Fryingpan River Flow
As of 2026-08-02, the Fryingpan River is flowing at a combined 210 cfs across 3 USGS streamgauges — 54% of normal for this time of year, versus a seasonal average of 388 cfs.
Total streamflow across the Fryingpan River was last observed at 210 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 417 acre-ft of water today; about 54% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 388 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2011-07-01 when daily discharge volume was observed at 2,832 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Fryingpan River Near Ruedi reporting a streamflow rate of 145 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Fryingpan River Near Thomasville with a gauge stage of 1.77 ft. This river is monitored from 3 different streamgauging stations along the Fryingpan River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 8,216 ft, the Fryingpan River Near Thomasville.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Fryingpan River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Fryingpan River
All 3 USGS gauges Snoflo tracks for this river, with current flow, stage, recent change, percent of normal, and the gauge's all-time min / max. Click any header to sort. Cells are heatmapped relative to the column min/max -- darker blue = higher.
| Streamgauge▾ | Streamflow (cfs)▾ | Gauge stage (ft)▾ | 24h Δ (%)▾ | % Normal▾ | Min (cfs)▾ | Max (cfs)▾ | Elevation (ft)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Fryingpan River Near Thomasville
CO
USGS 09078600
|
28 | 1.77 | -4.5 | 33% | 1 | 1,730 | 8,216 |
|
Fryingpan River At Meredith
CO
USGS 09080100
|
36 | 1.74 | -5.6 | 29% | 0 | 1,470 | 7,779 |
|
Fryingpan River Near Ruedi
CO
USGS 09080400
|
145 | 1.66 | -1.4 | 72% | 34 | 933 | 7,478 |
Maximum streamflow discharge by year
The single highest aggregate discharge recorded each year. Spotting the multi-year trend reveals droughts vs. wet cycles long before the headline daily flow does.
Annual peak discharge
From the river's full record · one point per water year
Streamflow elevation profile
Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by current streamflow (x-axis) vs elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-to-bottom traces the river from headwaters down to its mouth -- you can see flow accumulate as elevation drops.
Elevation vs streamflow
One point per monitored gauge · bubble size = gauge stage
Fryingpan River
The Fryingpan River is a 42-mile-long tributary of the Roaring Fork River in Colorado, USA. The river has a rich history, with evidence of human habitation dating back thousands of years. It flows through the White River National Forest, providing important habitat for a variety of wildlife species. The river is fed by several small streams and tributaries, and its hydrology is influenced by a number of reservoirs and dams, including the Ruedi Reservoir and the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project. These structures serve both agricultural and recreational purposes, providing water for irrigation and hydroelectric power generation, as well as opportunities for fishing, rafting, and other outdoor activities. The river is also popular for its scenic beauty, with many visitors drawn to its tranquil waters and stunning mountain views.
Recreation along the Fryingpan River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Track the Fryingpan River in the Snoflo app
Set per-gauge push alerts (e.g. "alert me when flow at the Russian R Nr Healdsburg crosses 5,000 cfs"), and Snoflo's iOS app pushes the moment USGS reports the crossing.
About the Fryingpan River
How is the Fryingpan River flowing right now?
As of 2026-08-02, the Fryingpan River is flowing at a combined 210 cfs across its USGS streamgauges, about 54% of normal for this date. The live per-gauge breakdown and 24-hour trend are shown above.
Is the Fryingpan River running high or low right now?
Check the percent-of-normal figure on this page: above 100% means the river is running higher than its seasonal average for the date, below 100% means lower. The per-gauge table shows which reaches are highest and lowest.
Where does the data for the Fryingpan River come from?
Streamflow and gauge stage data are sourced from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information System. The aggregate flow shown at the top of the page is computed by Snoflo as the sum of all monitored gauges along the river.
How is "percent of normal" calculated?
Today's aggregate streamflow is compared to the historical average aggregate streamflow on this calendar day across the river's full record. 100% means right on average; values above 100% indicate above-normal flow (wet year); values below indicate below-normal (dry year or drought).
Why are some gauges showing very different flows?
Gauges along a river measure flow at different points: headwater gauges read what's coming off the snowpack or mountain runoff; downstream gauges integrate everything upstream, including tributary inputs. Wide spreads usually mean a tributary is contributing significantly between gauges.
What's the elevation profile chart showing?
Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by streamflow (x-axis) and elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-down traces the river from headwaters to mouth -- you can see flow build as elevation drops.
Can I get alerts when a specific gauge crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app on a per-gauge basis. Open any individual streamgauge from the table above and favorite it to set a discharge threshold.