Elk Creek at Coal Creek above Crested Butte water level

Name: Elk Creek at Coal Creek above Crested Butte 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, Elk Creek, Colorado, United States

Directions

Very high for mid-October

Water level

0.31ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 11:15 AM MDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 0.6 cfs

History

7 days

Water level

What this means

Elk Creek at Coal Creek above Crested Butte is well above normal at 0.31 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 0.30 ft and 0.35 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 47° 33° – Wind 11 mph

21 Wed 51° 35° 0.10 in, 80% Wind 13 mph

22 Thu 42° 39° 0.66 in, 96% Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 48° 32° 0.17 in, 96% Wind 10 mph

24 Sat 50° 31° 0.16 in, 33% Wind 8 mph

25 Sun 43° 29° 0.22 in, 21% Wind 6 mph

26 Mon 48° 27° – Wind 3 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:23 AM Sunset 06:24 PM Daylight 11 hr, 1 min Waxing gibbous 70%

Map

Other gauges on Elk Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Elk Creek at Upper Station, near FraserRiver gauge, Elk Creek	0.3 cfs	Normal	±0	97 mi
Elk Creek at New CastleRiver gauge, Elk Creek	3.13 ft	No reference yet	±0	56 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Coal Creek above McCormick Dtch at Crested ButteRiver gauge, Coal Creek	4.5 cfs	Normal	−1.7 cfs	4.1 mi
Slate River above Baxter Gl @Hwy 135 near Crested ButteRiver gauge, Slate River	40.0 cfs	Normal	+3.6 cfs	5.7 mi
Ohio Creek near BaldwinRiver gauge, Ohio Creek	27.9 cfs	Normal	+6.8 cfs	11 mi
East River below Cement Creek near Crested ButteRiver gauge, East River	101 cfs	Normal	+8.1 cfs	11 mi
Paonia Reservoir near BardineReservoir, Paonia Reservoir	6,386.63 ft	Very high		17 mi
Anthracite Creek above Mouth near SomersetRiver gauge, Anthracite Creek	106 cfs	Very high	+18.3 cfs	17 mi
East River at AlmontRiver gauge, East River	2.63 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	18 mi
Taylor River at AlmontRiver gauge, Taylor River	1.45 ft	Below flood stage	±0	18 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 Elk Creek at Coal Creek above Crested Butte today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 11:15 AM MDT, the water level was 0.31 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Elk Creek at Coal Creek above Crested Butte rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Elk Creek at Coal Creek above Crested Butte 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:09110990 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.85665, -107.05977 (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	0.31 ft	2026-10-20 17:15	Provisional
Flow	0.6 cfs	2026-10-20 17:15	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Elk Creek at Coal Creek above Crested Butte (usgs:09110990). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/colorado/elk-creek-at-coal-creek-above-crested-butte

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