South Platte River Flow Today
As of October 2, 2026 at 2:00 AM, the South Platte River is flowing at 253 cfs at South Platte, CO — 59% of normal for the date and down 3% in 24 hours. 17 of 17 USGS gauges reported in the last 3 days; flows range from 12 to 253 cfs. ❤ Favorite
South Platte River map
See the South Platte River on a live map
Every gauge, dam and paddle run on the river, one tap each:
- Gauges now — which reaches are high or low
- Dams & paddle runs — storage and what’s in range
- Rain — past 24 hrs and the 72-hr forecast, press play
✓ Free for 7 days · ✓ Cancel anytime
South Platte River conditions today
Where the river is running versus normal, what’s rising or dropping, and what it means for a trip — built from the live USGS readings below.
At South Platte, the South Platte River is running 253 cfs — 59% of normal, down 3% since yesterday. Along the river, 14 of 17 reporting gauges are below normal (the typical gauge is at 59% of normal).
In the last 24 hours the river is rising at Cheesman Lake (+15%); dropping at Lake George (-24%) and Fort Morgan (-22%).
Highest against normal: Cooper Bridge at 120%. Lowest: Kersey at 37%.
Paddlers: 3 of 8 runs on the South Platte River with a live range are in range, 5 too low.
How the South Platte River compares to normal
Every reporting gauge from the top of the river to the bottom: bar length is today’s flow, colour is percent of normal for the date.
Flow along the river, upstream to downstream
- Lake George8,457 ft 69 cfs80%
- Cheesman Lake6,851 ft 91 cfs76%
- Cheesman Lake6,630 ft 72 cfs48%
- South Platte6,094 ft 253 cfs59%
- Waterton5,492 ft 24 cfs66%
- Union Ave5,294 ft 12 cfs40%
- Englewood5,253 ft 25 cfs50%
- Denver5,158 ft 101 cfs85%
- Henderson5,004 ft 202 cfs93%
- Fort Lupton4,870 ft 184 cfs111%
- Kersey4,591 ft 164 cfs37%
- Masters4,457 ft 129 cfs51%
- Weldona4,318 ft 190 cfs53%
- Fort Morgan4,261 ft 146 cfs47%
- Cooper Bridge4,140 ft 100 cfs120%
- Crook3,707 ft 44 cfs64%
- Roscoe Nebr3,147 ft 72 cfs55%
Bar length uses a square-root scale so small headwater flows stay visible next to big downstream ones. Colour: <50% 50–90 90–110 110–150 150%+ of normal.
Where every gauge sits
One dot per South Platte River streamgauge, placed by its own percent of normal. The line is the typical gauge (59%).
South Platte River flow report
| Streamgage | Streamflow | % of normal | 24h | Gage height | To flood stage | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
South Platte River Near Lake George CO
Oct 2, 2:15 AM · USGS 06696000 |
69 cfs | 80% | -24% | 0.79 ft | · | 8,457 ft |
|
South Platte River Above Cheesman Lake CO
Oct 1, 12:45 AM · USGS 06700000 |
91 cfs | 76% | +15% | 4.93 ft | · | 6,851 ft |
|
South Platte River Below Cheesman Lake CO
Oct 2, 2:00 AM · USGS 06701500 |
72 cfs | 48% | 0% | 0.77 ft | · | 6,630 ft |
|
South Platte River At South Platte CO
Oct 2, 2:00 AM · USGS 06707500 |
253 cfs | 59% | -3% | 2.48 ft | · | 6,094 ft |
|
South Platte River At Waterton CO
Oct 2, 2:15 AM · USGS 06708000 |
24 cfs | 66% | +7% | 0.61 ft | · | 5,492 ft |
|
South Platte River Below Union Ave CO
Oct 2, 1:45 AM · USGS 06710247 |
12 cfs | 40% | -14% | 10.80 ft | 5.2 ft below | 5,294 ft |
|
South Platte River At Englewood CO
Oct 2, 2:00 AM · USGS 06711565 |
25 cfs | 50% | 0% | 1.25 ft | · | 5,253 ft |
|
South Platte River At Denver CO
Oct 2, 1:45 AM · USGS 06714000 |
101 cfs | 85% | -4% | 2.73 ft | 1651.3 ft below | 5,158 ft |
|
South Platte River At Henderson CO
Oct 2, 1:30 AM · USGS 06720500 |
202 cfs | 93% | -11% | 3.34 ft | · | 5,004 ft |
|
South Platte River At Fort Lupton CO
Oct 2, 2:00 AM · USGS 06721000 |
184 cfs | 111% | -7% | 3.54 ft | 7.5 ft below | 4,870 ft |
|
South Platte River Near Kersey CO
Oct 2, 1:30 AM · USGS 06754000 |
164 cfs | 37% | -2% | 1.73 ft | · | 4,591 ft |
|
South Platte River At Masters CO
Oct 2, 2:15 AM · USGS 06756995 |
129 cfs | 51% | +4% | 2.48 ft | · | 4,457 ft |
|
South Platte River Near Weldona CO
Oct 2, 1:45 AM · USGS 06758500 |
190 cfs | 53% | -12% | 1.77 ft | · | 4,318 ft |
|
South Platte River At Fort Morgan CO
Oct 2, 1:30 AM · USGS 06759500 |
146 cfs | 47% | -22% | 9.09 ft | 8.4 ft below | 4,261 ft |
|
South Platte River At Cooper Bridge CO
Oct 2, 1:30 AM · USGS 06759910 |
100 cfs | 120% | +6% | 2.48 ft | · | 4,140 ft |
|
South Platte River Near Crook CO
Oct 2, 2:00 AM · USGS 06760500 |
44 cfs | 64% | 0% | 2.09 ft | · | 3,707 ft |
|
South Platte River At Roscoe Nebr NE
Oct 2, 3:30 AM · USGS 06764880 |
72 cfs | 55% | +5% | 2.66 ft | 6.3 ft below | 3,147 ft |
USGS provisional data. Readings are in each gauge’s local time; gauges silent for more than 3 days are marked “Last reported”. Tap any gauge for its hydrograph, forecast and history.
Paddle runs on the South Platte River
3 of 8 runs are in range right now. Each run is checked against its runnable range using the gauge it is keyed to (or the nearest gauge on this river).
| Run | Status | Flow now | Runnable range | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cliffdale To Confluence With South Platte Gauge: South Platte |
In range | 253 cfs | 168–268 cfs typical | III–IV |
| Estabrook To Cliffdale Gauge: South Platte |
In range | 253 cfs | 168–268 cfs typical | III–IV |
| Wigman Club To Strontia Reservoir Gauge: South Platte |
In range | 253 cfs | 168–268 cfs typical | III–IV |
| Beaver Creek To Cheeseman Reservoir Gauge: Cheesman Lake |
Too low | 91 cfs | 275–700 cfs | III–IV |
| Cheeseman Dam To Wigman Club Gauge: Cheesman Lake |
Too low | 72 cfs | 275–700 cfs | III–IV |
| Eleven Mile Canyon Dam To Private Land In Vicinity Of Lake George Gauge: Lake George |
Too low | 69 cfs | 275–700 cfs | III–IV |
| North Fork--Insmont To Estabrook Gauge: South Platte |
Too low | 253 cfs | 275–700 cfs | III–IV |
| Private Land To Confluence With Beaver Creek Gauge: Cheesman Lake |
Too low | 91 cfs | 275–700 cfs | · |
Dams & reservoirs on the South Platte River
Releases from these dams shape the flow downstream. Tap one for its daily level and history.
South Platte River streamflow over time
Daily total flow across every monitored gauge on the river.
Maximum streamflow by year
South Platte River
The South Platte River is a tributary of the Platte River and flows through Colorado and Nebraska. It is 435 miles long and has a rich history of being used for transportation, irrigation, and recreation. The river originates in the Rocky Mountains and runs through several reservoirs and dams, including Eleven Mile Canyon Reservoir and Chatfield Reservoir. These reservoirs are used for irrigation, hydroelectric power, and flood control. The South Platte River also provides recreational opportunities such as fishing, kayaking, and camping. In addition to its recreational uses, the river is an important source of water for agriculture, including crops such as corn, wheat, and alfalfa. Despite its many uses, the South Platte River faces threats of pollution and overuse, highlighting the importance of responsible management and conservation efforts.
Fishing near the South Platte River
About the South Platte River
How is the South Platte River flowing right now?
As of October 2, 2026, the South Platte River is flowing at 253 cfs at South Platte, CO, about 59% of normal for the date. Across its 17 USGS gauges, current flows range from 12 to 253 cfs. Every gauge’s live reading is in the table above.
Is the South Platte River running high or low?
The typical gauge on the South Platte River is at 59% of normal for the date. Above 100% means higher than the historical average for this calendar day; below 100% means lower. The profile above shows which reaches are high or low.
What is flood stage on the South Platte River?
The National Weather Service sets flood stages for Union Ave (16.0 ft), Denver (1654.0 ft), Fort Lupton (11.0 ft), Fort Morgan (17.5 ft), Roscoe Nebr (9.0 ft). The table shows how far each gauge is below its flood stage right now.
Is the South Platte River runnable for paddling today?
3 of 8 paddle runs are in range right now. Each run in the paddle table is checked against its runnable range using its gauge's live flow.
Where does the data come from?
Discharge and gage height are from the USGS National Water Information System; flood stages from the National Weather Service. The history chart sums every monitored gauge on the river.
Can I get alerts for a gauge?
Yes — open any gauge from the table, favorite it in the Snoflo app and set a flow threshold.