These data were compiled for Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge (CPNWR) in southern Arizona, to support managment efforts of water resources and wildlife conservation. Objective(s) of our study were to 1) measure water storage capacity at select stage heights in three tanks (also termed tinajas), 2) build a stage storage model to help CPNWR staff accurately estimate water volumes throughout the year, and 3) collect topographic data adjacent to the tanks as a means to help connect these survey data to past or future work. These data represent high-resolution (sub-meter) ground based lidar measurements used to meet these objectives and are provided as: processed lidar files (point clouds), rasters (digital elevation models), and vectors (shapefiles). These data were collected in Southern Arizona at Buckhorn, Eagle, and Senita tanks in the CPNWR from February 13-18, 2022. These data were collected by U.S. Geological Survey - Southwest Biological Science Center - Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center (GCMRC) staff for the CPNWR using a Riegl VZ 1000 ground-based lidar to produces ground elevation models georeferenced using control target coordinates collected by a Trimble real-time kinematic (RTK) rover and base station. These data which represent maximum water storage capacity at Buckhorn, Eagle and Senita tanks following sediment removal by CPNWR staff less than one month prior can be used to support management efforts for water resources at these tanks, and wildlife conservation in the CPNWR. Additionally, these data can be used as baseline conditions for evaluating changes in water storage and water storage capacity.