Elk River near Milner water level

Name: Elk River near Milner 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, Elk River, Colorado, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.74ft Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 09:30 PM MDT (57 min ago)

Flow: 115 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.65 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 06:00 PM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 09:15 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The Elk River near Milner is at 1.74 ft, in the normal range.

It is 5.76 ft below the flood stage of 7.50 ft.

It has dropped 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.65 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 06:00 PM. In the last month it has stayed between 1.74 ft and 2.02 ft.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 8.08 ftJune 21, 2019
Forecast peak: 1.79 ftFriday, October 23 at 06:00 PM

Floating and fishing near Elk River near Milner

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

Flood stage here is 7.50 ft, 5.76 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

12.00 ft: Major flooding is occurring. Water is flowing over the County Road 42 bridge and County Road 42 is impassable. Water has reached the base of the US40 bridge.
9.00 ft: Major flooding is occurring. Water is nearing the base of the 42 Road bridge. Backwater flooding is possible where the East and West Forks of the Elk River pass under US40. Severe bank erosion and scouring is significantly altering the river channel.
8.30 ft: Moderate flooding is occurring. Water is nearing the base of the private ranch bridge near County Road 42. Water has reached the foundations of several homes along the Elk River above and below US40.
8.00 ft: Water is nearing ranch buildings between County Road 44 and the Elk River.
7.90 ft: Backwater flooding is possible due to debris blocking the East Fork Elk River Culverts under US 40.
7.70 ft: Water is approaching homes on the southside of US40 near the confluence of the East Fork Elk River and the Yampa River.
7.50 ft: Lower portions of 42 road near the Elk River bridge are starting to flood.
7.00 ft: Low land flooding is occurring along the reach of the Elk River. Water has reached the foundations of some ranch buildings and homes near the County Road 42 Bridge.
6.00 ft: The Elk River has reached bankfull. Some minor low-land flooding is likely.
1.74 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	8.08 ft	June 21, 2019
2	7.95 ft	June 8, 2010
3	7.78 ft	May 16, 2023
4	7.77 ft	May 22, 2008
5	7.65 ft	May 30, 2014
6	7.39 ft	May 21, 2009
7	7.26 ft	May 24, 2005
8	7.21 ft	May 23, 2006
9	7.15 ft	May 19, 2022
10	7.14 ft	June 6, 2024

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 63° 38° 0.02 in, 21% Wind 7 mph

20 Tue 62° 40° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 68° 42° – Wind 13 mph

22 Thu 64° 47° 0.03 in, 68% Wind 13 mph

23 Fri 61° 44° 0.04 in, 63% Wind 17 mph

24 Sat 50° 36° – Wind 10 mph

25 Sun 58° 32° – Wind 6 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:25 AM Sunset 06:22 PM Daylight 10 hr, 57 min First quarter 65%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Yampa River at Steamboat SpringsRiver gauge, Yampa River	1.25 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	7 mi
Fish Creek at Upper Station near Steamboat SpringsRiver gauge, Fish Creek	17.1 cfs	Normal	−0.4 cfs	9 mi
Yampa River below Stagecoach ReservoirRiver gauge, Yampa River	2.39 ft	Below flood stage	±0	17 mi
Yampa River above Stagecoach ReservoirRiver gauge, Yampa River	2.15 ft	Below flood stage	±0	18 mi
Elkhead Creek above Long Gulch, near HaydenRiver gauge, Elkhead Creek	2.74 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	20 mi
Yampa River above Elkhead Creek near HaydenRiver gauge, Yampa River	238 cfs	Normal	−10.0 cfs	23 mi
Elkhead Creek near CraigRiver gauge, Elkhead Creek	2.55 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	25 mi
Yampa River below CraigRiver gauge, Yampa River	1.26 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	35 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Elk River near Milner?

The official flood stage is 7.50 ft. The level is currently 5.76 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 Elk River near Milner today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 09:30 PM MDT, the water level was 1.74 ft. Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Elk River near Milner rising or falling?

Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Elk River near Milner normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Elk River near Milner?

The highest level on record is 8.08 ft on June 21, 2019.

Is Elk River near Milner expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.65 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 06:00 PM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:09242500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 40.51468, -106.95397 (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	1.74 ft	2026-10-20 03:30	Provisional
Flow	115 cfs	2026-10-20 03:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Elk River near Milner (usgs:09242500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/colorado/elk-river-near-milner

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