Gunnison River near Grand Junction water level

Name: Gunnison River near Grand Junction 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, Gunnison River, Colorado, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.06ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 02:30 PM MDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 1,220 cfs
Water temperature: 57 °F

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to rise to 4.24 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 12:00 AM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 09:02 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The gauge at Gunnison River near Grand Junction reads 3.06 ft, a normal level.

It is 9.94 ft below the flood stage of 13.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 4.24 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 12:00 AM. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 3.06 ft and 3.39 ft.

The sensor also reports a water temperature of 57 °F.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 12.32 ftMay 17, 2023
Forecast peak: 4.24 ftSaturday, October 24 at 12:00 AM

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 13.00 ft, still 9.94 ft away.

What happens at each level

19.00 ft: Portions of town of Whitewater flooded. Major flooding of residences and agricultural land along Gunnison River. Portions of railroad tracks washed out.
18.00 ft: Ranch land near southern end of Foster Lane begins to flood.
17.50 ft: Water reaches the railroad tracks paralleling the Gunnison River near State Highway 141 bridge. Sections of 141 in vicinity of the bridge are flooded as well as Foster Lane, Coffman Road and CS15.
16.00 ft: Water nears the top of the right bank of the Gunnison River near State Highway 141 bridge.
14.25 ft: Water covers State Highway 141 bridge. Highway 141 becomes impassable.
13.00 ft: Some residential flooding is likely near Redlands Dam.
11.00 ft: Water nears the bottom of State Highway 141 bridge. Water reaches the base of the bridge near Redlands Dam.
10.00 ft: Considerable agricultural land flooding is likely between Whitewater and Orchard Mesa. Water flows into quarry on left bank of Gunnison downstream of State Highway 141 bridge.
9.00 ft: Some lowland flooding near redlands dam is likely. Low lying agricultural land flooded.
8.60 ft: Water reaches the top of the left bank on the west side of the State Highway 141 bridge. Water begins to fill gravel quarry on left bank upstream of State Highway 141 bridge.
7.00 ft: Water will inundate sections of the river walk near Redlands Dam.
3.06 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	12.32 ft	May 17, 2023
2	11.91 ft	June 9, 2019
3	11.71 ft	May 26, 2017
4	11.41 ft	May 22, 2008
5	11.29 ft	June 8, 2011
6	10.30 ft	June 6, 2014
7	10.21 ft	May 13, 2009
8	9.72 ft	May 23, 2005
9	9.07 ft	May 22, 2016
10	9.05 ft	June 20, 2015

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:28 AM Sunset 06:31 PM Daylight 11 hr, 3 min First quarter 62%

Map

Other gauges on the Gunnison River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Gunnison River near GunnisonRiver gauge, Gunnison River	1.02 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	86 mi
Gunnison River below Gunnison TunnelRiver gauge, Gunnison River	211 cfs	Low	−2.0 cfs	53 mi
Gunnison River at DeltaRiver gauge, Gunnison River	1.39 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	26 mi
Gunnison River at Cnty Road 32 below GunnisonRiver gauge, Gunnison River	4.47 ft	No reference yet	±0	85 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Colo River below Grand Valley Diversion near PalisadeRiver gauge, Colo River	663 cfs	Low	+167 cfs	9 mi
Plateau Creek near CameoRiver gauge, Plateau Creek	1.98 ft	Below flood stage	−0.41 ft	17 mi
Escalante Creek near DeltaRiver gauge, Escalante Creek	6.8 cfs	Normal	−0.5 cfs	19 mi
Colorado River near CameoRiver gauge, Colorado River	3.47 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	20 mi
Uncompahgre River at DeltaRiver gauge, Uncompahgre River	527 cfs	Normal	−3.0 cfs	26 mi
Roan Creek at De BequeRiver gauge, Roan Creek	2.6 cfs	Very low	−1.6 cfs	27 mi
Fruit Growers Reservoir near Orchard CityReservoir, Fruit Growers Reservoir	5,465.57 ft	Normal	+0.11 ft	29 mi
Salt Creek near Mouth near MackRiver gauge, Salt Creek	119 cfs	Low	−25.0 cfs	29 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Gunnison River near Grand Junction?

The official flood stage is 13.00 ft. The level is currently 9.94 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 Gunnison River near Grand Junction today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 02:30 PM MDT, the water level was 3.06 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Gunnison River near Grand Junction rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Gunnison River near Grand Junction normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Gunnison River near Grand Junction?

The highest level on record is 12.32 ft on May 17, 2023.

Is Gunnison River near Grand Junction expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to rise to 4.24 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 12:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:09152500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.98332, -108.45064 (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	3.06 ft	2026-10-19 20:30	Provisional
Flow	1,220 cfs	2026-10-19 20:30	Provisional
Water temperature	57 °F	2026-10-19 20:30	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Gunnison River near Grand Junction (usgs:09152500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/colorado/gunnison-river-near-grand-junction

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