Rio Puerco near Bernardo water level

Name: Rio Puerco near Bernardo 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, Rio Puerco, New Mexico, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

4.73ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 03:00 PM MDT (59 min ago)

Flow: 0.0 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Rio Puerco near Bernardo, where the gauge shows 4.73 ft.

It is 14.77 ft below the flood stage of 19.50 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 4.73 ft – 4.90 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: 27.90 ftSeptember 23, 1941

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 19.50 ft.

What happens at each level

23.00 ft: Streets in the village of San Francisco between interstate 25 and the Rio Grande just south of Bernardo are being flooded. Water levels in the Lower Rio Puerco have not been this high since July of 1944. The nearby railroad bridge may also be flooded. Further rises will impact Interstate 25 traffic.
19.50 ft: At the initial flood stage of 19.5 feet, the water level in the Lower Rio Puerco will begin to threaten several homes and structures in the village of San Francisco between Interstate 25 and the Rio Grande. Further rises in water levels would begin to flood the village of San Francisco. The last time the water level reached 19.5 feet in the Rio Puerco near Bernardo was August 10 2006.
4.73 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	27.90 ft	September 23, 1941
2	21.22 ft	September 16, 2013
3	20.27 ft	July 27, 2018
4	19.79 ft	September 16, 2013
5	19.52 ft	August 10, 2006
6	16.90 ft	August 12, 1955
7	16.60 ft	August 13, 1967
8	15.75 ft	September 27, 1954
9	15.71 ft	August 18, 1994
10	15.56 ft	September 14, 2003

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 74° 48° – Wind 11 mph

20 Tue 69° 53° 0.23 in, 23% Wind 11 mph

21 Wed 76° 53° 0.01 in Wind 13 mph

22 Thu 73° 60° 0.63 in, 70% Wind 15 mph

23 Fri 74° 59° 1.16 in, 70% Wind 18 mph

24 Sat 68° 57° – Wind 7 mph

25 Sun 62° 52° 0.59 in, 23% Wind 13 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:17 AM Sunset 06:29 PM Daylight 11 hr, 13 min First quarter 62%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Rio Grande Floodway near BernardoRiver gauge, Rio Grande Floodway	92.3 cfs	Normal	+1.6 cfs	3.1 mi
Rio Grande at State Highway 346 near BosqueRiver gauge, Rio Grande	170 cfs	Normal	+3.0 cfs	11 mi
Rio Grande Floodway at San AcaciaRiver gauge, Rio Grande Floodway	9.24 ft	Below flood stage	±0	11 mi
Rio Grande at Bridge near EscondidaRiver gauge, Rio Grande	33.8 cfs	Low	−2.2 cfs	20 mi
Rio Grande near Bosque FarmsRiver gauge, Rio Grande	37.3 cfs	Low	−31.2 cfs	33 mi
Rio Grande above Us Highway 380 near San AntonioRiver gauge, Rio Grande	0.0 cfs	Very low	±0	33 mi
Rio Grande at Isleta Lakes near IsletaRiver gauge, Rio Grande	112 cfs	Low	−5.0 cfs	38 mi
Rio Grande at Valle De OroRiver gauge, Rio Grande	3.75 ft	No reference yet	+0.01 ft	41 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Rio Puerco near Bernardo?

The official flood stage is 19.50 ft. The level is currently 14.77 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 Rio Puerco near Bernardo today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 03:00 PM MDT, the water level was 4.73 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Rio Puerco near Bernardo rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Rio Puerco near Bernardo normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Rio Puerco near Bernardo?

The highest level on record is 27.90 ft on September 23, 1941.

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:08353000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 34.41028, -106.85444 (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	4.73 ft	2026-10-19 21:00	Provisional
Flow	0.0 cfs	2026-10-19 21:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Rio Puerco near Bernardo (usgs:08353000). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/new-mexico/rio-puerco-near-bernardo

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