Lake Medicine Bow River at Boles Spring, near Medicine Bow water level

Name: Lake Medicine Bow River at Boles Spring, near Medicine Bow 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, Lake Medicine Bow River, Wyoming, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.07ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 08:30 PM MDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 2.7 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Lake Medicine Bow River at Boles Spring, near Medicine Bow reads 1.07 ft, a normal level.

It is 6.93 ft below the flood stage of 8.00 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.07 ft and 1.11 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: 14.10 ftMay 17, 1978

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 8.00 ft, still 6.93 ft away.

What happens at each level

14.10 ft: Record stage and flow of 9,500 cfs at old site 5.5 miles upstream established on May 17 1978.
8.00 ft: Flood stage. Standing water along low lying areas adjacent to the Arrowhead Basin Ranch bridge. Access to the bridge is severely impacted. At stages above 10 feet, water is over the bridge.
7.66 ft: Record stage and flow of 1,900 cfs at present site established on March 20 1997.
6.00 ft: Bankfull stage. River begins to impact low lying areas adjacent to the Arrowhead Basin Ranch bridge.
1.07 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	14.10 ft	May 17, 1978
2	8.22 ft	July 30, 2014
3	7.91 ft	April 10, 2014
4	7.66 ft	March 20, 1997
5	7.03 ft	April 24, 2000
6	7.01 ft	May 25, 2011
7	7.00 ft	May 9, 2016
8	6.65 ft	May 13, 1984
9	6.17 ft	June 4, 1991
10	6.12 ft	May 26, 2008

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:25 AM Sunset 06:15 PM Daylight 10 hr, 51 min Waxing gibbous 74%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Medicine Bow River above Seminoe Reservoir, near HannaRiver gauge, Medicine Bow River	2.05 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	16 mi
L Medicine Bow R above Sand Cr, near Shirley BasinRiver gauge, L Medicine Bow R	1.6 cfs	Low	±0	26 mi
Rock Creek above King Canyon Canal, near ArlingtonRiver gauge, Rock Creek	1.14 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	26 mi
Medicine Bow R above E Fk Med Bow near Elk MountainRiver gauge, Medicine Bow R	3.60 ft	Below flood stage	±0	30 mi
Seminoe ReservoirReservoir	6,292.61 ft	Very low		38 mi
North Brush Creek near SaratogaRiver gauge, North Brush Creek	9.4 cfs	Low	±0	44 mi
Pathfinder ReservoirReservoir	5,783.91 ft	Very low		48 mi
Alcova ReservoirReservoir	5,492.95 ft	High		48 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Lake Medicine Bow River at Boles Spring, near Medicine Bow?

The official flood stage is 8.00 ft. The level is currently 6.93 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 Lake Medicine Bow River at Boles Spring, near Medicine Bow today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 08:30 PM MDT, the water level was 1.07 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Lake Medicine Bow River at Boles Spring, near Medicine Bow rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.04 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Lake Medicine Bow River at Boles Spring, near Medicine Bow normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Lake Medicine Bow River at Boles Spring, near Medicine Bow?

The highest level on record is 14.10 ft on May 17, 1978.

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:06634620 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.96106, -106.20924 (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	1.07 ft	2026-10-21 02:30	Provisional
Flow	2.7 cfs	2026-10-21 02:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Lake Medicine Bow River at Boles Spring, near Medicine Bow (usgs:06634620). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/wyoming/lake-medicine-bow-river-at-boles-spring-near-medicine-bow

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