South Fork San Miguel River near Ophir water level

Name: South Fork San Miguel River near Ophir 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, South Fork San Miguel River, Colorado, United States

Directions

Very high for mid-October

Water level

1.89ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 11:15 AM MDT (19 min ago)

Flow: 66.6 cfs

History

7 days

Water level

What this means

The South Fork San Miguel River near Ophir is well above normal at 1.89 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 1.88 ft and 1.93 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

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.

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 54° 38° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 52° 41° 0.14 in, 83% Wind 8 mph

22 Thu 47° 40° 2.44 in, 99% Wind 11 mph

23 Fri 48° 35° 0.34 in, 99% Wind 9 mph

24 Sat 50° 35° 0.56 in, 58% Wind 7 mph

25 Sun 46° 31° 0.10 in, 34% Wind 7 mph

26 Mon 49° 30° – Wind 5 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:25 AM Sunset 06:29 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min Waxing gibbous 70%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Lake Fork San Miguel River above Trout Lake near OphirRiver gauge, Lake Fork San Miguel River	18.1 cfs	High	−0.7 cfs	3.9 mi
Mineral Creek at SilvertonRiver gauge, Mineral Creek	132 cfs	Very high	±0	13 mi
Cement Creek at SilvertonRiver gauge, Cement Creek	34.6 cfs	Very high	±0	13 mi
Animas River at SilvertonRiver gauge, Animas River	154 cfs	Very high	+5.0 cfs	14 mi
Animas River below SilvertonRiver gauge, Animas River	331 cfs	Very high	−4.0 cfs	14 mi
Cascade Creek above Cascade Creek Diversion near RockwoodRiver gauge, Cascade Creek	81.2 cfs	Very high	+1.8 cfs	15 mi
Cascade Creek below Cascade Creek Diversion near RockwoodRiver gauge, Cascade Creek	77.6 cfs	Very high	±0	15 mi
San Miguel River near PlacervilleRiver gauge, San Miguel River	184 cfs	Very high	−2.0 cfs	16 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 South Fork San Miguel River near Ophir today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 11:15 AM MDT, the water level was 1.89 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is South Fork San Miguel River near Ophir rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of South Fork San Miguel River near Ophir normal?

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

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:09171310 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 37.87311, -107.89444 (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	1.89 ft	2026-10-20 17:15	Provisional
Flow	66.6 cfs	2026-10-20 17:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: South Fork San Miguel River near Ophir (usgs:09171310). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/colorado/south-fork-san-miguel-river-near-ophir

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