Lost Canyon Creek near Dolores water level

Name: Lost Canyon Creek near Dolores 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, Lost Canyon Creek, Colorado, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.15ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 10:15 AM MDT (57 min ago)

Flow: 0.0 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to rise to 4.79 ft by Friday, October 23 at 05:00 AM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 08:59 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The gauge at Lost Canyon Creek near Dolores reads 2.15 ft, a normal level.

It is 5.25 ft below the flood stage of 7.40 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 4.79 ft by Friday, October 23 at 05:00 AM. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.11 ft and 2.16 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 8.25 ftMay 1, 2023
Forecast peak: 4.79 ftFriday, October 23 at 05:00 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 7.40 ft, still 5.25 ft away.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	8.25 ft	May 1, 2023
2	7.35 ft	April 28, 2019
3	6.91 ft	April 18, 2005
4	6.76 ft	May 13, 1984
5	6.75 ft	April 15, 1985
6	6.67 ft	May 18, 1993
7	6.66 ft	April 19, 2017
8	6.65 ft	April 17, 1987
9	6.45 ft	May 22, 1997
10	6.37 ft	April 20, 2008

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:27 AM Sunset 06:31 PM Daylight 11 hr, 4 min Waxing gibbous 70%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Dolores River at DoloresRiver gauge, Dolores River	3.32 ft	Below flood stage	+0.05 ft	2.4 mi
Mcphee ReservoirReservoir	6,864.99 ft	Low		8 mi
Jackson Gulch ReservoirReservoir	7,803.31 ft	Very high		11 mi
Mud Creek at State Highway 32, near CortezRiver gauge, Mud Creek	1.4 cfs	Low	−0.1 cfs	14 mi
McElmo Creek above Trail Canyon near CortezRiver gauge, McElmo Creek	10.7 cfs	Very low	+1.2 cfs	15 mi
Dolores River below RicoRiver gauge, Dolores River	2.22 ft	Below flood stage	+0.03 ft	26 mi
McElmo Creek near Colorado-Utah State LineRiver gauge, McElmo Creek	11.6 cfs	Very low	−1.2 cfs	31 mi
Mancos River near TowaocRiver gauge, Mancos River	4.7 cfs	Low	−3.7 cfs	33 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Lost Canyon Creek near Dolores?

The official flood stage is 7.40 ft. The level is currently 5.25 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 Lost Canyon Creek near Dolores today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 10:15 AM MDT, the water level was 2.15 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Lost Canyon Creek near Dolores rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Lost Canyon Creek near Dolores normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Lost Canyon Creek near Dolores?

The highest level on record is 8.25 ft on May 1, 2023.

Is Lost Canyon Creek near Dolores expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to rise to 4.79 ft by Friday, October 23 at 05:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:09166950 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 37.44582, -108.46834 (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	2.15 ft	2026-10-20 16:15	Provisional
Flow	0.0 cfs	2026-10-20 16:15	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Lost Canyon Creek near Dolores (usgs:09166950). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/colorado/lost-canyon-creek-near-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.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer