Yampa River at Steamboat Springs water level

Name: Yampa River at Steamboat Springs 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, Yampa River, Colorado, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.25ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 02:15 PM MDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 115 cfs
Water temperature: 54 °F

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.05 ft by Monday, October 26 at 04:00 PM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 08:25 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Yampa River at Steamboat Springs, where the gauge shows 1.25 ft.

It is 6.25 ft below the flood stage of 7.50 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.05 ft by Monday, October 26 at 04:00 PM. The 30-day range is 1.21 ft – 1.30 ft.

The sensor also reports a water temperature of 54 °F.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 7.08 ftJune 7, 2011
Forecast peak: 1.21 ftTuesday, October 20 at 10:00 AM

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 7.50 ft.

What happens at each level

25.50 ft: Water is near the intersection of 5th street and Lincoln Avenue. Major flooding and flood damage is occurring.
19.50 ft: The intersection of Lincoln Avenue and 9th Street is beginning to flood.
13.50 ft: Many portions of Yampa Street are flooded and impassable. Buildings adjacent to the river are flooded. Water has reached some buildings between Yampa Street and Lincoln Avenue.
12.50 ft: Water is flowing over the 5th street bridge and other bridges along the Yampa River in Steamboat Springs, including the 13th Street Bridge and the Shield Drive Bridge.
10.50 ft: The intersection of Howelsen Parkway and 5th Street near Howelsen Park is flooding.
10.00 ft: Water reaches the railroad crossing near the intersection of 5th street and Howelson Parkway.
9.80 ft: Water reaches the bottom of the 5th Street bridge over the Yampa River.
8.69 ft: Portions of Yampa Street are beginning to flood. The intersection of Yampa Street and 9th Street is flooded.
8.40 ft: Water is approaching buildings along Yampa Street between 5th and 7th Streets, including the Boathouse Pub.
8.10 ft: Water reaches the foundations of buildings near Yampa Street and 9th Street, including the Steamboat Rafting Company.
7.50 ft: Minor flooding is occurring along the Yampa River in Steamboat Springs. Water is flowing across some properties adjacent to the river and is approaching buildings.
7.00 ft: Some minor flooding of low-lying agricultural land along the Yampa River upstream and downstream of Steamboat Springs is occurring.
1.25 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	7.08 ft	June 7, 2011
2	6.87 ft	May 29, 2014
3	6.72 ft	June 7, 2010
4	6.55 ft	June 8, 2024
5	6.44 ft	June 21, 2019
6	6.40 ft	May 23, 2006
7	6.34 ft	June 4, 2008
8	6.22 ft	June 9, 2016
9	6.21 ft	June 2, 2020
10	6.08 ft	May 26, 2023

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 63° 39° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 67° 45° – Wind 9 mph

22 Thu 56° 48° 0.29 in, 63% Wind 8 mph

23 Fri 62° 43° 0.08 in, 62% Wind 18 mph

24 Sat 63° 39° 0.04 in, 26% Wind 9 mph

25 Sun 55° 40° 0.04 in Wind 6 mph

26 Mon 53° 37° 0.00 in Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:24 AM Sunset 06:21 PM Daylight 10 hr, 57 min Waxing gibbous 71%

Map

Other gauges on the Yampa River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Yampa River above Stagecoach ReservoirRiver gauge, Yampa River	2.17 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	15 mi
Yampa River below Stagecoach ReservoirRiver gauge, Yampa River	2.39 ft	Below flood stage	±0	14 mi
Yampa River above Elkhead Creek near HaydenRiver gauge, Yampa River	234 cfs	Normal	−11.0 cfs	30 mi
Yampa River below CraigRiver gauge, Yampa River	1.22 ft	Below flood stage	−0.10 ft	41 mi
Yampa River near MaybellRiver gauge, Yampa River	2.00 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	63 mi
Yampa River at Deerlodge ParkRiver gauge, Yampa River	2.58 ft	Below flood stage	−0.20 ft	89 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Fish Creek at Upper Station near Steamboat SpringsRiver gauge, Fish Creek	16.7 cfs	Normal	−2.2 cfs	2.5 mi
Elk River near MilnerRiver gauge, Elk River	1.78 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	7 mi
Elkhead Creek above Long Gulch, near HaydenRiver gauge, Elkhead Creek	2.71 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	27 mi
Elkhead Creek near CraigRiver gauge, Elkhead Creek	2.57 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	32 mi
Muddy Creek below Wolford Mountain Reser. near KremmlingRiver gauge, Muddy Creek	4.05 ft	Below flood stage	±0	34 mi
Colorado River near KremmlingRiver gauge, Colorado River	3.85 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	37 mi
Encampment River above Hog Park Creek, near EncampmentRiver gauge, Encampment River	1.12 ft	Below flood stage	±0	37 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Yampa River at Steamboat Springs?

The official flood stage is 7.50 ft. The level is currently 6.25 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 Yampa River at Steamboat Springs today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 02:15 PM MDT, the water level was 1.25 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Yampa River at Steamboat Springs rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Yampa River at Steamboat Springs normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Yampa River at Steamboat Springs?

The highest level on record is 7.08 ft on June 7, 2011.

Is Yampa River at Steamboat Springs expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.05 ft by Monday, October 26 at 04:00 PM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:09239500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 40.48299, -106.83243 (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	1.25 ft	2026-10-20 20:15	Provisional
Flow	115 cfs	2026-10-20 20:15	Provisional
Water temperature	54 °F	2026-10-20 20:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Yampa River at Steamboat Springs (usgs:09239500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/colorado/yampa-river-at-steamboat-springs

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