2025-12-20T00:00:00-07:00
...THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR IN AND IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE FOOTHILLS, BETWEEN 5500 AND 9000 FEET, FOR BOULDER AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES ON FRIDAY... Strong west winds, sustained 45-55 mph with gusts upwards of 85- 105 mph, are expected in the foothills of Larimer, Boulder and Jefferson Counties beginning early Friday morning. Relative humidity values are expected to drop into the low teens, possibly upper single digits. While Red Flag conditions, critical fire weather, are expected across a larger area in northern Colorado, the most extreme conditions are expected to be along Highway 93 from Jefferson County into Boulder County and along US-36 north of Boulder to the Larimer County line and westward. There will be a high potential for fast moving wildfires, should any new starts occur. Winds toward I-25 and eastward will be slower to develop, and also speeds will be considerably lighter. That said, gusts of 25- 40 mph are still expected to combine with very low humidity and cured grasses to support critical fire weather conditions. Such conditions may be a longer duration than usual, with potential for low humidity to extend well into the evening hours. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 238, 240, 241, 242 and 243. * TIMING...From 10 AM this morning to midnight MST tonight. * WINDS...West 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 60 mph possible west of I-25, and gusts to 40 mph possible along and east of I- 25. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 12 percent. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread. Avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark and start a wildfire.
Summary
Total streamflow across the
Kennebec River
was last observed at
5,840
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
11,584
acre-ft of water today; about 21%
of normal.
River levels are low and may signify a drought.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
27,729 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2023-12-20 when daily discharge volume was observed at
195,000 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Kennebec River At Bingham
reporting a streamflow rate of 2,680 cfs.
This is also the highest stage along the Kennebec River, with a gauge stage of
7.74 ft at this location.
This river is monitored from 3 different streamgauging stations along the Kennebec River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 581 ft, the
Kennebec River At The Forks.
River Details
| Last Updated | 2025-12-19 |
| Discharge Volume | 11,584 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
5,840.0 cfs
+830.0 cfs (+16.57%) |
| Percent of Normal | 21.06% |
| Maximum |
195,000.0 cfs
2023-12-20 |
| Seasonal Avg | 27,729 cfs |
River Streamflow Levels
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Kennebec River At The Forks
USGS 01042500 |
660 cfs | 2.19 ft | 0 | |||||
|
Kennebec River At Bingham
USGS 01046500 |
2680 cfs | 7.74 ft | 34.67 | |||||
|
Kennebec River At North Sidney
USGS 01049265 |
2500 cfs | 5.66 ft | 5.93 |
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile
The Kennebec River is a 170-mile-long (270 km) river within the U.S. state of Maine.
It rises in Moosehead Lake in west-central Maine. The East and West Outlets join at Indian Pond and the river then flows southward from Harris Station Dam, the largest hydroelectric dam in the state. It is joined at The Forks by the Dead River, also called the West Branch, then continues south past the cities of Madison, Skowhegan, Waterville, and the state capital Augusta. At Richmond, it flows into Merrymeeting Bay, a 16-mile-long (26 km) freshwater tidal bay into which also flow the Androscoggin River and five smaller rivers. The Kennebec then runs past the shipbuilding center of Bath, then to the Gulf of Maine in the Atlantic Ocean. Due to the open, rapidless waters of the Southern Kennebec, Ocean tides and saltwater fish species such as the endangered Atlantic Sturgeon often affect the river's ecology as far north as Waterville, a small city located over 35 miles inland. Tributaries of the Kennebec include the Carrabassett River, Sandy River, and Sebasticook River.
Segments of the East Coast Greenway run along the Kennebec.
Kennebec Gorge