Colorado River at Lees Ferry, AZ
USGS gauge 09380000 · drainage 111,800 sq mi · observed Oct 16, 7:00 PM MST · 20 min old
Last 7 days Live gauge
Source: USGS Water Data API (continuous values), observed to Oct 16, 7:00 PM MST. Shaded band: 25th to 75th percentile of USGS daily statistics for each date; dashed: median. Flow in cfs.
Rate of rise and fall Live gauge
| Window | Flow then | Change to latest | Gage height then | Gage height change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 h | 8,040 cfs | ▬ +70 cfs (+0.9%) | 8.12 ft | +0.02 ft |
| 3 h | 8,040 cfs | ▬ +70 cfs (+0.9%) | 8.12 ft | +0.02 ft |
| 6 h | 7,600 cfs | ▲ +510 cfs (+6.7%) | 7.99 ft | +0.15 ft |
| 12 h | 5,000 cfs | ▲ +3,110 cfs (+62.2%) | 7.10 ft | +1.04 ft |
| 24 h | 8,040 cfs | ▬ +70 cfs (+0.9%) | 8.12 ft | +0.02 ft |
Last 7 days
| Measure | Flow | Time | Relative to latest reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highest reading | 8,210 cfs | Oct 12, 6:30 PM MST | 96 h earlier |
| Lowest reading | 4,970 cfs | Oct 10, 6:00 AM MST | 157 h earlier |
Source: computed from USGS continuous readings (Water Data API) to Oct 16, 7:00 PM MST. Each row compares the latest reading with the reading closest to that many hours earlier; the arrow is steady (▬) when the change is within 1%.
Daily mean flow Live gauge
| Date (gauge-local) | Mean flow | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 16, 2026 | – | Partial day |
| Oct 15, 2026 | 6,576 cfs | |
| Oct 14, 2026 | 6,586 cfs | |
| Oct 13, 2026 | 6,613 cfs | |
| Oct 12, 2026 | 6,650 cfs | |
| Oct 11, 2026 | – | Partial day |
| Oct 10, 2026 | 6,559 cfs | |
| Oct 9, 2026 | 6,538 cfs | |
| Oct 8, 2026 | – | Partial day |
Source: USGS Water Data API (continuous values); each mean uses readings on that gauge-local date, shown only with at least 80% of expected readings.
The same 50 days in earlier years Historical record
━ 2026 ╌ 2025 ╌ 2024 ╌ 2023
| Year | Mean flow | Highest day |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 7,519 cfs | 8,240 cfs |
| 2025 | 9,474 cfs | 12,600 cfs |
| 2024 | 9,202 cfs | 12,300 cfs |
| 2023 | 8,410 cfs | 13,900 cfs |
Source: USGS daily mean flows (Water Data API). Each line is the 50 days from Aug 27 to Oct 15, shifted to the same calendar dates in earlier years; gaps are days without a published value. Recent days are provisional.
Compared with this gauge’s record Historical record
| Measure | Value | When or rank |
|---|---|---|
| Peak daily flow, last 7 days | 6,650 cfs | Oct 12, 2026 |
| Last time daily flow was this high or higher | 7,100 cfs | Oct 1, 2026 (11 days earlier) |
| Last day above the 90th percentile for its date, before this peak | Mar 25, 2021 | 6 years earlier |
| Days above the 75th percentile for their date | 0 of 28 | last 28 days |
| October 1 to 15, mean flow | 6,641 cfs | rank 83 highest of 106 years |
| Peak daily mean compared with annual instantaneous peaks of record | Below the lowest of 104 | lowest annual peak 16,200 cfs |
Source: USGS daily mean flows (Water Data API), 1921 to 2026 (38,363 days), data through Oct 15, 2026, computed 2026-10-17; method record-v1. Percentiles are USGS daily statistics. Recent days are provisional.
Largest annual peaks Historical record
Ten largest peaks of record
| Date | Peak flow | Gage height at peak |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1, 1884 | 210,000 cfs | 31.50 ft |
| Jun 18, 1921 | 170,000 cfs | 26.50 ft |
| Jul 1, 1927 | 127,000 cfs | 20.35 ft |
| Jun 12, 1957 | 126,000 cfs | 21.14 ft |
| Jun 12, 1952 | 123,000 cfs | 21.15 ft |
| May 17, 1941 | 120,000 cfs | 20.51 ft |
| Jun 22, 1949 | 119,000 cfs | 20.00 ft |
| May 31, 1922 | 116,000 cfs | 19.80 ft |
| Jun 3, 1928 | 115,000 cfs | 19.55 ft |
| May 29, 1929 | 114,000 cfs | 18.89 ft |
Five most recent annual peaks
| Date | Peak flow | Gage height at peak |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 25, 2023 | 40,300 cfs | 13.46 ft |
| Aug 30, 2022 | 16,200 cfs | 10.04 ft |
| Mar 23, 2021 | 20,200 cfs | 10.77 ft |
| Aug 18, 2020 | 21,300 cfs | 10.80 ft |
| Nov 6, 2018 | 39,700 cfs | 13.32 ft |
Source: USGS annual peak streamflow (Water Data API), 104 annual peaks, 1884 to 2023. A water year's peak is its highest instantaneous flow.
Historic crests Official NWS
| Date | Crest stage | Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 6, 1884 | 31.50 ft | 300,000 cfs |
| Jun 17, 1921 | 26.50 ft | 220,000 cfs |
| Jun 11, 1952 | 21.15 ft | 123,000 cfs |
| Jun 11, 1957 | 21.14 ft | 126,000 cfs |
| May 16, 1941 | 20.51 ft | 120,000 cfs |
| Jun 30, 1927 | 20.35 ft | 127,000 cfs |
| Nov 19, 2012 | 13.84 ft | 44,800 cfs |
| Mar 5, 2008 | 13.59 ft | 42,800 cfs |
| Nov 21, 2004 | 13.55 ft | 42,500 cfs |
| Jul 6, 2011 | 11.57 ft | 26,200 cfs |
Source: National Weather Service forecast point CLFA3 (Colorado River at Lees Ferry), historic crests as published by the NWS; the NWS may have recorded them on an older gauge datum. The USGS annual peaks above are a separate record and can differ in date, flow and datum.
Gage height to flow rating Historical record
Line: current USGS rating, gage height (ft, horizontal) to flow (cfs, vertical). ● latest reading, 8.14 ft and 8,110 cfs.
Source: USGS rating table for the gauge (NWIS rating depot, expanded shifted rating, 951 rows, thinned to 96 points), fetched Oct 16, 7:11 PM MST. Ratings are provisional and change with the channel.
Water temperature by month Historical record
Source: USGS daily mean water temperature (parameter 00010, Water Data API), 1986 to 2026, mean of all published daily values in each calendar month (days counted under each month; (few) means fewer than 150 daily values).
Water quality sensors Live gauge
| Measure | Latest value | Observed |
|---|---|---|
| Water temperature | 66.4 °F (19.1 °C) | Oct 16, 7:00 PM MST |
| Dissolved oxygen | 7.0 mg/L | Oct 16, 7:00 PM MST |
| Turbidity | 1.3 FNU | Oct 16, 7:00 PM MST |
| pH | 8.0 pH units | Oct 16, 7:00 PM MST |
| Specific conductance | 866 µS/cm | Oct 16, 7:00 PM MST |
Source: USGS Water Data API (continuous values). Values as reported by the gauge, provisional.
Sources and method
- Data: U.S. Geological Survey. Terms
- River forecasts and flood stages: National Weather Service. National Water Model guidance: NOAA. Terms
USGS daily statistics, downloaded 2026-10-12
Percentile method: trailing 24 h mean vs USGS daily percentiles for calendar date 10-16.
Percentile is estimated from USGS published daily percentiles. Readings are provisional until USGS reviews them. Not endorsed by USGS, NOAA or the National Weather Service. Not for navigation or safety-of-life decisions; the absence of an alert is not a statement that conditions are safe.