Rio Guajataca at Lares water level

Name: Rio Guajataca at Lares 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 Guajataca, Puerto Rico, United States

Directions

Very high for mid-October

Water level

9.28ft Up 0.30 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 05:15 PM AST (32 min ago)

Flow: 200 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

High water at Rio Guajataca at Lares: the latest reading is 9.28 ft, well above normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 7.90 ft, based on 22 years of readings, so the river stage is 1.38 ft above typical. It is 6.72 ft below the flood stage of 16.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 8.21 ft, a difference of +1.07 ft.

It is on the way up, by 0.30 ft over the past 24 hours. If the rise continues, low-lying paths and riverside parking can go under water. The 30-day range is 7.97 ft – 10.96 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.

Compared with 22 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 7.90 ft1.38 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 7.45 ft – 8.39 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (22 years of records)
Same day last year: 8.21 ft+1.07 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 7.97 ft – 10.96 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 7.83 ft – 8.69 ft
Highest on record: 21.30 ftOctober 7, 1990

Staying safe in high water

Flood stage is only the first threshold. Above it the National Weather Service sets moderate and major flood stages, and the forecast crest tells you which of those the river is expected to reach.

Upstream gauges on the same river usually show a rise first, which is a useful early warning.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	21.30 ft	October 7, 1990
2	19.96 ft	September 20, 2017
3	19.20 ft	September 22, 1998
4	18.32 ft	May 8, 1990
5	17.31 ft	October 19, 1991
6	17.25 ft	October 10, 2001
7	17.16 ft	May 28, 1999
8	16.65 ft	October 15, 1999
9	16.35 ft	October 1, 2021
10	16.06 ft	September 9, 2019

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.48 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 86° 71° 0.38 in, 100% Wind 9 mph

18 Sun 86° 70° 0.20 in, 100% Wind 4 mph

19 Mon 88° 70° 0.19 in, 100% Wind 3 mph

20 Tue 87° 69° 0.17 in, 100% Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 88° 69° 0.09 in, 75% Wind 5 mph

22 Thu 87° 69° 0.07 in, 85% Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 88° 70° 0.21 in, 63% Wind 6 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 06:23 AM Sunset 06:04 PM Daylight 11 hr, 41 min First quarter 53%

Map

Other gauges on the Rio Guajataca

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Rio Guajataca below Lago GuajatacaRiver gauge, Rio Guajataca	7.73 ft	Very high	+2.55 ft	8 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Rio Tanama near UtuadoRiver gauge, Rio Tanama	4.88 ft	High	−1.15 ft	6.0 mi
Rio Camuy near BayaneyRiver gauge, Rio Camuy	7.38 ft	Very high	+2.50 ft	8 mi
Canal De Derivacion at Lago De GuajatacaCanal gauge, Canal De Derivacion	3.39 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	8 mi
Rio Grande De Arecibo above UtuadoRiver gauge, Rio Grande De Arecibo	4.03 ft	Normal	+0.09 ft	11 mi
Rio Grande De Arecibo below UtuadoRiver gauge, Rio Grande De Arecibo	4.88 ft	Normal	−0.32 ft	11 mi
Rio Grande De Anasco near San SebastianRiver gauge, Rio Grande De Anasco	2.63 ft	Normal	−1.34 ft	12 mi
Rio Tanama at Charco HondoRiver gauge, Rio Tanama	3.92 ft	Very low	+0.65 ft	13 mi
Rio Grande De Arecibo near San PedroRiver gauge, Rio Grande De Arecibo	6.45 ft	Normal	±0	14 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Rio Guajataca at Lares higher than last year?

Yes, it is 1.07 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 8.21 ft.

What is flood stage for the Rio Guajataca at Lares?

The official flood stage is 16.00 ft. The level is currently 6.72 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Rio Guajataca at Lares in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 7.90 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 7.45 ft and 8.39 ft, based on 22 years of records.

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 Guajataca at Lares today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 05:15 PM AST, the water level was 9.28 ft. Up 0.30 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Rio Guajataca at Lares rising or falling?

Up 0.30 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 1.24 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Rio Guajataca at Lares normal?

Very high for mid-October. Compared with 22 years of daily readings for this time of year.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:50010500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 18.29920, -66.87386 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: PRVD02
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	9.28 ft	2026-10-18 21:15	Provisional
Flow	200 cfs	2026-10-18 21:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Rio Guajataca at Lares (usgs:50010500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/puerto-rico/rio-guajataca-at-lares

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