Purgatoire River below Trinidad Lake water level

Name: Purgatoire River below Trinidad Lake 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, Purgatoire River, Colorado, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

4.01ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 10:30 AM MDT (40 min ago)

Flow: 0.0 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The Purgatoire River below Trinidad Lake is at 4.01 ft, in the normal range.

It is 5.99 ft below the flood stage of 10.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 4.01 ft and 4.03 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 8.03 ftMay 14, 2017

Floating and fishing near Purgatoire River below Trinidad Lake

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 10.00 ft, 5.99 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

12.00 ft: Damage occurs to construction works near Trinidad Lake Dam.
10.00 ft: Water rises over railroad tracks near Trinidad Lake Dam.
8.00 ft: The river is bankfull.
4.01 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

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

Rank	Level	Date
1	8.03 ft	May 14, 2017
2	8.01 ft	August 6, 2004
3	7.89 ft	September 10, 1981
4	7.86 ft	May 14, 1994
5	7.85 ft	August 3, 1990
6	7.85 ft	August 3, 1999
7	7.83 ft	June 7, 1983
8	7.76 ft	May 31, 2005
9	7.76 ft	May 29, 1993
10	7.64 ft	August 6, 1991

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 69° 44° 0.04 in Wind 14 mph

20 Tue 71° 47° – Wind 19 mph

21 Wed 74° 48° – Wind 12 mph

22 Thu 76° 56° – Wind 23 mph

23 Fri 63° 54° 0.21 in, 41% Wind 28 mph

24 Sat 63° 47° 0.07 in, 34% Wind 16 mph

25 Sun 51° 42° 0.01 in, 29% Wind 11 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:11 AM Sunset 06:16 PM Daylight 11 hr, 5 min Waxing gibbous 70%

Map

Other gauges on the Purgatoire River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Purgatoire River at MadridRiver gauge, Purgatoire River	2.82 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	5.2 mi
Purgatoire River near ThatcherRiver gauge, Purgatoire River	6.1 cfs	Low	−0.3 cfs	39 mi
Purgatoire River at Rock Crossing near TimpasRiver gauge, Purgatoire River	8.2 cfs	Low	−2.2 cfs	62 mi
Purgatoire River near Las AnimasRiver gauge, Purgatoire River	2.57 ft	Below flood stage	+0.14 ft	96 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Eagle Tail Ditch near MaxwellCanal gauge, Eagle Tail Ditch	0.0 cfs	Normal	±0	34 mi
Vermejo River near DawsonRiver gauge, Vermejo River	2.90 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	35 mi
Van Bremer Arroyo near ModelRiver gauge, Van Bremer Arroyo	0.1 cfs	Low	±0	35 mi
Costilla Creek above Costilla DamRiver gauge, Costilla Creek	1.3 cfs	Very low	±0	43 mi
Casias Creek near CostillaRiver gauge, Casias Creek	4.3 cfs	Normal	±0	43 mi
Santistevan Creek near CostillaRiver gauge, Santistevan Creek	0.7 cfs	Low	±0	44 mi
Costilla Creek below Costilla DamRiver gauge, Costilla Creek	0.2 cfs	Normal	±0	45 mi
Ponil Creek near CimarronRiver gauge, Ponil Creek	1.4 cfs	Normal	−1.7 cfs	45 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Purgatoire River below Trinidad Lake?

The official flood stage is 10.00 ft. The level is currently 5.99 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 Purgatoire River below Trinidad Lake today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 10:30 AM MDT, the water level was 4.01 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Purgatoire River below Trinidad Lake rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Purgatoire River below Trinidad Lake normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Purgatoire River below Trinidad Lake?

The highest level on record is 8.03 ft on May 14, 2017.

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.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:07124410 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 37.14391, -104.54776 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NGVD29
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	4.01 ft	2026-10-20 16:30	Provisional
Flow	0.0 cfs	2026-10-20 16:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Purgatoire River below Trinidad Lake (usgs:07124410). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/colorado/purgatoire-river-below-trinidad-lake

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