Rio Chama above Abiquiu Reservoir water level

Name: Rio Chama above Abiquiu Reservoir 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, Rio Chama, New Mexico, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

5.16ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 08:00 AM MDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 153 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Rio Chama above Abiquiu Reservoir, where the gauge shows 5.16 ft.

It is 5.84 ft below the flood stage of 11.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 5.15 ft – 5.53 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: 10.76 ftMay 9, 2009

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 11.00 ft.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	10.76 ft	May 9, 2009
2	9.96 ft	May 20, 2005
3	9.08 ft	July 22, 2002
4	9.02 ft	August 10, 2006
5	8.95 ft	May 23, 2008
6	8.91 ft	May 16, 1999
7	8.70 ft	May 20, 1973
8	8.30 ft	August 11, 1968
9	7.67 ft	May 8, 1985
10	7.59 ft	May 18, 1984

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 69° 46° 0.02 in Wind 14 mph

21 Wed 67° 49° 0.94 in, 57% Wind 18 mph

22 Thu 68° 52° 0.25 in, 86% Wind 18 mph

23 Fri 66° 48° 0.24 in, 90% Wind 16 mph

24 Sat 63° 46° 0.65 in, 28% Wind 18 mph

25 Sun 63° 45° 0.06 in, 21% Wind 12 mph

26 Mon 63° 43° – Wind 4 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:19 AM Sunset 06:25 PM Daylight 11 hr, 7 min First quarter 69%

Map

Other gauges on the Rio Chama

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Rio Chama above ChamaRiver gauge, Rio Chama	1.75 ft	No reference yet	+0.09 ft	43 mi
Rio Chama near La PuenteRiver gauge, Rio Chama	102 cfs	High	−6.0 cfs	24 mi
Rio Chama below El Vado DamRiver gauge, Rio Chama	2.08 ft	Below flood stage	±0	19 mi
Rio Chama below Abiquiu DamRiver gauge, Rio Chama	2.42 ft	Below flood stage	±0	12 mi
Rio Chama near ChamitaRiver gauge, Rio Chama	4.06 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	32 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
El Vado LakeLake	6,811.93 ft	Low		21 mi
Heron ReservoirReservoir	7,074.09 ft	Very low		27 mi
Rio Ojo Caliente at La MaderaRiver gauge, Rio Ojo Caliente	2.58 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	31 mi
Rio Grande at EmbudoRiver gauge, Rio Grande	2.70 ft	Below flood stage	+0.33 ft	36 mi
Embudo Creek at DixonRiver gauge, Embudo Creek	9.10 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	39 mi
Rio Grande at Otowi BridgeRiver gauge, Rio Grande	3.31 ft	Below flood stage	+0.26 ft	40 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Rio Chama above Abiquiu Reservoir?

The official flood stage is 11.00 ft. The level is currently 5.84 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 Rio Chama above Abiquiu Reservoir today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 08:00 AM MDT, the water level was 5.16 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Rio Chama above Abiquiu Reservoir rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Rio Chama above Abiquiu Reservoir normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Rio Chama above Abiquiu Reservoir?

The highest level on record is 10.76 ft on May 9, 2009.

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:08286500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 36.31882, -106.59953 (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	5.16 ft	2026-10-20 14:00	Provisional
Flow	153 cfs	2026-10-20 14:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Rio Chama above Abiquiu Reservoir (usgs:08286500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/new-mexico/rio-chama-above-abiquiu-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.

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