Carlsbad Main Canal at Head near Carlsbad water level

Name: Carlsbad Main Canal at Head near Carlsbad water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

Canal gauge, Carlsbad Main Canal, New Mexico, United States

Directions

Very high for mid-October

Water level

2.80ft Up 0.31 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 02:00 PM MDT (30 min ago)

Flow: 250 cfs

History

7 days

Water level

What this means

High water at Carlsbad Main Canal at Head near Carlsbad: the latest reading is 2.80 ft, well above normal for mid-October.

The record high is 5.41 ft, set on April 26, 2019.

It is on the way up, by 0.31 ft over the past 24 hours. If the rise continues, low-lying paths and riverside parking can go under water. The 30-day range is 2.09 ft – 2.81 ft.

Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 5.41 ftApril 26, 2019

Staying safe in high water

Flood stage is only the first threshold. Above it the National Weather Service sets moderate and major flood stages, and the forecast crest tells you which of those the river is expected to reach.

Upstream gauges on the same river usually show a rise first, which is a useful early warning.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	5.41 ft	April 26, 2019
2	4.16 ft	September 14, 2018
3	3.51 ft	September 25, 2013
4	3.29 ft	July 18, 2025
5	3.25 ft	August 2, 2023
6	3.23 ft	June 17, 2013
7	3.21 ft	May 25, 2013
8	3.12 ft	March 28, 2017
9	3.10 ft	July 16, 2016
10	3.08 ft	April 23, 2016

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 82° 54° – Wind 9 mph

21 Wed 84° 56° – Wind 8 mph

22 Thu 80° 60° – Wind 19 mph

23 Fri 80° 64° 0.44 in, 65% Wind 27 mph

24 Sat 69° 62° 0.22 in, 65% Wind 21 mph

25 Sun 66° 62° 0.09 in, 54% Wind 18 mph

26 Mon 71° 57° 0.35 in, 51% Wind 16 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:05 AM Sunset 06:20 PM Daylight 11 hr, 14 min Waxing gibbous 71%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Avalon ReservoirReservoir	3,175.02 ft	High		0.0 mi
Pecos River below Avalon DamRiver gauge, Pecos River	0.0 cfs	Normal	±0	0.9 mi
Pecos River at Damsite 3 near CarlsbadRiver gauge, Pecos River	1.65 ft	Below flood stage	±0	4.9 mi
Pecos River below Dark Canyon at CarlsbadRiver gauge, Pecos River	0.89 ft	Below flood stage	±0	6.0 mi
Dark Canyon at CarlsbadRiver gauge, Dark Canyon	4.35 ft	Below flood stage	±0	6.2 mi
Rocky Arroyo at Highway Brd near CarlsbadRiver gauge, Rocky Arroyo	3.22 ft	Below flood stage	±0	7 mi
Pecos River below Brantley Dam near CarlsbadRiver gauge, Pecos River	108 cfs	Normal	±0	8 mi
Brantley ReservoirReservoir	3,254.39 ft	High		8 mi

Questions and answers

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 Carlsbad Main Canal at Head near Carlsbad today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 02:00 PM MDT, the water level was 2.80 ft. Up 0.31 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Carlsbad Main Canal at Head near Carlsbad rising or falling?

Up 0.31 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Carlsbad Main Canal at Head near Carlsbad normal?

Very high for mid-October. Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Carlsbad Main Canal at Head near Carlsbad?

The highest level on record is 5.41 ft on April 26, 2019.

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.

Where does this data come from?

The values come directly from the U.S. Geological Survey, the official operator of this gauge, and are in the public domain. We do not estimate or model live values.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:08403500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 32.49039, -104.25273 (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	2.80 ft	2026-10-20 20:00	Provisional
Flow	250 cfs	2026-10-20 20:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Carlsbad Main Canal at Head near Carlsbad (usgs:08403500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/new-mexico/carlsbad-main-canal-at-head-near-carlsbad

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