Previous studies indicate that the heat stress-induced cutaneous vasodilation in baboons is attenuated during dehydration by mechanisms other than the well-known neurohumoral vasoconstrictor mechanisms. Therefore, this study sought to determine whether dehydration also attenuates locally mediated maximum hindlimb blood flow and vascular conductance in baboons. Five baboons were chronically instrumented to measure arterial blood pressure and mean external iliac artery blood flow (MIBF). Hindlimb vasodilation was induced by occlusions of the external iliac artery for 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0 min and by close-arterial injections of acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside (NP) in graded doses. These vasodilatory stimuli were applied in euhydrated and dehydrated states, the latter being produced by water deprivation for 64-68 h. Maximum MIBF and iliac vascular conductance (IVC) after arterial occlusion were reduced by 67-70% during dehydration. Also, maximum MIBF and IVC produced by ACh in the dehydrated state were 46-52% lower than in the euhydrated state. A similar reduction in the responses to NP occurred during dehydration. It is concluded that the maximum hindlimb blood flow and vascular conductance produced by local, nonneurohumoral mechanisms are attenuated in the baboon during dehydration.