Black River above Malaga water level

Name: Black River above Malaga water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Black River, New Mexico, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

0.99ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 08:30 AM MDT (40 min ago)

Flow: 3.6 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Black River above Malaga, where the gauge shows 0.99 ft.

It is 17.01 ft below the flood stage of 18.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 0.97 ft – 1.03 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 21.70 ftAugust 23, 1966

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 18.00 ft.

What happens at each level

21.00 ft: the river reaches moderate flood stage. All area roads are impassable, and the river gage shelter is likely inaccessible.
18.00 ft: the river reaches minor flood stage, and area rangeland continues flooding. Low water crossings and other low-lying areas along nearby roads are flooded.
12.00 ft: the river reaches bankfull. At stages above 12 feet, area rangeland begins to flood. Low water crossings at State Route 396, Ogden Road, and Higby Road are completely inundated and impassable.
0.99 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	21.70 ft	August 23, 1966
2	20.50 ft	January 1, 1908
3	19.00 ft	September 21, 1941
4	18.09 ft	September 19, 2014
5	14.70 ft	September 23, 1955
6	13.95 ft	May 30, 1965
7	12.87 ft	June 2, 1978
8	12.60 ft	April 24, 1954
9	12.35 ft	August 31, 1963
10	10.77 ft	October 2, 1955

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

18 Sun 72° 40° – Wind 11 mph

19 Mon 81° 48° – Wind 13 mph

20 Tue 78° 57° 0.02 in Wind 17 mph

21 Wed 80° 60° – Wind 15 mph

22 Thu 81° 61° – Wind 17 mph

23 Fri 76° 65° 0.40 in, 42% Wind 15 mph

24 Sat 74° 63° 0.11 in, 42% Wind 15 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:03 AM Sunset 06:22 PM Daylight 11 hr, 19 min First quarter 50%

Map

Other gauges on the Black River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Black River below Blue Springs near Whites CityRiver gauge, Black River	3.2 cfs	Very low	±0	7 mi
Black River at Harkey Crossing near MalagaRiver gauge, Black River	5.5 cfs	Normal	+0.5 cfs	2.7 mi
Black River at MalagaRiver gauge, Black River	6.8 cfs	Normal	+3.0 cfs	5.2 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Pecos River near MalagaRiver gauge, Pecos River	2.64 ft	Below flood stage	+0.05 ft	8 mi
Blue Springs above Diversions near Whites CityRiver gauge, Blue Springs	5.6 cfs	Very low	±0	8 mi
Pecos River at Pierce Canyon CrossingRiver gauge, Pecos River	66.6 cfs	Normal	+1.1 cfs	10 mi
Pecos River at Red BluffRiver gauge, Pecos River	3.33 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	13 mi
Dark Canyon at CarlsbadRiver gauge, Dark Canyon	4.35 ft	Below flood stage	±0	13 mi
Pecos River below Dark Canyon at CarlsbadRiver gauge, Pecos River	0.89 ft	Below flood stage	±0	13 mi
Pecos River below Avalon DamRiver gauge, Pecos River	0.0 cfs	Normal	±0	19 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Black River above Malaga?

The official flood stage is 18.00 ft. The level is currently 17.01 ft below it.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of Black River above Malaga today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 08:30 AM MDT, the water level was 0.99 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Black River above Malaga rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Black River above Malaga normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Black River above Malaga?

The highest level on record is 21.70 ft on August 23, 1966.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:08405500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 32.22909, -104.15185 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NAVD88
Update interval: every 15 minutes
Licence: Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

Parameter	Last value	Time (UTC)	Quality
Water level	0.99 ft	2026-10-18 14:30	Provisional
Flow	3.6 cfs	2026-10-18 14:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Black River above Malaga (usgs:08405500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/new-mexico/black-river-above-malaga

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer