Roaring Fork River river
Total streamflow across the Roaring Fork River was last observed at 1,531 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 3,037 acre-ft of water today; about 48% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 3,182 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2011-07-01 when daily discharge volume was observed at 15,517 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Roaring Fork River At Glenwood Springs reporting a streamflow rate of 950 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Roaring Fork River Near Emma with a gauge stage of 5.48 ft. This river is monitored from 5 different streamgauging stations along the Roaring Fork River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 10,528 ft, the Roaring Fork River Ab Lost Man C.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Roaring Fork River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Roaring Fork River
All 5 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Roaring Fork River Ab Lost Man C
CO
USGS 09072550
|
· | 1.34 | · | 0% | 0 | 7 | 10,528 |
|
Roaring Fork River Ab Difficult C Nr Aspen
CO
USGS 09073300
|
45 | 1.45 | 2.3 | 50% | 3 | 1,640 | 8,123 |
|
Roaring Fork River Near Aspen
CO
USGS 09073400
|
93 | 1.25 | 9.2 | 50% | 8 | 1,630 | 8,006 |
|
Roaring Fork River Near Emma
CO
USGS 09081000
|
443 | 5.48 | 17.8 | 53% | 134 | 5,780 | 6,479 |
|
Roaring Fork River At Glenwood Springs
CO
USGS 09085000
|
950 | 2.49 | 20.4 | 57% | 218 | 8,490 | 5,726 |
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
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
Roaring Fork River
The Roaring Fork River is a tributary of the Colorado River that flows through central Colorado. The river is approximately 70 miles long and begins at Independence Pass, a high mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains. The Roaring Fork River is known for its whitewater rafting and fly fishing opportunities. The river's hydrology is influenced by the melting snowpack from the surrounding mountains, and its flow can vary greatly depending on the season. The river is also used for agricultural purposes, with irrigation ditches diverting water for farming in the surrounding valleys. Several reservoirs and dams have been built along the river, including Ruedi Reservoir and the Grizzly Reservoir Dam. These structures help control the river's flow and provide water for downstream communities. Despite human intervention, the Roaring Fork River remains a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts and a vital resource for the surrounding communities.
Recreation along the Roaring Fork River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Track the Roaring Fork 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.
About the Roaring Fork River
Where does the data for the Roaring Fork 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.