TOTAL DISCHARGE (CFS)
SUMMARY
| Last Updated | 2024-11-20 |
| Discharge Volume | 402 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
202.7 cfs
-9.9 cfs (-4.66%) |
| Percent of Normal | 44.06% |
| Maximum |
62,832.0 cfs
2023-03-24 |
| Seasonal Avg | 460 cfs |
Total streamflow across the
Gila River
was last observed at
203
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
402
acre-ft of water today; about 44%
of normal.
River levels are low and may signify a drought.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
460 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2023-03-24 when daily discharge volume was observed at
62,832 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Gila River At Head Of Safford Valley
reporting a streamflow rate of 70.2 cfs.
However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the
Gila River Near Dome
with a gauge stage of 14.54 ft.
This river is monitored from 15 different streamgauging stations along the Gila River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 4,661 ft, the
Gila River Near Gila.
The Gila River is one of the longest rivers in the Southwestern United States, stretching approximately 649 miles from its source in New Mexico to its confluence with the Colorado River in Arizona. The river has been historically significant for Native American tribes, Spanish explorers, and American settlers. The Gila River also plays a vital role in providing water for agricultural irrigation, including supporting the Pima cotton industry. Several dams have been built along the river, including the Coolidge Dam, which forms the San Carlos Reservoir, and the Painted Rock Dam, which forms the Painted Rock Reservoir. These reservoirs provide water storage for irrigation, flood control, and recreational activities, including boating, fishing, and swimming. Despite its importance, the river faces many challenges, including water scarcity, drought, and pollution.
YEAR OVER YEAR DISCHARGE (CFS)
Streamflow Conditions
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gila River Near Gila
USGS 09430500 |
61 cfs | 1.2 ft | -2.03 | |||||
|
Gila River Near Redrock
USGS 09431500 |
47 cfs | 4.15 ft | 2.21 | |||||
|
Gila River Below Blue Creek
USGS 09432000 |
36 cfs | 4.64 ft | 4.92 | |||||
|
Gila River At Duncan
USGS 09439000 |
0 cfs | 5.32 ft | None | |||||
|
Gila River Near Clifton
USGS 09442000 |
26 cfs | 1.88 ft | 0 | |||||
|
Gila River At Head Of Safford Valley
USGS 09448500 |
70 cfs | 6.6 ft | 4 | |||||
|
Gila River At Calva
USGS 09466500 |
13 cfs | 1.68 ft | 0 | |||||
|
Gila River Below Coolidge Dam
USGS 09469500 |
11 cfs | 0.28 ft | 0 | |||||
|
Gila River At Kelvin
USGS 09474000 |
10 cfs | 4.44 ft | -21.15 | |||||
|
Gila River Near Maricopa
USGS 09479350 |
0 cfs | 0.97 ft | None | |||||
|
Gila River At Estrella Parkway
USGS 09514100 |
70 cfs | 4.71 ft | -13.92 | |||||
|
Gila R Blw Gillespie Dam
USGS 09519501 |
0 cfs | 4.05 ft | None | |||||
|
Gila River Below Painted Rock Dam
USGS 09519800 |
0 cfs | 2.13 ft | None | |||||
|
Gila River Near Dateland
USGS 09520280 |
0 cfs | 2.61 ft | None | |||||
|
Gila River Near Dome
USGS 09520500 |
10 cfs | 14.54 ft | -29.75 |
History of the River
The Gila River (; O'odham [Pima]: Keli Akimel or simply Akimel, Quechan: Haa Siʼil) is a 649-mile (1,044 km)-long tributary of the Colorado River flowing through New Mexico and Arizona in the United States. The river drains an arid watershed of nearly 60,000 square miles (160,000 km2) that lies mainly within the U.S., but also extends into northern Sonora, Mexico. Indigenous peoples have lived along the river for at least 2,000 years, establishing complex agricultural societies before European exploration of the region began in the 16th century. However, European Americans did not permanently settle the Gila River watershed until the mid-19th century.
During the 20th century, human development of the Gila River watershed necessitated the construction of large diversion and flood control structures on the river and its tributaries, and consequently the Gila now contributes only a small fraction of its historic flow to the Colorado. The historic natural discharge of the river is around 1,900 cubic feet per second (54 m3/s), and is now only 247 cubic feet per second (7.0 m3/s). These engineering projects have transformed much of the river valley and its surrounds from arid desert to irrigated land, and supply water to the more than five million people, mainly in the Phoenix and Tucson metropolitan areas, who live in the watershed.
