hydrologic conditions 

based on samples collected at a limited frequency, it is evident 

that monsoon rain events have affected water quality by 

delivering larger sediment loads and fire-related constituents 

into streams in the upper Rio Hondo Basin. 

General Groundwater Chemistry and Historical 

Comparison

Results from the analyses of the eight groundwater 

samples collected from wells in the upper Rio Hondo 

Basin during May and June 2013 are presented in table 6. 

Groundwater was slightly acidic to slightly alkaline (pH 

values ranged from 6.4 to 7.6 with a median value of 6.6) 

with field alkalinity as calcium carbonate (CaCO3) ranging 

from 77 to 317 mg/L with a median value of 176 mg/L. 

Specific conductance values ranged from 771 μS/cm at 25 °C 

(well W38) to 2,760 μS/cm at 25 °C (well W26); the median 

specific conductance was 1,680 μS/cm at 25 °C. Median 

specific conductance in 104 wells sampled from 1939–60 

was 1,285 μS/cm at 25 °C and showed an increasing spatial 

trend moving eastward through the upper Rio Hondo Basin 

(Mourant, 1963). 

The trilinear diagram (fig. 17) indicates most historical 

and 2013 groundwater samples exhibit similar major-ion 

chemical characteristics and can be characterized as calciumtype, with variability in relative major-anion concentration 

(bicarbonate, sulfate, and chloride) (Piper, 1944). In the 

Sacramento Mountains, the presence of calcium and 

bicarbonate can be attributed primarily to the dissolution of 

limestone or the presence of calcite, with increasing sulfate 

concentrations typically resulting from dissolution of gypsum 

or anhydrite that can be found in the Yeso Formation (Hall, 

1964; Newton and others, 2012). Samples collected from 

groundwater wells W38, W39, and W40 plot slightly separate 

from the rest of the groundwater samples collected in 2013, 

with higher proportions of bicarbonate, relative to sulfate. 

The remaining wells sampled in 2013 (W9, W26, W35, W41, 

and W42) are completed in the Permian regional aquifer 

system, which is composed primarily of limestone, dolomite, 

and sandstone (Darr and others, 2014), and exhibit relatively 

higher proportions of sulfate. Wells 38 and 40 are completed 
50 Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County

in Tertiary volcanics and have higher proportions of chloride; 

well 39 is completed in Cretaceous shales and sandstones. 

Groundwater samples appear to have similar major-ion 

chemical characteristics when compared to historical waterquality data from Mourant (1963), but the samples are not 

directly comparable because they are from different sets of 

wells (fig. 17).

Selected nutrient and trace-element concentrations 

exhibited variability between groundwater sites. 

Concentrations of nitrate, nitrite, and total phosphorus 

measured in the groundwater samples varied only slightly 

between samples (table 6). For example, nitrate plus nitrite 

concentrations for all eight groundwater samples ranged 

from less than 0.01 mg/L to 1.06 mg/L (W41) with 3 

of the 8 samples exhibiting values less than the LRL of 

0.01 mg/L (W9, W38, and W40). The concentrations of 

filtered phosphorus were less than the LRL of 0.003 mg/L 

for all groundwater samples except those collected at W9 

(0.005 mg/L) and W39 (0.034 mg/L). Concentrations of 

manganese exceeded the EPA NSDWR of 50 μg/L (table 9) in 

two filtered groundwater samples (W38 and W40).

EXPLANATION

Historical sample (1926–57)

(Mourant, 1963)

Current sample (2013)

W35

W42

W41

W42

W26

W9

W39 W40

W38

100

80

60

40

20

0

 20

 0

 40

 60

 80

 100 0

20

40

60

80

100

0

20

40

60

80

100

0

20

40

60

80

100

 100 

 80

 60

 40

 20

 0

0

20

40

60

80

100 100

80

60

40

20

0

80

100

20

40

60

0

80

100

20

40

60

0

Percent of total ions in milliequivalents per liter

Percent of total ions in milliequivalents per liter

Percent of total ions in milliequivalents per liter Calcium (Ca) Chloride (Cl)

Chloride (Cl) + Sulfate (SO4

)

Bicarbonate (HCO3

) + Carbonate (CO3

)

Magnesium (Mg)

Calcium (Ca) + Magnesium (Mg)

Sodium (Na) + Potassium (K)

Sulfate (SO4

)

Figure 17. Hydrochemical-facies classification of major-ion chemistry of groundwater in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, 

New Mexico, sampled from 1926 to 1957 and 2013.
Water Quality and Water Resources: Implications of Changes in Climate and Water Use 51

Water Quality and Water Resources: 

Implications of Changes in Climate and 

Water Use 

Changes in climate (including drought, the occurrence 

of wildfires, and shifts in the variability and distribution 

of precipitation) and increased groundwater and surfacewater use are likely to affect the availability of water in the 

upper Rio Hondo Basin. Climate researchers have predicted 

increasing variability of precipitation and streamflow 

distributions in the western United States, with more frequent 

extreme events such as floods and droughts (Karl and Knight, 

1998; Garfin and others, 2013). Changing climate conditions 

are also expected to alter the timing and magnitude of 

snowmelt (Dettinger, 2005, Hall and others, 2006, Knowles 

and others, 2006; Stewart, 2009; Clow, 2010; Garfin and 

others, 2013) and result in an increase in the frequency and 

intensity of wildfire occurrence in the western United States 

(Westerling and others, 2006; Allen and others, 2010). This 

section of the report discusses the likely implications of 

continued drought and increasing water use on water quality 

and water resources of the upper Rio Hondo Basin.

Wildfires, when coupled with precipitation events, can 

lead to substantial flash flooding and sediment loading in 

streams (Moody and Martin, 2001) and can affect downstream 

water quality (Neary and others, 2008; Smith and others, 2011; 

Writer and Murphy, 2012). Degraded water quality as a result 

of wildfires may have negative effects on public water supply 

and may limit the success of aquatic life. In this study, selected 

fire-related constituents were elevated above background 

levels 1 year after the occurrence of the Little Bear Fire, 

particularly during monsoon rain events. The effects of fire 

are typically observed to persist in water-quality samples 

from 1 to 5 years in burned watersheds (Ranalli, 2004; Smith 

and others, 2011). How long recovery of the upper Rio 

Hondo Basin will take is not known. In addition, because the 

effects of fire on water quality appear to affect surface-water 

resources more than groundwater, it can be assumed that 

additional fires in the study area may cause increased reliance 

on water from wells and put further consumptive strain on 

groundwater resources if surface-water resources become 

unsuitable for municipal use.

Predicted reductions in winter precipitation, changes 

in form of precipitation, and earlier seasonal melting of 

snowpack may have an adverse effect on the amount of 

groundwater recharge that occurs in the upper Rio Hondo 

Basin, given the predominance of winter precipitation 

recharge as indicated by the stable isotope results. Smaller 

snowpacks will result in less water available for recharge, and 

earlier melting because of higher temperatures will result in 

more of the snowmelt being potentially lost to runoff instead 

of infiltration into the subsurface. Additionally, reductions 

in total precipitation for the region will not be a one-to-one 

relation with reductions in surface water and groundwater 

supplies in the upper Rio Hondo Basin. For example, Darr 

and others (2014) concluded that a 20-percent decrease in 

precipitation in the basin would result in a 50-percent decrease 

in streamflow, whereas a 10-percent decrease in precipitation 

would lower total streamflow by 40 percent. 

Increases in extreme summer storm events may induce 

recharge, but these events may be less widespread than 

frontal storms that bring winter precipitation (Darr and others, 

2014), and runoff from summer storms will be more rapid, 

and provide less recharge, than a melting snowpack. In the 

nearby southern Sacramento Mountains, years with abundant 

summer precipitation appear to result in localized and shortlived increases in groundwater levels, but these increases are 

mostly seen in high-elevation aquifers (Eastoe and Rodney, 

2014). The higher elevations in the upper Rio Hondo Basin 

are the focus of municipal groundwater demand and pumping 

and are also the areas where the majority of recent recharge 

likely is occurring. Lower-elevation areas in the study area 

may become targets for additional groundwater development 

to supply a growing population, but these areas are likely not 

receiving as much direct substantial recharge as the highelevation areas. 

Given the mix of younger and older groundwater found 

throughout the upper Rio Hondo Basin, areas with a larger 

component of younger water may be more susceptible to 

yearly or multiyear variations. Parts of the study area with a 

large component of older groundwater may be supplied by 

water that was recharged thousands of years ago when the 

climate may have been wetter and therefore are not being 

replenished as readily as they once were.

Reductions in groundwater storage will likely result 

in decreased streamflow in gaining reaches, and reductions 

in streamflow will likely reduce groundwater recharge 

along losing reaches. Matherne and others (2010) noted 

that stable isotopic results in upper Eagle Creek indicated a 

connection between shallow groundwater and streamflow, and 

groundwater pumping was linked to increases in the number 

of no-flow days on Eagle Creek. The combination of drought 

conditions, decreased streamflows, and increased pumping 

has also been linked to decreased groundwater discharge at 

Hale Spring (SP3, fig. 6B), the majority source of municipal 

supply to the City of Ruidoso Downs, with rates of spring 

flow decline related to nearby groundwater withdrawal 

rates (Riesterer and others, 2006). Stable isotope values 

from Riesterer and others (2006) also indicate a hydrualic 

connection between surface water and groundwater. 

Barlow and Leake (2012) discuss the interrelation 

between surface water and groundwater, focusing on how 

groundwater pumping not only decreases the amount of base 

flow available to surface water but may in some instances 

draws water away from the surface-water system. Decreases 

in surface-water supplies because of persistent drought 

conditions and reductions in the quality of water because 

of the effects of wildfire could lead to a larger reliance 

on groundwater reserves in the upper Rio Hondo Basin. 

Decreasing water levels because of increasing groundwater 

withdrawal could reduce base-flow contribution to the Rio 

Bonito and Rio Ruidoso, perpetuating a cycle that would be 
52 Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County

detrimental to water resources as a whole within the study 

area. From a water-management perspective, past practices for 

planning and managing water resources may not be applicable 

to the changing conditions the region may be facing. Milly 

and others (2008) state that for planning purposes, the past can 

no longer be considered a reasonable representation of what 

the future holds. Well organized and scientifically-supported 

regional water-resources management will be necessary for 

dealing with a scenario of increases in demand coupled with 

decreases in supply in the upper Rio Hondo Basin.

Summary

Stakeholders and water-resource managers in Lincoln 

County, New Mexico, have had long-standing concerns over 

the effects of population growth and groundwater withdrawals. 

These concerns have been exacerbated by recent drought 

and wildfire conditions in the upper Rio Hondo Basin. The 

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with Lincoln 

County, initiated a study in 2006 to assess and characterize 

water resources in the upper Rio Hondo Basin. Data collected 

during water years 2010–13 are presented and interpreted in 

this report. All data presented in this report are described in 

water years unless stated otherwise.

The upper Rio Hondo Basin, located in south-central 

New Mexico, experienced extreme drought conditions 

and two major wildfires from 2011 to 2013. Total annual 

precipitation was 12.0 inches in 2011 and 13.7 inches in 2013 

at the Ruidoso climate station, representing the 1st and 4th, 

respectively, lowest totals on record at this climate station. 

Annual Palmer Drought Severity Index values indicate that 

New Mexico Climate Division 6, which contains the upper 

Rio Hondo Basin, experienced extreme drought from April 

2011 to August 2013. In April 2011, the White Fire burned 

approximately 16 square miles (mi2

) (10,300 acres) near the 

city of Ruidoso Downs, N. Mex., in the lower reaches of the 

Rio Ruidoso watershed. In June 2012, the Little Bear Fire 

burned approximately 69 mi2 (44,300 acres) in the highelevation forests of the Rio Bonito and Ruidoso watersheds. 

Streamflow data were collected from two USGS 

streamflow-gaging stations in the upper Rio Hondo Basin: 

Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood, N. Mex. (08387000), and Eagle 

Creek below South Fork near Alto, N. Mex. (08387600). 

Annual mean streamflow at the Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood 

streamflow-gaging station was less than 50 percent of the 

average mean annual of 18.3 ft3

/s during 2011–13 and was 

of similar magnitude to annual mean streamflow values 

measured during the drought of the 1950s. Minimal increases 

in streamflow at the Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood streamflowgaging station were observed during spring (March to May) 

of 2011–13, with 2011 and 2013 near the 10th percentile of 

historical values. In addition, the first zero-streamflow values 

for the period of record (1954–2013) were recorded at the 

Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood streamflow-gaging station on 

June 27–29, 2013. The lowest annual mean streamflow on 

record (1969–80; 1988–2013) occurred in 2011 at the Eagle 

Creek below South Fork near Alto streamflow-gaging station, 

with the station recording zero streamflow for approximately 

50 percent of the year.

Discrete and continuous groundwater-level measurements 

indicated basinwide water-level declines during drought 

conditions in 2011–13. Discrete groundwater-level 

measurements were made approximately bimonthly in 

37 wells between 2010 and 2013, and rises or declines in 

groundwater levels collected during 2010–13 were determined 

by calculating the difference in water levels from September 

2009 to September 2013. The average water-level change 

among all 37 wells was -7.6 ft with several wells exhibiting 

declines of more than 25 ft. The largest water-level declines 

were observed in the upper reaches of the Rio Bonito and Rio 

Ruidoso watersheds, and smaller declines were observed in 

the lower reaches of the watersheds. In general, water-level 

changes observed during 2010–13, in which a majority of the 

change occurred during drought conditions of 2011–13, were 

on the order of decadal-scale changes that previously have 

been observed in the upper Rio Hondo Basin. Continuous 

groundwater-level measurements were made in three wells 

during 2008–13 in which groundwater-level declines 

on the order of those observed in bimonthly water-level 

measurements were observed from January 2011 to summer 

2013. Although water levels increased in two continuous 

groundwater wells at the end of 2013 because of an extreme 

precipitation event, water levels remained near or below 

minimum values observed during 2008–11. 

Stable-isotope data indicate that high-elevation winter 

precipitation generally contributes more to groundwater 

recharge than summer rains, except when there are large 

summer recharge events. This implies that little recharge is 

occurring at the lower elevations in the upper Rio Hondo 

Basin because these areas receive a smaller amount of 

total precipitation, receive a smaller proportion of the 

annual total falling as winter precipitation, and have higher 

average temperatures that result in more evaporative losses. 

Radioisotope data also indicate that groundwater in the upper 

Rio Hondo Basin is a mix of younger and older water, and 

recharge likely is occurring primarily at higher elevations but 

there may be some areas where localized recharge is occurring 

at lower elevations. 

Surface-water- and groundwater-quality results from 

samples collected in 2012–13 were examined to characterize 

overall chemistry and were compared to historical waterquality data from streams in the upper Rio Hondo Basin 

collected during 1926–57. In general, specific conductance 

showed an increasing trend moving eastward (downstream) 

through the upper Rio Hondo Basin in surface-water and 

groundwater samples. Surface-water and groundwater 

samples appear to have similar overall major-ion chemical 

characteristics when compared to historical water-quality 

data in which samples were also collected during drought 

conditions. All samples could be characterized as calciumtype, with variability in relative major-anion concentration 
References Cited 53

(bicarbonate, sulfate, and chloride). Geology was found to 

influence the chemical characteristics of surface-water and 

groundwater samples, with relatively higher concentrations of 

sulfate occurring in samples collected at lower elevations in 

the Permian regional aquifer system.

Surface-water sample results also were analyzed to 

determine differences in unfiltered and filtered water-quality 

samples of streams in burned and unburned watersheds 

after the occurrence of the Little Bear Fire in June 2012. 

Samples were collected after postfire monsoon rain events 

and during periods of stable hydrologic conditions. The 

first postfire monsoon rain event in July 2012 generally 

produced the highest measured concentrations of selected 

fire-related constituents in unfiltered samples collected in 

the burned watersheds relative to later samples collected in 

burned watersheds and all samples collected in the unburned 

watershed. Despite no obvious indications of major changes 

to water quality in the Rio Bonito after the Little Bear Fire 

during stable hydrologic conditions, it is evident that monsoon 

rain events affect water quality by delivering larger sediment 

loads and fire-related constituents into streams in the upper 

Rio Hondo Basin. 

Changes in climate (including drought, the occurrence 

of wildfires, and shifts in the variability and distribution of 

precipitation) and increased groundwater- and surface-water 

use are likely to affect the availability of water in the upper 

Rio Hondo Basin. Increased drought probably will increase 

the potential for wildfires, which can affect downstream 

water quality and increase flood potential. Climate-research 

predicted decreases in winter precipitation may have an 

adverse effect on the amount of groundwater recharge that 

occurs in the upper Rio Hondo Basin, given the predominance 

of winter precipitation recharge as indicated by the stable 

isotope results. Decreases in surface-water supplies because 

of persistent drought conditions and reductions in the quality 

of water because of the effects of wildfire may lead to a 

larger reliance on groundwater reserves in the upper Rio 

Hondo Basin. Decreasing water levels because of increasing 

groundwater withdrawal could reduce base flows in the Rio 

Bonito and Rio Ruidoso. Well organized and scientificallysupported regional water-resources management will be 

necessary for dealing with a scenario of increases in demand 

coupled with decreases in supply in the upper Rio Hondo 

Basin.

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Sherson and Rice—Water Resources During Drought Conditions and Postfire Water Quality in the Upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County—SIR 2015–5086

ISSN 2328-0328 (online)

http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20155086