Dolores River near Gateway water level

Name: Dolores River near Gateway 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, Dolores River, Colorado, United States

Directions

Very high for mid-October

Water level

8.12ft Up 0.18 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 09:00 AM MDT (33 min ago)

Flow: 289 cfs

History

7 days

Water level

What this means

High water at Dolores River near Gateway: the latest reading is 8.12 ft, well above normal for mid-October.

The record high is 16.38 ft, set on May 2, 2023.

It is on the way up, by 0.18 ft over the past 24 hours. If the rise continues, low-lying paths and riverside parking can go under water. The 30-day range is 7.89 ft – 8.92 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.

Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 16.38 ftMay 2, 2023

Staying safe in high water

Flood stage is only the first threshold. Above it the National Weather Service sets moderate and major flood stages, and the forecast crest tells you which of those the river is expected to reach.

Upstream gauges on the same river usually show a rise first, which is a useful early warning.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	16.38 ft	May 2, 2023
2	15.00 ft	June 16, 2019
3	13.94 ft	May 8, 2017
4	12.25 ft	June 12, 2016
5	11.99 ft	June 12, 2015
6	11.72 ft	June 23, 2024
7	10.95 ft	October 12, 2025
8	10.49 ft	August 20, 2021
9	9.93 ft	August 27, 2018
10	9.17 ft	July 7, 2022

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 73° 52° – Wind 12 mph

21 Wed 70° 57° 0.04 in, 89% Wind 18 mph

22 Thu 59° 56° 1.10 in, 96% Wind 12 mph

23 Fri 64° 51° 0.07 in, 96% Wind 14 mph

24 Sat 68° 49° 0.07 in, 29% Wind 6 mph

25 Sun 62° 51° 0.14 in Wind 7 mph

26 Mon 66° 49° – Wind 6 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:31 AM Sunset 06:32 PM Daylight 11 hr, 1 min Waxing gibbous 69%

Map

Other gauges on the Dolores River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Dolores River below RicoRiver gauge, Dolores River	2.24 ft	Below flood stage	+0.04 ft	86 mi
Dolores River at DoloresRiver gauge, Dolores River	3.31 ft	Below flood stage	+0.05 ft	86 mi
Dolores River at BedrockRiver gauge, Dolores River	19.4 cfs	Low	−3.8 cfs	25 mi
Dolores River near BedrockRiver gauge, Dolores River	2.41 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	23 mi
Dolores River near CiscoRiver gauge, Dolores River	7.52 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	15 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Colorado River near CiscoRiver gauge, Colorado River	2.48 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	20 mi
San Miguel River at UravanRiver gauge, San Miguel River	225 cfs	High	+3.0 cfs	25 mi
Castle Creek below Castle Valley near MoabRiver gauge, Castle Creek	5.1 cfs	Normal	±0	26 mi
Mill Creek at Sheley Tunnel, near MoabRiver gauge, Mill Creek	3.49 ft	Very high	±0	27 mi
Mill Creek below Sheley Tunnel, near MoabRiver gauge, Mill Creek	3.3 cfs	Normal	±0	27 mi
Pack Creek at Pack Creek Road Bridge near MoabRiver gauge, Pack Creek	0.9 cfs	Normal	±0	27 mi
Colorado River near Colorado-Utah State LineRiver gauge, Colorado River	3.36 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	32 mi

Questions and answers

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 Dolores River near Gateway today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 09:00 AM MDT, the water level was 8.12 ft. Up 0.18 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Dolores River near Gateway rising or falling?

Up 0.18 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Dolores River near Gateway normal?

Very high for mid-October. Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Dolores River near Gateway?

The highest level on record is 16.38 ft on May 2, 2023.

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.

Where does this data come from?

The values come directly from the U.S. Geological Survey, the official operator of this gauge, and are in the public domain. We do not estimate or model live values.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:09179450 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.66804, -108.96552 (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	8.12 ft	2026-10-20 15:00	Provisional
Flow	289 cfs	2026-10-20 15:00	Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.

<iframe src="https://nivelmap.com/embed/8260?lang=en" width="360" height="230" style="border:0;max-width:100%" loading="lazy" title="Dolores River near Gateway water level"></iframe>

How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Dolores River near Gateway (usgs:09179450). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/colorado/dolores-river-near-gateway

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