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Pecos River below Dark Canyon at Carlsbad water level

River gauge, Pecos River, New Mexico, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

0.89ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
39.4 cfs
0 10 20 Highest onrecord 22.00 ft Minor floodstage 14.00 ft

History

0.850.880.900.93ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 190.850.880.900.93ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 19
Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Pecos River below Dark Canyon at Carlsbad reads 0.89 ft, a normal level.

It is 13.11 ft below the flood stage of 14.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 0.84 ft and 0.92 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
22.00 ftAugust 23, 1966

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 14.00 ft, still 13.11 ft away.

What happens at each level

20.00 ft
the river reaches major flood stage. Area rangeland, farmland, and a few homes along the west bank are threatened.
17.00 ft
the river reaches moderate flood stage, flooding a considerable amount of farmland along the west bank.
14.00 ft
the river reaches minor flood stage, and begins flooding area farmland, mainly downstream.
12.00 ft
the river reaches bankfull. No significant threats are known at stages between 12 and 14 feet.
0.89 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 %.

RankLevelDate
122.00 ftAugust 23, 1966
220.66 ftApril 4, 2004
318.53 ftSeptember 22, 2014
417.35 ftJune 24, 1986
515.42 ftSeptember 13, 2013
615.24 ftJune 29, 2021
715.22 ftAugust 10, 1984
814.60 ftSeptember 26, 1980
913.10 ftOctober 23, 1974
1012.28 ftSeptember 26, 1978

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:05 AM Sunset 06:20 PM Daylight 11 hr, 15 min First quarter 63%

Map

Other gauges on the Pecos River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Pecos River near AcmeRiver gauge, Pecos River 4.58 ft Below flood stage ±0 81 mi
Pecos River near Lake ArthurRiver gauge, Pecos River 4.04 ft Below flood stage −0.04 ft 41 mi
Pecos River near ArtesiaRiver gauge, Pecos River 2.91 ft Below flood stage −0.04 ft 30 mi
Pecos River below Brantley Dam near CarlsbadRiver gauge, Pecos River 108 cfs Normal +1.0 cfs 13 mi
Pecos River at Damsite 3 near CarlsbadRiver gauge, Pecos River 1.65 ft Below flood stage ±0 10 mi
Pecos River below Avalon DamRiver gauge, Pecos River 0.0 cfs Normal ±0 5.7 mi
Pecos River near MalagaRiver gauge, Pecos River 2.72 ft Below flood stage +0.12 ft 18 mi
Pecos River at Pierce Canyon CrossingRiver gauge, Pecos River 66.6 cfs Normal −1.2 cfs 21 mi
Pecos River at Red BluffRiver gauge, Pecos River 3.36 ft Below flood stage +0.01 ft 25 mi
Pecos River near OrlaRiver gauge, Pecos River 5.47 ft Very high ±0 43 mi
Pecos River at FM 3398 near PecosRiver gauge, Pecos River 2.60 ft Low ±0 77 mi
Pecos River at RR 1776 near GrandfallsRiver gauge, Pecos River 4.31 ft Low ±0 101 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Dark Canyon at CarlsbadRiver gauge, Dark Canyon 4.35 ft Below flood stage ±0 0.9 mi
Carlsbad Main Canal at Head near CarlsbadCanal gauge, Carlsbad Main Canal 201 cfs High +4.0 cfs 6.0 mi
Avalon ReservoirReservoir 3,175.20 ft High 6.0 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 5.5 cfs Normal ±0 12 mi
Black River above MalagaRiver gauge, Black River 1.06 ft Below flood stage +0.06 ft 13 mi
Brantley ReservoirReservoir 3,254.32 ft High 13 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Pecos River below Dark Canyon at Carlsbad?

The official flood stage is 14.00 ft. The level is currently 13.11 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 Pecos River below Dark Canyon at Carlsbad today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 05:45 PM MDT, the water level was 0.89 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Pecos River below Dark Canyon at Carlsbad rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Pecos River below 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 Pecos River below 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:08405200 (Agency page)
Coordinates
32.40928, -104.21497 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 0.89 ft 2026-10-19 23:45 Provisional
Flow 39.4 cfs 2026-10-19 23:45 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Pecos River below Dark Canyon at Carlsbad (usgs:08405200). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/new-mexico/pecos-river-below-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