Dark Canyon at Carlsbad water level

Name: Dark Canyon at Carlsbad 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, Dark Canyon, New Mexico, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

4.35ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 01:15 PM MDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 0.0 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Dark Canyon at Carlsbad, where the gauge shows 4.35 ft.

It is 10.65 ft below the flood stage of 15.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours.

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: 22.00 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 15.00 ft.

What happens at each level

22.00 ft: the canyon reaches major flood stage, and begins flooding residences and businesses in the vicinity of Canal Street and Dark Canyon Draw in Carlsbad begins. U.S. Highway 285 (Canal Street) is likely to flood, and numerous other city streets will be inundated.
18.00 ft: the canyon reaches moderate flood stage. A few residences and businesses nearest to the bank near the U.S. Highway 285 bridge (Canal Street) in Carlsbad begin to flood.
15.00 ft: the canyon reaches minor flood stage, with banks near capacity near the U.S. Highway 285 bridge in Carlsbad. Water is likely to reach the railroad bridge just downstream from the highway bridge. Water should remain under the highway bridge, but numerous city and outlying roads will flood, primarily upstream. Individuals near the Canal Street bridge should be alert to rising water under the bridge.
9.00 ft: the canyon reaches bankfull, and banks will begin to overflow about 1 mile upstream from the U.S. Highway 285 bridge around San Jose Blvd and Fiesta Drive in Carlsbad. Several secondary roads and a few city streets will likely flood and become impassable.
4.35 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	22.00 ft	August 23, 1966
2	21.62 ft	September 22, 2014
3	20.45 ft	April 4, 2004
4	19.26 ft	June 29, 2021
5	17.85 ft	September 12, 2013
6	15.02 ft	September 22, 2014
7	12.53 ft	June 24, 1986
8	12.10 ft	September 26, 1980
9	10.80 ft	October 23, 1974
10	10.56 ft	August 10, 1984

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

17 Sat 60° 38° – Wind 7 mph

18 Sun 73° 40° – Wind 11 mph

19 Mon 81° 48° 0.01 in Wind 13 mph

20 Tue 78° 57° 0.01 in Wind 18 mph

21 Wed 80° 62° – Wind 15 mph

22 Thu 81° 61° 0.06 in Wind 19 mph

23 Fri 78° 65° 0.55 in, 42% Wind 16 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:03 AM Sunset 06:22 PM Daylight 11 hr, 18 min First quarter 52%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Pecos River below Dark Canyon at CarlsbadRiver gauge, Pecos River	0.89 ft	Below flood stage	±0	0.9 mi
Pecos River below Avalon DamRiver gauge, Pecos River	0.0 cfs	Normal	±0	5.7 mi
Carlsbad Main Canal at Head near CarlsbadCanal gauge, Carlsbad Main Canal	193 cfs	High	−10.0 cfs	6.2 mi
Avalon ReservoirReservoir	3,175.40 ft	High		6.2 mi
Pecos River at Damsite 3 near CarlsbadRiver gauge, Pecos River	1.65 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	10 mi
Rocky Arroyo at Highway Brd near CarlsbadRiver gauge, Rocky Arroyo	3.22 ft	Below flood stage	±0	11 mi
Black River at Harkey Crossing near MalagaRiver gauge, Black River	5.0 cfs	Normal	±0	12 mi
Pecos River below Brantley Dam near CarlsbadRiver gauge, Pecos River	106 cfs	Normal	±0	13 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Dark Canyon at Carlsbad?

The official flood stage is 15.00 ft. The level is currently 10.65 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 Dark Canyon at Carlsbad today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 01:15 PM MDT, the water level was 4.35 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Dark Canyon at Carlsbad rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Dark Canyon at Carlsbad normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Dark Canyon at Carlsbad?

The highest level on record is 22.00 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:08405150 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 32.40333, -104.22944 (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	4.35 ft	2026-10-18 19:15	Provisional
Flow	0.0 cfs	2026-10-18 19:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Dark Canyon at Carlsbad (usgs:08405150). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/new-mexico/dark-canyon-at-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