South Platte River at Fort Morgan water level

Name: South Platte River at Fort Morgan 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, South Platte River, Colorado, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

9.20ft Down 0.21 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 02:30 AM MDT (59 min ago)

Flow: 176 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The South Platte River at Fort Morgan is at 9.20 ft, in the normal range.

It is 8.30 ft below the flood stage of 17.50 ft.

It has dropped 0.21 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 9.19 ft and 9.49 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: 25.73 ftSeptember 15, 2013

Floating and fishing near South Platte River at Fort Morgan

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

Flood stage here is 17.50 ft, 8.30 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

25.50 ft: Extensive major flooding occurs along the river in Morgan County. Water overflows the bridge deck of State Highway 52 and Riverside Park floods in Fort Morgan.
21.50 ft: There is extensive flooding of agricultural land. Some inundation of structures and roads along the river are possible.
19.50 ft: There is moderate flooding of agricultural land along the river.
17.50 ft: There is minor flooding of agricultural land along the river.
15.00 ft: The lowest areas along the river begin to flood.
9.20 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	25.73 ft	September 15, 2013
2	17.91 ft	June 15, 2015
3	17.08 ft	June 16, 2010
4	16.03 ft	July 17, 2011
5	15.90 ft	June 4, 2014
6	14.62 ft	June 6, 2005
7	14.27 ft	May 20, 2017
8	13.97 ft	June 15, 2016
9	13.78 ft	June 5, 2009
10	13.37 ft	May 26, 2007

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:12 AM Sunset 06:09 PM Daylight 10 hr, 58 min First quarter 67%

Map

Other gauges on the South Platte River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
South Platte River below Brush Creek near TrumbullRiver gauge, South Platte River	59.2 cfs	Low	−20.9 cfs	103 mi
South Platte River below Union Ave, at Englewood, CreekRiver gauge, South Platte River	10.86 ft	Below flood stage	+0.03 ft	78 mi
South Platte River at EnglewoodRiver gauge, South Platte River	33.4 cfs	Very low	+9.5 cfs	76 mi
South Platte River at 64th Ave. Commerce CityRiver gauge, South Platte River	7.2 cfs	Low	+0.8 cfs	69 mi
South Platte River at Fort LuptonRiver gauge, South Platte River	3.30 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	55 mi
South Platte River at RoscoeRiver gauge, South Platte River	2.70 ft	Low	−0.05 ft	131 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the South Platte River at Fort Morgan?

The official flood stage is 17.50 ft. The level is currently 8.30 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 South Platte River at Fort Morgan today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 02:30 AM MDT, the water level was 9.20 ft. Down 0.21 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is South Platte River at Fort Morgan rising or falling?

Down 0.21 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of South Platte River at Fort Morgan normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at South Platte River at Fort Morgan?

The highest level on record is 25.73 ft on September 15, 2013.

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:06759500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 40.26840, -103.80119 (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	9.20 ft	2026-10-20 08:30	Provisional
Flow	176 cfs	2026-10-20 08:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: South Platte River at Fort Morgan (usgs:06759500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/colorado/south-platte-river-at-fort-morgan

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