Rifle Gap Reservoir near Rifle water level

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

Reservoir, Rifle Gap Reservoir, Colorado, United States

Directions

Low for mid-October

Surface elevation

5,912.34ft Up 0.24 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 10:00 AM MDT (33 min ago)

Water stored: 2,020 acre‑ft

History

What this means

Rifle Gap Reservoir near Rifle is below normal for mid-October, with the lake level at 5,912.34 ft.

That puts it 4.15 ft below the median of 5,916.49 ft for mid-October, based on 7 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 5,911.53 ft (+0.81 ft).

It has risen 0.24 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 5,908.69 ft and 5,912.34 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: 5,916.49 ft4.15 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 5,911.04 ft – 5,944.72 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (7 years of records)
Same day last year: 5,911.53 ft+0.81 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 5,908.69 ft – 5,912.34 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 5,907.83 ft – 5,939.81 ft

On the water at Rifle Gap Reservoir near Rifle

A receding shoreline opens up beaches but also uncovers hazards: stumps, rocks and soft mud that are usually well under water.

Wear a life jacket on the water. Most boating deaths involve people who were not wearing one.

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 65° 43° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 64° 48° 0.20 in, 45% Wind 12 mph

22 Thu 56° 51° 0.13 in, 84% Wind 12 mph

23 Fri 60° 46° 0.16 in, 63% Wind 17 mph

24 Sat 64° 42° 0.32 in, 32% Wind 10 mph

25 Sun 59° 45° 0.24 in, 32% Wind 10 mph

26 Mon 58° 42° 0.00 in Wind 8 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:27 AM Sunset 06:26 PM Daylight 10 hr, 59 min Waxing gibbous 70%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Divide Creek near SiltRiver gauge, Divide Creek	0.8 cfs	Very low	+0.1 cfs	9 mi
Canyon Creek near New CastleRiver gauge, Canyon Creek	40.6 cfs	Very high	±0	17 mi
Parachute Creek at ParachuteRiver gauge, Parachute Creek	4.6 cfs	Low	−0.2 cfs	20 mi
Colorado River below Glenwood SpringsRiver gauge, Colorado River	3.65 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	23 mi
Roaring Fork River at Glenwood SpringsRiver gauge, Roaring Fork River	1.73 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	23 mi
Grizzly Creek near Grizzly Lake near Glenwood SpringsRiver gauge, Grizzly Creek	1.9 cfs	Very high	+0.1 cfs	24 mi
White River above Coal Creek near MeekerRiver gauge, White River	251 cfs	Low	−6.0 cfs	26 mi
Vega Reservoir near CollbranReservoir, Vega Reservoir	7,927.84 ft	Very low	+0.32 ft	28 mi

Questions and answers

How does Rifle Gap Reservoir near Rifle compare with last year?

It is 0.81 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 5,911.53 ft.

What is a normal level for Rifle Gap Reservoir near Rifle in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 5,916.49 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 5,911.04 ft and 5,944.72 ft, based on 7 years of records.

Is Rifle Gap Reservoir near Rifle really 5,912.34 ft deep?

No. 5,912.34 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 Rifle Gap Reservoir near Rifle today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 10:00 AM MDT, the surface elevation was 5,912.34 ft. Up 0.24 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Rifle Gap Reservoir near Rifle rising or falling?

Up 0.24 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 1.70 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Rifle Gap Reservoir near Rifle 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.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:09091900 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 39.62692, -107.75756 (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	5,912.34 ft	2026-10-20 16:00	Provisional
Water stored	2,020 acre‑ft	2026-10-20 16:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Rifle Gap Reservoir near Rifle (usgs:09091900). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/colorado/rifle-gap-reservoir-near-rifle

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