Arkansas River near Leadville water level

Name: Arkansas River near Leadville 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, Arkansas River, Colorado, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

4.37ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 07:15 PM MDT (29 min ago)

Flow: 12.6 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Arkansas River near Leadville, where the gauge shows 4.37 ft.

It is 4.63 ft below the flood stage of 9.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 4.37 ft – 4.85 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: 8.42 ftJune 18, 2015

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 9.00 ft.

What happens at each level

12.00 ft: Flood waters cause a major impact to travel. Highways and roads are closed.
10.00 ft: Flood waters begin to impact structures.
9.00 ft: Flood waters begin to affect travel and low property access.
8.50 ft: Minor inundation of riparian and meadow areas occurs.
4.37 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	8.42 ft	June 18, 2015
2	8.36 ft	June 8, 2024
3	8.36 ft	July 2, 2019
4	7.84 ft	June 11, 2016
5	7.80 ft	June 17, 2011
6	7.22 ft	June 10, 2013

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:22 AM Sunset 06:19 PM Daylight 10 hr, 58 min Waxing gibbous 73%

Map

Other gauges on the Arkansas River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Arkansas River at Moffat Street at PuebloRiver gauge, Arkansas River	119 cfs	Normal	−40.0 cfs	116 mi
Arkansas River near AvondaleRiver gauge, Arkansas River	2.89 ft	Below flood stage	±0	126 mi
Arkansas River at AvondaleRiver gauge, Arkansas River	9.24 ft	No reference yet	+0.06 ft	128 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Turquoise Lake and Sugar LoafReservoir	9,833.30 ft	Very low		1.4 mi
Ef Arkansas River at Us Highway 24, near LeadvilleRiver gauge, Ef Arkansas River	13.0 cfs	Very low	±0	2.8 mi
Mount Elbert Forebay ReservoirReservoir	9,613.10 ft	Very low		10 mi
Missouri Creek near Gold ParkRiver gauge, Missouri Creek	1.1 cfs	Low	±0	12 mi
Homestake Creek at Gold ParkRiver gauge, Homestake Creek	7.0 cfs	Low	+0.3 cfs	12 mi
Twin Lakes ReservoirReservoir	9,186.20 ft	Low		12 mi
East Fork Eagle River near ClimaxRiver gauge, East Fork Eagle River	1.0 cfs	Normal	±0	12 mi
Roaring Fork River above Lost Man Creek near AspenRiver gauge, Roaring Fork River	3.7 cfs	High	±0	17 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Arkansas River near Leadville?

The official flood stage is 9.00 ft. The level is currently 4.63 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 Arkansas River near Leadville today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 07:15 PM MDT, the water level was 4.37 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Arkansas River near Leadville rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.04 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Arkansas River near Leadville normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Arkansas River near Leadville?

The highest level on record is 8.42 ft on June 18, 2015.

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:07081200 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.24900, -106.34811 (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

Parameter	Last value	Time (UTC)	Quality
Water level	4.37 ft	2026-10-21 01:15	Provisional
Flow	12.6 cfs	2026-10-21 01:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Arkansas River near Leadville (usgs:07081200). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/colorado/arkansas-river-near-leadville

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