Colorado River at Lees Ferry, AZ
USGS gauge 09380000 · drainage 111,800 sq mi · observed Oct 16, 5:00 PM MST · 51 min old
Last 7 days Live gauge
Source: USGS Water Data API (continuous values), observed to Oct 16, 5:00 PM MST. Shaded band: 25th to 75th percentile of USGS daily statistics for each date; dashed: median. Flow in cfs.
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 |
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.
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).
Water quality sensors Live gauge
| Measure | Latest value | Observed |
|---|---|---|
| Water temperature | 19 °C | Oct 16, 5:00 PM MST |
| Dissolved oxygen | 7.0 mg/L | Oct 16, 5:00 PM MST |
| Turbidity | 1.0 FNU | Oct 16, 5:00 PM MST |
| pH | 8.0 pH units | Oct 16, 5:00 PM MST |
| Specific conductance | 867 µS/cm | Oct 16, 5:00 PM MST |
Source: USGS Water Data API (continuous values). Values as reported by the gauge, provisional.
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.
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.