Red Flag Warning
2026-04-24T20:00:00-06:00

* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 214, 215, 216, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247 and 249. * TIMING...From 11 AM to 8 PM MDT Friday. * WINDS...Southwest 10 to 20 mph with gusts around 30 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...7 to 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.

Little Colorado River

Last Updated: April 24, 2026

Total streamflow across the Little Colorado River was last observed at 211 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 419 acre-ft of water today; about 41% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 511 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2023-03-24 when daily discharge volume was observed at 18,255 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Little Colorado River Near Joseph City reporting a streamflow rate of 2,700 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Little Colorado River Near Winslow with a gauge stage of 10.68 ft. This river is monitored from 8 different streamgauging stations along the Little Colorado River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 8,296 ft, the Little Colorado River At Greer.

The Little Colorado River is a tributary of the Colorado River that flows through Arizona and New Mexico.


15-Day Long Term Forecast


River Details

Last Updated 2026-04-23
Discharge Volume 419 ACRE-FT
Streamflow 211.02 cfs
Past 24 Hours: -2.35 cfs (-1.1%)
Percent of Normal 41.28%
Maximum 18,255.0 cfs
2023-03-24
Seasonal Avg 511 cfs
       
River Streamflow Levels
Streamgauge Streamflow Gauge Stage 24hr Change (%) % Normal Minimum (cfs) Maximum (cfs) Air Temp Elevation
Little Colorado River At Greer
USGS 09383400
1 cfs 1.44 ft -8.22
Little Colorado River Ab Zion Res Nr St. Johns
USGS 09386030
0 cfs 0.69 ft None
Little Colorado River At Woodruff
USGS 09394500
0 cfs 4.82 ft None
Little Colorado River At Holbrook
USGS 09397000
51 cfs 6.57 ft -28.55
Little Colorado River Near Joseph City
USGS 09397300
2700 cfs 0.63 ft 66.67
Little Colorado River Near Winslow
USGS 09400350
4 cfs 10.68 ft -5.88
Little Colorado River Near Cameron
USGS 09402000
0 cfs 1.6 ft None
Little Colorado River Abv Mouth Nr Desert View
USGS 09402300
206 cfs 5.24 ft -0.96
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile

The Little Colorado River (Hopi: Paayu) is a tributary of the Colorado River in the U.S. state of Arizona, providing the principal drainage from the Painted Desert region. Together with its major tributary, the Puerco River, it drains an area of about 26,500 square miles (69,000 km2) in eastern Arizona and western New Mexico. Although it stretches almost 340 miles (550 km), only the headwaters and the lowermost reaches flow year-round. Between St. Johns and Cameron, most of the river is a wide, braided wash, only containing water after heavy snowmelt or flash flooding.
The lower 57.2 miles (92.1 km) is known as the Little Colorado River Gorge and forms one of the largest arms of the Grand Canyon, at over 3,000 feet (910 m) deep where it joins the Colorado near Desert View in Grand Canyon National Park.