2025-12-20T00:00:00-07:00
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY... Strong northwest winds will spread across the northeast plains after sunrise today, with gusts 45 to 65 mph creating critical fire weather conditions despite somewhat marginal humidity values near 20%. Early Friday, westerly downslope winds will bring strong gusts to the Front Range mountains and foothills, with potential for these to spread into wind-favored portions of the adjacent lower elevations. Peak gusts of 70-90 mph are increasing in likelihood for the windiest locations (considerably lower for areas along and east of I-25). With a warmer and drier air mass in place, humidity values in the teens look to extend into much of the foothills, and certainly across the lower elevations. Such conditions may be a longer duration than usual, with potential for low humidity to extend into the evening hours prior to the arrival of a front. The National Weather Service in Denver has issued a Fire Weather Watch for wind and low relative humidity, which is in effect from Friday morning through Friday evening. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 215, 216, 241, 243, 245, 246 and 247. * TIMING...From Friday morning through late Friday evening. * WINDS...West 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 80 mph in and near the foothills. West 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph for areas roughly along and east of I-25. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 10 to 15%. * 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
Ottauquechee River
was last observed at
178
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
354
acre-ft of water today; about 38%
of normal.
River levels are low and may signify a drought.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
466 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2023-07-13 when daily discharge volume was observed at
5,531 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Ottauquechee River At North Hartland
reporting a streamflow rate of 156 cfs.
However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the
Ottauquechee River Near West Bridgewater
with a gauge stage of 3.22 ft.
This river is monitored from 2 different streamgauging stations along the Ottauquechee River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 1,160 ft, the
Ottauquechee River Near West Bridgewater.
River Details
| Last Updated | 2025-12-18 |
| Discharge Volume | 354 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
178.3 cfs
+12.0 cfs (+7.22%) |
| Percent of Normal | 38.23% |
| Maximum |
5,531.0 cfs
2023-07-13 |
| Seasonal Avg | 466 cfs |
River Streamflow Levels
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ottauquechee River Near West Bridgewater
USGS 01150900 |
22 cfs | 3.22 ft | 0 | |||||
|
Ottauquechee River At North Hartland
USGS 01151500 |
156 cfs | 2.55 ft | 8.33 |
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile
The Ottauquechee River (pronounced AWT-ah-KWEE-chee) is a 41.4-mile-long (66.6 km) river in eastern Vermont in the United States. It is a tributary of the Connecticut River, which flows to Long Island Sound.
The Ottauquechee rises in the Green Mountains in eastern Rutland County in the town of Killington, and flows generally eastwardly into Windsor County, where it passes through or along the boundaries of the towns of Bridgewater, Woodstock, Pomfret, Hartford and Hartland; and the villages of Woodstock and Quechee. It joins the Connecticut River in the town of Hartland, about 4 miles (6 km) south-southwest of White River Junction.A headwaters tributary known as the North Branch Ottauquechee River flows southeastwardly through the towns of Killington and Bridgewater.Quechee State Park is located along the river near the village of Quechee. Near the river's mouth the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' North Hartland Dam impounds the river to form North Hartland Lake.Near the state park, the river flows through the 165-foot-deep (50 m) Quechee Gorge. The U.S. Rt. 4 bridge crosses over the gorge and provides good viewing down into its depths.[1]
In late August 2011, Hurricane Irene swept through the Ottauquechee River watershed, raising the water level in the river to far beyond its normal height. Houses and towns along the river were devastated.