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Recreation at Brantley Dam, Reservoir, Brantley Project, is managed by New Mexico State Parks under agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation. The State Park is open 24 hours year round. There is a visitor center 4.5 miles from park entrance at U.S. 285. Good access roads. No concessionaires. No food service. No lodging within park. Nearest communities from park entrance are Carlsbad, 12 miles south and Artesia, 24 miles north. Year-round fishing for white bass, catfish, largemouth bass, walleye, and crappie however,due to recent findings of DDT in certain species of fish evaluated and tested by the NM Environment Department, State Parks recommends catch and release only.. There are hiking trails and water skiing. Scuba diving for game fish is permitted. Boating must conform to New Mexico regulations.
Effective immediately, Reclamation will require all boats launching at Lake Berryessa to participate in a seal program to prevent the spread of invasive mussels. All vessels wishing to launch at Lake Berryessa will be inspected. A red quarantine seal will be applied for 30 days during, which the vessel will not be permitted to launch. Vessels that have finished the 30-day quarantine may return to the lake and have the seal removed by authorized staff and will be allowed to launch. For more information on this updated protocol, please view the press release here: https://www.usbr.gov/newsroom/news-release/5031.
Take US-285 north about 12 miles from Carlsbad, New Mexico or south 24 miles from Artesia.