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South Platte River at Fort Lupton water level

River gauge, South Platte River, Colorado, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.36ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
138 cfs
3 5 8 10 Minor floodstage 11.00 ft Highest onrecord 10.98 ft

History

3.43.6ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 203.43.6ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 20
Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at South Platte River at Fort Lupton reads 3.36 ft, a normal level.

It is 7.64 ft below the flood stage of 11.00 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 3.28 ft and 3.64 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
10.98 ftSeptember 13, 2013

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 11.00 ft, still 7.64 ft away.

What happens at each level

15.00 ft
Numerous roads along and crossing the river are damaged and impassable. There is extensive flooding of agricultural land and inundation of structures near the river.
14.00 ft
Significant flooding is likely, including some structures near the river between Fort Lupton and Platteville.
13.00 ft
Water flows over or around several bridges crossing the river. There is moderate flooding and damage to agricultural lands.
12.00 ft
Significant lowland flooding occurs.
11.00 ft
The river overflows its banks flooding agricultural lands. This level represents a flood that has a 10-percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. For more information click <a href="inundation/faq_google.php">here</a>.
10.00 ft
High flows begin to affect rural lowlands immediately adjacent to the river.
3.36 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 %.

RankLevelDate
110.98 ftSeptember 13, 2013
210.82 ftJune 12, 2015
310.44 ftApril 25, 2007
49.93 ftAugust 19, 2004
59.81 ftJuly 13, 2011
69.71 ftApril 24, 2010
79.70 ftJune 2, 2009
89.12 ftAugust 5, 2005
99.06 ftJuly 31, 2014
108.99 ftAugust 16, 2008

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:16 AM Sunset 06:14 PM Daylight 10 hr, 58 min First quarter 68%

Map

Other gauges on the South Platte River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
South Platte River below Brush Creek near TrumbullRiver gauge, South Platte River 59.2 cfs Low −20.9 cfs 63 mi
South Platte River below Union Ave, at Englewood, CreekRiver gauge, South Platte River 10.86 ft Below flood stage +0.02 ft 35 mi
South Platte River at EnglewoodRiver gauge, South Platte River 33.4 cfs Very low +8.0 cfs 33 mi
South Platte River at 64th Ave. Commerce CityRiver gauge, South Platte River 6.8 cfs Low +0.8 cfs 22 mi
South Platte River at Fort MorganRiver gauge, South Platte River 9.21 ft Below flood stage −0.19 ft 55 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Big Dry Creek at Mouth near Fort LuptonRiver gauge, Big Dry Creek 32.9 cfs Normal +1.6 cfs 3.3 mi
St Vrain Creek below Boulder Creek at Highway 119 near LongmontRiver gauge, St Vrain Creek 9.70 ft Below flood stage −0.04 ft 10 mi
Boulder Creek at Mouth near LongmontRiver gauge, Boulder Creek 1.2 cfs Very low −0.4 cfs 11 mi
Left Hand Creek at Hover Road near LongmontRiver gauge, Left Hand Creek 0.8 cfs Very low ±0 17 mi
Big Dry Creek at WestminsterRiver gauge, Big Dry Creek 0.7 cfs Very low +0.1 cfs 19 mi
Boulder Creek at North 75th St. near BoulderRiver gauge, Boulder Creek 4.06 ft Below flood stage −0.10 ft 20 mi
First Creek Bel Buckley Road, at Rocky Mountain ArsenalRiver gauge, First Creek Bel Buckley Road 1.9 cfs High +0.1 cfs 21 mi
Big Thompson River at LovelandRiver gauge, Big Thompson River 0.59 ft Below flood stage −0.02 ft 22 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the South Platte River at Fort Lupton?

The official flood stage is 11.00 ft. The level is currently 7.64 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 South Platte River at Fort Lupton today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 06:00 AM MDT, the water level was 3.36 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is South Platte River at Fort Lupton rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of South Platte River at Fort Lupton normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at South Platte River at Fort Lupton?

The highest level on record is 10.98 ft on September 13, 2013.

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:06721000 (Agency page)
Coordinates
40.11611, -104.81806 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 3.36 ft 2026-10-20 12:00 Provisional
Flow 138 cfs 2026-10-20 12:00 Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

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

How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: South Platte River at Fort Lupton (usgs:06721000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/colorado/south-platte-river-at-fort-lupton

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