Nivelmap
EN

Horsetooth Reservoir water level

Reservoir, Colorado, United States

Directions

Right now

Very high for mid-October

Surface elevation

5,412.01ft Up 0.20 ft over the last 7 days

Water stored
122,384 acre‑ft
5,375 5,400

History

History
5,3605,3805,400ftOct 12Oct 13Oct 14Oct 15Oct 175,3605,3805,400ftOct 12Oct 14Oct 17
5,3505,3755,400ftSep 19Sep 26Oct 3Oct 10Oct 175,3505,3755,400ftSep 19Oct 3Oct 17
5,3505,400ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 20265,3505,400ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
5,3805,4005,420ftOct 2016Apr 2019Oct 2021Apr 2024Oct 20265,3805,4005,420ftOct 2016Oct 2021Oct 2026
5,3505,400ftJanMarMayJulSepNov20265,3505,400ftJanAprJulOct2026

202120222023202420252026

Surface elevation Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

There is plenty of water in Horsetooth Reservoir: 5,412.01 ft, well above normal for mid-October.

That puts it 18.33 ft above the median of 5,393.68 ft for mid-October, based on 36 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 5,401.25 ft (+10.76 ft).

The water is rising: up 0.20 ft over the past week. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 5,409.58 ft and 5,413.03 ft.

Many reservoirs are drawn down through summer and fall; most of the refill comes later, with winter rain or spring snowmelt.

Compared with 36 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
5,393.68 ft18.33 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
5,362.94 ft – 5,411.41 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (36 years of records)
Same day last year
5,401.25 ft+10.76 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
5,409.58 ft – 5,413.03 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
5,396.82 ft – 5,426.23 ft

Swimming and boating at Horsetooth Reservoir

High water can flood ramps, parking areas and shoreline campsites, and it carries floating debris. Expect some no-wake zones to be extended.

If you swim, pick a spot with an easy way out, and remember that drop-offs move as the level changes.

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

18 Sun 74° 53° – Wind 12 mph
19 Mon 66° 43° – Wind 11 mph
20 Tue 71° 53° – Wind 5 mph
21 Wed 74° 57° – Wind 9 mph
22 Thu 69° 57° 0.04 in Wind 6 mph
23 Fri 73° 58° 0.05 in, 43% Wind 13 mph
24 Sat 57° 46° – Wind 12 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:16 AM Sunset 06:17 PM Daylight 11 hr, 2 min First quarter 51%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Cache La Poudre River at Fort CollinsRiver gauge, Cache La Poudre River 0.83 ft Below flood stage −0.07 ft 5.4 mi
Cache La Poudre River above Boxelder Creek near TimnathRiver gauge, Cache La Poudre River 18.4 cfs Normal −4.8 cfs 9 mi
North Fork Cache La Poudre River at LivermoreRiver gauge, North Fork Cache La Poudre River 20.5 cfs High +0.5 cfs 14 mi
Big Thompson River at LovelandRiver gauge, Big Thompson River 1.28 ft Below flood stage +0.36 ft 16 mi
Flatiron ReservoirReservoir 5,467.74 ft Normal 17 mi
Pinewood Reservoir and RattlesnakeReservoir 6,561.57 ft Low 17 mi
Carter Lake ReservoirReservoir 5,709.31 ft Normal 19 mi
North Fork Cache La Poudre River below Halligan Reservoir near Va DaleRiver gauge, North Fork Cache La Poudre River 2.00 ft Below flood stage ±0 21 mi

Questions and answers

How does Horsetooth Reservoir compare with last year?

It is 10.76 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 5,401.25 ft.

What is a normal level for Horsetooth Reservoir in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 5,393.68 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 5,362.94 ft and 5,411.41 ft, based on 36 years of records.

Is Horsetooth Reservoir really 5,412.01 ft deep?

No. 5,412.01 ft is the height of the water surface above sea level (or the agency's vertical datum), not the depth of the water.

What is the water level of Horsetooth Reservoir today?

On Oct 17, 2026, the surface elevation was 5,412.01 ft. Up 0.20 ft over the last 7 days.

Is Horsetooth Reservoir rising or falling?

Up 0.20 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Horsetooth Reservoir normal?

Very high for mid-October. Compared with 36 years of daily readings for this time of year.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation publishes a new reading once a day. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
Station code
usbr:369 (Agency page)
Coordinates
40.59940, -105.17110 (WGS84)
Update interval
once a day
Licence
Public domain. Data: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (RISE), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Surface elevation 5,412.01 ft 2026-10-17 06:00 Provisional
Water stored 122,384 acre‑ft 2026-10-17 06:00 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. Bureau of Reclamation: Horsetooth Reservoir (usbr:369). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/colorado/horsetooth-reservoir

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.