Little Snake River near Slater water level

Name: Little Snake River near Slater 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, Little Snake River, Colorado, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.30ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 02:45 PM MDT (38 min ago)

Flow: 29.5 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 3.26 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 01:00 PM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 08:25 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Little Snake River near Slater, where the gauge shows 3.30 ft.

It is 6.20 ft below the flood stage of 9.50 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 3.26 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 01:00 PM. The 30-day range is 3.29 ft – 3.49 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 8.87 ftJune 6, 2011
Forecast peak: 3.30 ftFriday, October 23 at 03:00 PM

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 9.50 ft.

What happens at each level

12.80 ft: The surface of the Little Snake River nears the base of the bridge on Focus Ranch. Major flooding is occurring along with severe erosion of river banks.
11.30 ft: Low-lying portions of 129 Road in the vicinity of bridge on Focus Ranch are beginning to flood. Moderate flooding of property along the Little Snake River is occurring. River banks are unstable.
10.00 ft: Water reaches the foundations of buildings on Focus Ranch. Minor flooding of low-lying agricultural land is occurring.
8.70 ft: The Little Snake River reaches the top of the right bank near Focus Ranch. Water begins to pool on low-lying agricultural land near and along the left and right river banks.
6.50 ft: Little Snake River reaches the top of the left bank near Focus Ranch.
3.30 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	8.87 ft	June 6, 2011
2	7.74 ft	May 21, 2008
3	7.53 ft	May 29, 2010
4	7.52 ft	May 30, 2014
5	7.28 ft	May 16, 2023
6	7.11 ft	May 20, 2016
7	7.08 ft	June 3, 2009
8	7.07 ft	May 23, 2006
9	6.93 ft	May 21, 2005
10	6.89 ft	May 21, 2024

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 60° 40° – Wind 9 mph

20 Tue 61° 42° – Wind 12 mph

21 Wed 65° 43° – Wind 12 mph

22 Thu 61° 47° 0.00 in, 48% Wind 13 mph

23 Fri 58° 42° 0.01 in, 51% Wind 23 mph

24 Sat 50° 37° 0.11 in, 54% Wind 7 mph

25 Sun 60° 34° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:26 AM Sunset 06:22 PM Daylight 10 hr, 56 min Waxing gibbous 71%

Map

Other gauges on the Little Snake River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Little Snake River above Savery Cr, near SaveryRiver gauge, Little Snake River	4.06 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	16 mi
Little Snake River near DixonRiver gauge, Little Snake River	2.77 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	21 mi
Little Snake River below Dry Gulch, near BaggsRiver gauge, Little Snake River	119 cfs	Normal	−13.0 cfs	40 mi
Little Snake River near LilyRiver gauge, Little Snake River	1.36 ft	Below flood stage	−0.09 ft	74 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Slater Fork near SlaterRiver gauge, Slater Fork	16.5 cfs	Normal	+0.3 cfs	13 mi
Encampment River above Hog Park Creek, near EncampmentRiver gauge, Encampment River	1.12 ft	Below flood stage	±0	17 mi
Muddy Creek below Young Draw, near BaggsRiver gauge, Muddy Creek	3.7 cfs	Very high	−2.6 cfs	26 mi
Elkhead Creek above Long Gulch, near HaydenRiver gauge, Elkhead Creek	2.71 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	30 mi
Encampment River at Mouth, near EncampmentRiver gauge, Encampment River	2.04 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	31 mi
Elk River near MilnerRiver gauge, Elk River	1.78 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	35 mi
Elkhead Creek near CraigRiver gauge, Elkhead Creek	2.57 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	36 mi
Yampa River above Elkhead Creek near HaydenRiver gauge, Yampa River	234 cfs	Normal	−11.0 cfs	36 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Little Snake River near Slater?

The official flood stage is 9.50 ft. The level is currently 6.20 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 Little Snake River near Slater today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 02:45 PM MDT, the water level was 3.30 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Little Snake River near Slater rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Little Snake River near Slater normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Little Snake River near Slater?

The highest level on record is 8.87 ft on June 6, 2011.

Is Little Snake River near Slater expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 3.26 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 01:00 PM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:09253000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 40.99940, -107.14343 (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	3.30 ft	2026-10-20 20:45	Provisional
Flow	29.5 cfs	2026-10-20 20:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Little Snake River near Slater (usgs:09253000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/colorado/little-snake-river-near-slater

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