Pecos River at Red Bluff water level

Name: Pecos River at Red Bluff 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, Pecos River, New Mexico, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.33ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 11:45 AM MDT (49 min ago)

Flow: 51.7 cfs
Water temperature: 62 °F

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Pecos River at Red Bluff, where the gauge shows 3.33 ft.

It is 16.67 ft below the flood stage of 20.00 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 3.32 ft – 3.42 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The water temperature at the gauge is 62 °F.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 33.32 ftAugust 23, 1966

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 20.00 ft.

What happens at each level

33.00 ft: the river reaches the railroad tracks. Stages over 33 feet may flood the railroad tracks, which run parallel to the river along the west bank. Cattle losses are likely. The gage shelter will likely be damaged. No other known structures are threatened.
30.00 ft: the river reaches major flood stage. The river continues flooding area rangeland, and cattle losses are likely. Several miles of rangeland are inundated. The gage shelter may be damaged. No other known structures are threatened.
25.00 ft: the river reaches moderate flood stage, and begins to flood area rangeland. Cattle in the flood plain may be threatened. The gage shelter is inaccessible.
20.00 ft: the river reaches minor flood stage, and no significant damage is expected.
3.33 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	33.32 ft	August 23, 1966
2	28.30 ft	May 24, 1941
3	28.00 ft	October 1, 1904
4	26.76 ft	June 25, 1986
5	24.80 ft	June 1, 1937
6	23.28 ft	October 8, 1954
7	21.73 ft	September 19, 2014
8	20.57 ft	September 26, 1978
9	19.80 ft	September 27, 1980
10	19.79 ft	September 24, 1974

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

17 Sat 60° 40° – Wind 6 mph

18 Sun 73° 40° – Wind 12 mph

19 Mon 82° 49° – Wind 16 mph

20 Tue 79° 58° – Wind 19 mph

21 Wed 81° 63° – Wind 17 mph

22 Thu 82° 62° 0.01 in Wind 22 mph

23 Fri 81° 66° 0.43 in, 43% Wind 16 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:02 AM Sunset 06:21 PM Daylight 11 hr, 19 min First quarter 52%

Map

Other gauges on the Pecos River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Pecos River near AcmeRiver gauge, Pecos River	4.59 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	105 mi
Pecos River near Lake ArthurRiver gauge, Pecos River	4.09 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	65 mi
Pecos River near ArtesiaRiver gauge, Pecos River	2.95 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	55 mi
Pecos River below Brantley Dam near CarlsbadRiver gauge, Pecos River	106 cfs	Normal	±0	38 mi
Pecos River at Damsite 3 near CarlsbadRiver gauge, Pecos River	1.65 ft	Below flood stage	±0	35 mi
Pecos River below Avalon DamRiver gauge, Pecos River	0.0 cfs	Normal	±0	31 mi
Pecos River below Dark Canyon at CarlsbadRiver gauge, Pecos River	0.89 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	25 mi
Pecos River near MalagaRiver gauge, Pecos River	2.61 ft	Below flood stage	+0.05 ft	9 mi
Pecos River at Pierce Canyon CrossingRiver gauge, Pecos River	66.6 cfs	Normal	+1.1 cfs	9 mi
Pecos River near OrlaRiver gauge, Pecos River	5.47 ft	Very high	+0.03 ft	19 mi
Pecos River at FM 3398 near PecosRiver gauge, Pecos River	2.60 ft	Low	±0	52 mi
Pecos River at RR 1776 near GrandfallsRiver gauge, Pecos River	4.33 ft	Low	+0.02 ft	78 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Black River at MalagaRiver gauge, Black River	3.8 cfs	Low	+0.4 cfs	12 mi
Black River above MalagaRiver gauge, Black River	1.00 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	13 mi
Red Bluff Reservoir near OrlaReservoir, Red Bluff Reservoir	2,814.97 ft	Normal	±0	14 mi
Black River at Harkey Crossing near MalagaRiver gauge, Black River	5.5 cfs	Normal	+0.5 cfs	14 mi
Black River below Blue Springs near Whites CityRiver gauge, Black River	3.2 cfs	Very low	+0.1 cfs	15 mi
Blue Springs above Diversions near Whites CityRiver gauge, Blue Springs	5.6 cfs	Very low	±0	16 mi
Dark Canyon at CarlsbadRiver gauge, Dark Canyon	4.35 ft	Below flood stage	±0	25 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Pecos River at Red Bluff?

The official flood stage is 20.00 ft. The level is currently 16.67 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 Pecos River at Red Bluff today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 11:45 AM MDT, the water level was 3.33 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Pecos River at Red Bluff rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Pecos River at Red Bluff normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Pecos River at Red Bluff?

The highest level on record is 33.32 ft on August 23, 1966.

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:08407500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 32.07519, -104.03944 (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	3.33 ft	2026-10-18 17:45	Provisional
Flow	51.7 cfs	2026-10-18 17:45	Provisional
Water temperature	62 °F	2026-10-18 17:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Pecos River at Red Bluff (usgs:08407500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/new-mexico/pecos-river-at-red-bluff

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