Paonia Reservoir near Bardine water level

Name: Paonia Reservoir near Bardine water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

Reservoir, Paonia Reservoir, Colorado, United States

Directions

Low for mid-October

Surface elevation

6,377.64ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 04:00 AM MDT (42 min ago)

Water stored: 365 acre‑ft

History

What this means

At 6,377.64 ft, Paonia Reservoir near Bardine is below normal for mid-October.

That puts it 2.84 ft below the median of 6,380.48 ft for mid-October, based on 7 years of readings.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 6,377.50 ft and 6,377.64 ft.

Many reservoirs are drawn down through summer and fall; most of the refill comes later, with winter rain or spring snowmelt.

Compared with 7 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 6,380.48 ft2.84 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 6,376.96 ft – 6,382.88 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (7 years of records)
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 6,377.50 ft – 6,377.64 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 6,370.24 ft – 6,447.77 ft

Swimming and boating at Paonia Reservoir near Bardine

Low water changes a lake fast for boaters. Some ramps get shorter or close, docks may be moved, and rocks and sandbars that are usually well under the surface come within reach of a prop.

If you swim, pick a spot with an easy way out, and remember that drop-offs move as the level changes.

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

18 Sun 64° 40° – Wind 10 mph

19 Mon 65° 42° 0.12 in Wind 11 mph

20 Tue 64° 45° 0.01 in Wind 5 mph

21 Wed 70° 47° – Wind 6 mph

22 Thu 64° 49° 0.11 in, 87% Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 53° 41° 0.21 in, 87% Wind 5 mph

24 Sat 58° 37° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:22 AM Sunset 06:28 PM Daylight 11 hr, 5 min First quarter 48%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Anthracite Creek above Mouth near SomersetRiver gauge, Anthracite Creek	89.4 cfs	Very high	−7.1 cfs	0.5 mi
North Fork Gunnison River near SomersetRiver gauge, North Fork Gunnison River	1.37 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	4.5 mi
Hubbard Creek at Highway 133 at Mouth near BowieRiver gauge, Hubbard Creek	6.0 cfs	Normal	−1.1 cfs	9 mi
North Fork Gunnison River below PaoniaRiver gauge, North Fork Gunnison River	112 cfs	Normal	−14.0 cfs	16 mi
Elk Creek at Coal Creek above Crested ButteRiver gauge, Elk Creek	0.6 cfs	High	−0.1 cfs	17 mi
Coal Creek above McCormick Dtch at Crested ButteRiver gauge, Coal Creek	4.3 cfs	Normal	−1.0 cfs	20 mi
Crystal River above Avalanche Creek, near RedstoneRiver gauge, Crystal River	0.96 ft	Below flood stage	−0.06 ft	21 mi
Crawford Reservoir near CrawfordReservoir, Crawford Reservoir	1,129 acre‑ft	Normal	+22 acre‑ft	22 mi

Questions and answers

What is a normal level for Paonia Reservoir near Bardine in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 6,380.48 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 6,376.96 ft and 6,382.88 ft, based on 7 years of records.

Is Paonia Reservoir near Bardine really 6,377.64 ft deep?

No. 6,377.64 ft is the height of the water surface above sea level (or the agency's vertical datum), not the depth of the water.

What is the water level of Paonia Reservoir near Bardine today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 04:00 AM MDT, the surface elevation was 6,377.64 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Paonia Reservoir near Bardine rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Paonia Reservoir near Bardine normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 7 years of daily readings for this time of year.

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.

Where does this data come from?

The values come directly from the U.S. Geological Survey, the official operator of this gauge, and are in the public domain. We do not estimate or model live values.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:09131495 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 38.94305, -107.35255 (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
Surface elevation	6,377.64 ft	2026-10-18 10:00	Provisional
Water stored	365 acre‑ft	2026-10-18 10:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Paonia Reservoir near Bardine (usgs:09131495). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/colorado/paonia-reservoir-near-bardine

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