Caballo Lake is a

reservoir A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation. Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...

on the Rio Grande created by the Caballo Dam in southern

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ke ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

. It is the fourth largest reservoir in New Mexico in terms of surface area and the fifth largest body of water in New Mexico in terms of volume. The lake is in

Caballo Lake State Park Caballo Lake State Park is a state park of New Mexico, United States, located south of Truth or Consequences on the Rio Grande. Caballo Lake was created in the 1930s when an earthen dam was built across the Rio Grande. The dam is tall and a ...

, which is approximately south of

Truth or Consequences ''Truth or Consequences'' is an American game show originally hosted on NBC radio by Ralph Edwards (1940–1957) and later on television by Edwards (1950–1954), Jack Bailey (1954–1956), Bob Barker (1956–1975), Steve Dunne (1957–1958), ...

. The lake is used for recreational activities, such as boating, swimming, waterskiing, and fishing. Fish in the lake include walleye, bass, catfish, crappie, and bluegill. Caballo Lake is also a birdwatching site. Many migratory birds use the lake as a rest stop during their travels, and eagles are often seen in the area. Caballo Lake is named for the

Caballo Mountains The Caballo Mountains, (Spanish: "horse") are a mountain range located in Sierra and Doña Ana Counties, New Mexico, United States. The range is located east of the Rio Grande and Caballo Lake, and west of the Jornada del Muerto; the south of ...

that border the lake to the northeast, east, and southeast, in which wild horses roamed; Caballo means "horse" in Spanish. The upper area of the lake is very shallow and, in times of low water, has been blocked from the lower, deeper end of the lake. The water has a slightly brownish hue from a distance, due to the shallow waters (usually about at the deepest point). The beaches of Caballo are rocky when compared to

Elephant Butte Reservoir Elephant Butte Reservoir is a reservoir on the southern part of the Rio Grande in the U.S. state of New Mexico, north of Truth or Consequences. The reservoir is the 84th largest man-made lake in the United States and the largest in New Mexico by ...

, but there are many sandy areas. Beware of the whirlpool at the dam, as it can be a hazard.

External links

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"Caballo Lake State Park"
State Parks Division, New Mexico
Caballo Dam
Bureau of Reclamation {{authority control Reservoirs in New Mexico Rio Grande Bodies of water of Sierra County, New Mexico Protected areas of Sierra County, New Mexico Buildings and structures in Sierra County, New Mexico