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Rio Grande below Taos Junction Bridge near Taos water level

River gauge, Rio Grande, New Mexico, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.65ft Down 0.13 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
252 cfs
5 8 10 Minor floodstage 10.00 ft Highest onrecord 9.41 ft

History

3.63.8ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 203.63.8ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 20
Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The Rio Grande below Taos Junction Bridge near Taos is at 3.65 ft, in the normal range.

It is 6.35 ft below the flood stage of 10.00 ft.

It has dropped 0.13 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 3.49 ft and 3.87 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
9.41 ftMay 17, 1941

Floating and fishing near Rio Grande below Taos Junction Bridge near Taos

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 10.00 ft, 6.35 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

10.00 ft
Portions of state road 570 from above Pilar up to the Taos Junction bridge are inundated by one to two feet of water. Water levels have not been this high in the Pilar region since at least 1921. Rafting takeout points below the Taos Junction bridge along state road 570 may no longer be accessable.
9.00 ft
A few low spots along state road 570 above Pilar along the Rio Grande will have up to six inches of ponded water on the roadway. Some of the day use recreation areas above Pilar between state road 570 and the Rio Grande will begin to flood.
3.65 ft
Right now

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

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
19.41 ftMay 17, 1941
29.23 ftJune 22, 1949
39.18 ftJune 7, 1948
48.92 ftMay 19, 1987
58.80 ftMay 8, 1952
68.75 ftMay 13, 1942
78.74 ftJuly 6, 1995
88.69 ftJune 14, 1985
98.57 ftJune 10, 1979
108.13 ftMay 27, 2005

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:15 AM Sunset 06:22 PM Daylight 11 hr, 7 min Waxing gibbous 72%

Map

Other gauges on the Rio Grande

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Rio Grande near CerroRiver gauge, Rio Grande 1.90 ft Below flood stage −0.25 ft 29 mi
Rio Grande at EmbudoRiver gauge, Rio Grande 2.62 ft Below flood stage −0.22 ft 14 mi
Rio Grande at Otowi BridgeRiver gauge, Rio Grande 3.24 ft Below flood stage +0.17 ft 38 mi
Rio Grande below Cochiti DamRiver gauge, Rio Grande 2.08 ft Below flood stage +0.01 ft 58 mi
Rio Grande at Alameda Bridge at AlamedaRiver gauge, Rio Grande 490 cfs Normal −64.0 cfs 92 mi
Rio Grande near AlamedaRiver gauge, Rio Grande 212 cfs Low −34.0 cfs 93 mi
Rio Grande at AlbuquerqueRiver gauge, Rio Grande 2.49 ft Below flood stage −0.09 ft 100 mi
Rio Grande at Valle De OroRiver gauge, Rio Grande 3.63 ft No reference yet −0.12 ft 106 mi
Rio Grande at Isleta Lakes near IsletaRiver gauge, Rio Grande 90.6 cfs Low −28.4 cfs 108 mi
Rio Grande near Bosque FarmsRiver gauge, Rio Grande 58.3 cfs Low +2.7 cfs 114 mi
Rio Grande at State Highway 346 near BosqueRiver gauge, Rio Grande 156 cfs Normal −16.0 cfs 135 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Rio Pueblo De Taos below Los CordovasRiver gauge, Rio Pueblo De Taos 6.63 ft Below flood stage −0.03 ft 6 mi
Rio Grande Del Rancho near TalpaRiver gauge, Rio Grande Del Rancho 3.8 cfs Low +0.2 cfs 10 mi
Embudo Creek at DixonRiver gauge, Embudo Creek 9.09 ft Below flood stage −0.03 ft 12 mi
Rio Pueblo near PenascoRiver gauge, Rio Pueblo 17.9 cfs Normal +0.7 cfs 13 mi
Rio Pueblo De Taos near TaosRiver gauge, Rio Pueblo De Taos 5.6 cfs Low −0.3 cfs 16 mi
Rio Ojo Caliente at La MaderaRiver gauge, Rio Ojo Caliente 2.59 ft Below flood stage −0.01 ft 16 mi
Rio Lucero near Arroyo SecoRiver gauge, Rio Lucero 10.2 cfs Normal −0.4 cfs 18 mi
Rio Hondo near ValdezRiver gauge, Rio Hondo 14.3 cfs Normal ±0 19 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Rio Grande below Taos Junction Bridge near Taos?

The official flood stage is 10.00 ft. The level is currently 6.35 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 Grande below Taos Junction Bridge near Taos today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 05:30 PM MDT, the water level was 3.65 ft. Down 0.13 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Rio Grande below Taos Junction Bridge near Taos rising or falling?

Down 0.13 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Rio Grande below Taos Junction Bridge near Taos normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Rio Grande below Taos Junction Bridge near Taos?

The highest level on record is 9.41 ft on May 17, 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:08276500 (Agency page)
Coordinates
36.32003, -105.75444 (WGS84)
Vertical datum
NGVD29
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 3.65 ft 2026-10-20 23:30 Provisional
Flow 252 cfs 2026-10-20 23:30 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Rio Grande below Taos Junction Bridge near Taos (usgs:08276500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/new-mexico/rio-grande-below-taos-junction-bridge-near-taos

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