A water budget for creosotebush-infested rangeland was calculated using values determined from a water interception study, runoff from instrumented plots, and precipitation data. Combining data generated from precipitation events received for the study period showed that 20 per cent and 9 per cent of the rainfall contributed to runoff and interception, respectively. Abstraction of approximately 30 per cent of the precipitation by these two variables impacts the onsite water availability.