River Report

Paria River river

2 streamgauges 27% of normal Last updated 2026-05-18
Aggregate flow
4cfs
% of normal
27%
Daily volume
8AF
Seasonal avg
15cfs

Total streamflow across the Paria River was last observed at 4 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 8 acre-ft of water today; about 27% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 15 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2013-09-11 when daily discharge volume was observed at 4,770 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Paria River At Lees Ferry reporting a streamflow rate of 4.03 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Paria River Near Kanab with a gauge stage of 6 ft. This river is monitored from 2 different streamgauging stations along the Paria River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 4,359 ft, the Paria River Near Kanab.

Max discharge

Paria River At Lees Ferry

4.03cfs
Highest stage

Paria River Near Kanab

6ft
Highest-elevation gauge

Paria River Near Kanab

4,359ft
Aggregate trend

River streamflow levels

Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Paria River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.

Total streamflow

Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily

Per-gauge breakdown

Every streamgauge along the Paria River

All 2 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)
Paria River Near Kanab UT
USGS 09381800
0 6.00 -36.0 3% 0 15,400 4,359
Paria River At Lees Ferry AZ
USGS 09382000
4 4.23 2.8 85% 0 3,100 3,137
Annual peaks

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

Profile

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

About this river

Paria River

The Paria River is a tributary of the Colorado River located in southern Utah and northern Arizona. It stretches for approximately 80 miles and drains an area of over 1,000 square miles. Historically, the river was used by Native American tribes for hunting and gathering. Today, it is mainly used for recreational activities such as hiking and camping. The river has several dams, including the Glen Canyon Dam and the Navajo Dam, which provide hydroelectric power and water storage for nearby communities. The Paria River is also used for agricultural purposes, with water diverted to irrigate crops in the surrounding areas. Despite its importance, the river is threatened by climate change, overuse, and pollution. Efforts are being made to preserve the Paria River and its ecosystem for future generations.

Around the river

Recreation along the Paria River

Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.

Track the Paria 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.

FAQ

About the Paria River

Where does the data for the Paria 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.