Westwater


Westwater Canyon is carved by the Colorado River through the desert of the eastern Colorado Plateau.  The Colorado Plateau spans a large area surrounding the intersection of the borders of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona and is flush with numerous geographic wonders.  The basement rock in the heart of the canyon reveals exposed black granite from the Proterzoic era; rock 1.75 billion years old found in few places on the Colorado River outside of the Grand Canyon. The upper canyon is composed of sandstone.  Bring your geologist friends and let them gush effusively over the impressive unconformities and textbook examples of geologic uplift as you float through this remarkable desert canyon.

Suggested river levels for paddling this section of the Colorado River are between a bare minimum of 1,000cfs and a high of 16,000cfs. River conditions sourced from USGS 09180500, the Colorado River Near Cisco Remember only watercraft are permitted at Westwater.

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Whitewater Rapids

Obstacles on the river run
Marble
Class III to IV
Staircase
Class III to IV
Big Hummer
Class III to IV
Funnel
Class III to IV
Surprise
Class III to IV
Skull
Class III to IV
Bowling Alley
Class III to IV
Sock It To Me
Class III to IV
Last Chance
Class III to IV
Little Dolores Rapid
Class III to III+

Area Hydrology

Gauge Streamflow Stage
Dolores River Near Gateway
USGS 09179450 		747 cfs 8.8 ft
Colorado River At Potash
USGS 09185600 		14,700 cfs 13.4 ft
Dolores River Near Cisco
USGS 09180000 		685 cfs 8.3 ft
Mill Creek Blw Pack Creek Nr Mouth At Moab
USGS 09185100 		5 cfs 3.9 ft
Dolores River At Bedrock
USGS 09169500 		30 cfs 0.9 ft
Mill Creek Below Sheley Tunnel
USGS 09183600 		4 cfs 1.5 ft
Dolores River Near Bedrock
USGS 09171100 		33 cfs 2.4 ft
Castle Creek Below Castle Valley Near Moab
USGS 09182400 		4 cfs 5.8 ft
Colorado River Near Cisco
USGS 09180500 		13,800 cfs 6.4 ft
San Miguel River At Brooks Bridge Near Nucla Co
USGS 09174600 		633 cfs 3.4 ft
Snotel Site Snowpack 24hr Change

Outdoor Recreation

Campground Campsites Reservations Toilets Showers Elevation
Rabbit Valley 8 4,564 ft
Ski Area Snowpack Air Temperature 5 Day Forecast
River Run Streamflow Length Class
Cisco to Hittle Bottom 4620.0cfs 24.0 Mi I to II
Hittle Bottom to Rocky Rapid 4620.0cfs 6.5 Mi II+ to III
Horsethief and Ruby Canyons 4120.0cfs 27.0 Mi II to II+
Westwater 4620.0cfs 17.0 Mi III to IV
Moab Daily - Hittle Bottom to Take Out Beach 4620.0cfs 14.0 Mi II+ to III
Gateway to Dewey Bridge (Colorado River) 648.0cfs 32.0 Mi III- to IV