San Miguel River near Placerville water level

Name: San Miguel River near Placerville 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, San Miguel River, Colorado, United States

Directions

Very high for mid-October

Water level

4.65ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 03:05 AM MDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 191 cfs

History

7 days

Water level

What this means

The San Miguel River near Placerville is well above normal at 4.65 ft.

The record high is 6.94 ft, set on June 15, 2019.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 4.60 ft and 4.73 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: 6.94 ftJune 15, 2019

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.

What happens at each level

18.89 ft: Water is flowing over the surface of the M44 Bridge.
15.90 ft: Water is flowing over the Geyser Road Bridge.
12.60 ft: Water has reached the bottom of the M44 Road Bridge.
11.70 ft: Water has reached the bottom of the Geyser Road Bridge in Placerville.
8.00 ft: Some residential flooding along the San Miguel River near Placerville is occurring
7.00 ft: Portions of Highway 145 in the vicinity of Placerville are flooded.
6.50 ft: Portions of the Placerville Park and Recreation area are flooded.
6.00 ft: Minor low land flooding can be expected adjacent to the river.
5.00 ft: The river has reached bankfull in places.
4.65 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	6.94 ft	June 15, 2019
2	6.82 ft	June 21, 2024
3	6.42 ft	June 3, 2025
4	6.39 ft	June 22, 2023
5	6.06 ft	June 6, 2020
6	5.94 ft	October 11, 2025
7	5.91 ft	May 19, 2022
8	5.72 ft	June 5, 2021
9	5.59 ft	July 31, 1999
10	5.28 ft	June 17, 1995

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 57° 45° 0.07 in, 31% Wind 10 mph

20 Tue 62° 43° – Wind 10 mph

21 Wed 59° 44° 0.29 in, 78% Wind 11 mph

22 Thu 56° 49° 1.09 in, 95% Wind 10 mph

23 Fri 57° 39° – Wind 14 mph

24 Sat 56° 37° – Wind 11 mph

25 Sun 60° 39° – Wind 9 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:26 AM Sunset 06:29 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min First quarter 67%

Map

Other gauges on the San Miguel River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
San Miguel River at Brooks Bridge near NuclaRiver gauge, San Miguel River	191 cfs	High	±0	26 mi
San Miguel River at UravanRiver gauge, San Miguel River	231 cfs	High	+6.0 cfs	40 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
South Fork San Miguel River near OphirRiver gauge, South Fork San Miguel River	66.6 cfs	Very high	±0	16 mi
Lake Fork San Miguel River above Trout Lake near OphirRiver gauge, Lake Fork San Miguel River	18.1 cfs	High	±0	19 mi
Dallas Creek near RidgwayRiver gauge, Dallas Creek	2.82 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	22 mi
Uncompahgre River near RidgwayRiver gauge, Uncompahgre River	2.30 ft	Below flood stage	+0.04 ft	22 mi
Uncompahgre River near OurayRiver gauge, Uncompahgre River	99.0 cfs	High	+1.6 cfs	23 mi
Ridgway ReservoirReservoir	6,851.09 ft	Normal		24 mi
Ridgway Reservoir near RidgwayReservoir, Ridgway Reservoir	67,330 acre‑ft	High	+180 acre‑ft	24 mi
Uncompahgre River below Ridgway ReservoirRiver gauge, Uncompahgre River	1.93 ft	Below flood stage	±0	24 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 San Miguel River near Placerville today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 03:05 AM MDT, the water level was 4.65 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is San Miguel River near Placerville rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of San Miguel River near Placerville 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 San Miguel River near Placerville?

The highest level on record is 6.94 ft on June 15, 2019.

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:09172500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.03071, -108.11029 (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	4.65 ft	2026-10-20 09:05	Provisional
Flow	191 cfs	2026-10-20 09:05	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: San Miguel River near Placerville (usgs:09172500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/colorado/san-miguel-river-near-placerville

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