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Pecos River near Orla water level

River gauge, Pecos River, Texas, United States

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Right now

Very high for mid-October

Water level

5.49ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
0.2 cfs
Water temperature
62 °F
0 10 20 Highest onrecord 21.07 ft

History

History
-024ftOct 13Oct 14Oct 16Oct 18Oct 19-024ftOct 13Oct 16Oct 19
-0246ftSep 20Sep 27Oct 4Oct 12Oct 19-0246ftSep 20Oct 4Oct 19
-0510ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026-0510ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
-0510ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026-0510ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

The Pecos River near Orla is well above normal at 5.49 ft.

That puts it 4.47 ft above the median of 1.02 ft for mid-October, based on 33 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 5.24 ft (+0.25 ft). The record high is 21.07 ft, set on September 19, 2014.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 5.43 ft and 5.63 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest. The sensor also reports a water temperature of 62 °F.

Compared with 33 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
1.02 ft4.47 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
0.00 ft – 3.25 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (33 years of records)
Same day last year
5.24 ft+0.25 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
5.43 ft – 5.63 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
5.20 ft – 11.00 ft
Highest on record
21.07 ftSeptember 19, 2014

Flood levels and safety

Most flood deaths in the US happen in vehicles. Six inches of fast water can knock an adult off their feet, and a foot or two can float a car. If a road is covered, turn around.

Readings can change quickly after heavy rain upstream, so check again before heading near the water.

Highest crests on record

RankLevelDate
121.07 ftSeptember 19, 2014
220.74 ftSeptember 29, 1941
312.60 ftJuly 16, 1996
412.60 ftJune 3, 2026
512.30 ftJune 10, 2025
612.01 ftJuly 25, 2025
711.63 ftJune 29, 2021
89.67 ftMay 6, 2025
98.43 ftMay 8, 2012
106.91 ftSeptember 24, 2017

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 81° 49° – Wind 11 mph
20 Tue 83° 55° – Wind 12 mph
21 Wed 82° 62° – Wind 16 mph
22 Thu 84° 63° – Wind 24 mph
23 Fri 81° 66° 0.25 in, 51% Wind 22 mph
24 Sat 75° 65° 0.28 in, 51% Wind 19 mph
25 Sun 69° 61° 0.69 in, 34% Wind 19 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:02 AM Sunset 06:20 PM Daylight 11 hr, 18 min First quarter 61%

Map

Other gauges on the Pecos River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Pecos River near Lake ArthurRiver gauge, Pecos River 4.05 ft Below flood stage −0.04 ft 82 mi
Pecos River near ArtesiaRiver gauge, Pecos River 2.93 ft Below flood stage −0.02 ft 73 mi
Pecos River below Brantley Dam near CarlsbadRiver gauge, Pecos River 108 cfs Normal +2.0 cfs 56 mi
Pecos River at Damsite 3 near CarlsbadRiver gauge, Pecos River 1.65 ft Below flood stage ±0 53 mi
Pecos River below Avalon DamRiver gauge, Pecos River 0.0 cfs Normal ±0 49 mi
Pecos River below Dark Canyon at CarlsbadRiver gauge, Pecos River 0.90 ft Below flood stage +0.01 ft 43 mi
Pecos River near MalagaRiver gauge, Pecos River 2.65 ft Below flood stage +0.04 ft 26 mi
Pecos River at Pierce Canyon CrossingRiver gauge, Pecos River 66.6 cfs Normal ±0 23 mi
Pecos River at Red BluffRiver gauge, Pecos River 3.36 ft Below flood stage +0.02 ft 19 mi
Pecos River at FM 3398 near PecosRiver gauge, Pecos River 2.60 ft Low ±0 34 mi
Pecos River at RR 1776 near GrandfallsRiver gauge, Pecos River 4.32 ft Low ±0 60 mi
Pecos River near GirvinRiver gauge, Pecos River 1.21 ft Normal −0.04 ft 98 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Red Bluff Reservoir near OrlaReservoir, Red Bluff Reservoir 2,814.99 ft Normal +0.02 ft 5.0 mi
Black River at MalagaRiver gauge, Black River 7.7 cfs Normal +4.3 cfs 29 mi
Black River above MalagaRiver gauge, Black River 1.07 ft Below flood stage +0.07 ft 31 mi
Black River below Blue Springs near Whites CityRiver gauge, Black River 3.2 cfs Very low ±0 33 mi
Black River at Harkey Crossing near MalagaRiver gauge, Black River 5.5 cfs Normal +0.5 cfs 33 mi
Blue Springs above Diversions near Whites CityRiver gauge, Blue Springs 5.6 cfs Very low ±0 34 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Pecos River near Orla compare with last year?

It is 0.25 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 5.24 ft.

What is a normal level for the Pecos River near Orla in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.02 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.00 ft and 3.25 ft, based on 33 years of records.

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 near Orla today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 12:15 PM MDT, the water level was 5.49 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Pecos River near Orla rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Pecos River near Orla normal?

Very high for mid-October. Compared with 33 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Pecos River near Orla?

The highest level on record is 21.07 ft on September 19, 2014.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:08412500 (Agency page)
Coordinates
31.87264, -103.83159 (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 5.49 ft 2026-10-19 18:15 Provisional
Flow 0.2 cfs 2026-10-19 18:15 Provisional
Water temperature 62 °F 2026-10-19 18:15 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Pecos River near Orla (usgs:08412500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/texas/pecos-river-near-orla

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.