Elkhead Creek above Long Gulch, near Hayden water level

Name: Elkhead Creek above Long Gulch, near Hayden 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, Elkhead Creek, Colorado, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.72ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 03:15 AM MDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 6.4 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.69 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 02:00 AM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 08:25 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

Elkhead Creek above Long Gulch, near Hayden is at 2.72 ft, in the normal range.

It is 5.28 ft below the flood stage of 8.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.69 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 02:00 AM. In the last month it has stayed between 2.71 ft and 2.93 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 8.36 ftJune 3, 2011
Forecast peak: 2.71 ftTuesday, October 20 at 11:00 PM

Floating and fishing near Elkhead Creek above Long Gulch, near Hayden

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

Flood stage here is 8.00 ft, 5.28 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	8.36 ft	June 3, 2011
2	7.96 ft	May 4, 2023
3	7.90 ft	May 20, 2008
4	7.80 ft	May 20, 2010
5	7.56 ft	May 7, 2009
6	7.45 ft	May 2, 2020
7	7.32 ft	May 16, 2016
8	6.96 ft	May 5, 2014
9	6.67 ft	April 28, 2019
10	6.61 ft	April 28, 2006

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 63° 40° – Wind 8 mph

21 Wed 67° 43° 0.06 in Wind 14 mph

22 Thu 59° 48° 0.22 in, 69% Wind 14 mph

23 Fri 60° 46° 0.28 in, 48% Wind 23 mph

24 Sat 61° 42° 0.03 in Wind 15 mph

25 Sun 52° 40° 0.14 in Wind 9 mph

26 Mon 53° 37° – Wind 9 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:27 AM Sunset 06:22 PM Daylight 10 hr, 54 min Waxing gibbous 76%

Map

Other gauges on Elkhead Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Elkhead Creek near CraigRiver gauge, Elkhead Creek	2.57 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	7 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Yampa River above Elkhead Creek near HaydenRiver gauge, Yampa River	231 cfs	Normal	−3.0 cfs	7 mi
Yampa River below CraigRiver gauge, Yampa River	1.21 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	17 mi
Elk River near MilnerRiver gauge, Elk River	1.73 ft	Below flood stage	±0	20 mi
Yampa River at Steamboat SpringsRiver gauge, Yampa River	1.19 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	27 mi
Slater Fork near SlaterRiver gauge, Slater Fork	16.8 cfs	Normal	+0.6 cfs	27 mi
Fish Creek at Upper Station near Steamboat SpringsRiver gauge, Fish Creek	13.5 cfs	Normal	−4.9 cfs	29 mi
Little Snake River near SlaterRiver gauge, Little Snake River	3.29 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	30 mi
Little Snake River above Savery Cr, near SaveryRiver gauge, Little Snake River	4.11 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	30 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Elkhead Creek above Long Gulch, near Hayden?

The official flood stage is 8.00 ft. The level is currently 5.28 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 Elkhead Creek above Long Gulch, near Hayden today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 03:15 AM MDT, the water level was 2.72 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Elkhead Creek above Long Gulch, near Hayden rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.17 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Elkhead Creek above Long Gulch, near Hayden normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Elkhead Creek above Long Gulch, near Hayden?

The highest level on record is 8.36 ft on June 3, 2011.

Is Elkhead Creek above Long Gulch, near Hayden expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.69 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 02:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:09246200 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 40.59167, -107.32028 (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	2.72 ft	2026-10-21 09:15	Provisional
Flow	6.4 cfs	2026-10-21 09:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Elkhead Creek above Long Gulch, near Hayden (usgs:09246200). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/colorado/elkhead-creek-above-long-gulch-near-hayden

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