Nivelmap
EN

Dolores River at Dolores water level

River gauge, Dolores River, Colorado, United States

Directions

Right now

Below flood stage

Water level

3.25ft Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours

Flow
300 cfs
5 8 Minor floodstage 8.00 ft Highest onrecord 7.84 ft

History

History
3.03.54.0ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 20Oct 23Oct 253.03.54.0ftOct 16Oct 20Oct 25
Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to rise to 4.16 ft by Friday, October 23 at 09:00 AM. Issued Sunday, October 18 at 09:15 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Dolores River at Dolores, where the gauge shows 3.25 ft.

It is 4.75 ft below the flood stage of 8.00 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.06 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 4.16 ft by Friday, October 23 at 09:00 AM. The 30-day range is 3.25 ft – 3.62 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record
7.84 ftMay 25, 1984
Forecast peak
4.16 ftFriday, October 23 at 09:00 AM

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 8.00 ft.

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: < 5 %.

RankLevelDate
17.84 ftMay 25, 1984
27.75 ftMay 5, 1982
37.26 ftMay 17, 2023
47.05 ftJune 9, 2019
57.04 ftMay 24, 2005
66.93 ftMay 4, 1986
76.88 ftMay 3, 1981
86.67 ftJune 17, 1995
96.58 ftJune 9, 1985
106.54 ftMay 21, 2008

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:26 AM Sunset 06:33 PM Daylight 11 hr, 6 min First quarter 57%

Map

Other gauges on the Dolores River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Dolores River below RicoRiver gauge, Dolores River 2.20 ft Below flood stage −0.09 ft 27 mi
Dolores River at BedrockRiver gauge, Dolores River 24.8 cfs Low −9.4 cfs 62 mi
Dolores River near BedrockRiver gauge, Dolores River 2.45 ft Below flood stage −0.15 ft 64 mi
Dolores River near GatewayRiver gauge, Dolores River 161 cfs Normal −28.0 cfs 86 mi
Dolores River near CiscoRiver gauge, Dolores River 7.59 ft Below flood stage −0.11 ft 99 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Lost Canyon Creek near DoloresRiver gauge, Lost Canyon Creek 2.14 ft Below flood stage ±0 2.4 mi
Mcphee ReservoirReservoir 6,864.51 ft Low 5.2 mi
Jackson Gulch ReservoirReservoir 7,802.56 ft High 13 mi
Mud Creek at State Highway 32, near CortezRiver gauge, Mud Creek 1.5 cfs Low +0.1 cfs 14 mi
McElmo Creek above Trail Canyon near CortezRiver gauge, McElmo Creek 10.1 cfs Very low −0.9 cfs 15 mi
McElmo Creek near Colorado-Utah State LineRiver gauge, McElmo Creek 13.4 cfs Low −2.7 cfs 30 mi
Mancos River near TowaocRiver gauge, Mancos River 8.9 cfs Normal −0.8 cfs 34 mi
Hermosa Creek near HermosaRiver gauge, Hermosa Creek 160 cfs Very high −21.0 cfs 36 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Dolores River at Dolores?

The official flood stage is 8.00 ft. The level is currently 4.75 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 Dolores River at Dolores today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 12:45 AM MDT, the water level was 3.25 ft. Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Dolores River at Dolores rising or falling?

Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Dolores River at Dolores normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Dolores River at Dolores?

The highest level on record is 7.84 ft on May 25, 1984.

Is Dolores River at Dolores expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to rise to 4.16 ft by Friday, October 23 at 09:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:09166500 (Agency page)
Coordinates
37.47250, -108.49760 (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 3.25 ft 2026-10-19 06:45 Provisional
Flow 300 cfs 2026-10-19 06:45 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: Dolores River at Dolores (usgs:09166500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/colorado/dolores-river-at-dolores

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.