2025-12-20T00:00:00-07:00
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS FRIDAY... Critical fire weather conditions over the northeast plains will gradually ease into this evening. Strong winds will redevelop in the foothills overnight, with high winds spreading slowly east across the nearby adjacent plains west of I-25 through the afternoon. Extremely high wind gusts of 85-100 mph combined with humidities dropping into the 10-20 percent range will create potential for fast moving wildfires, should any new starts occur. Winds toward I-25 and eastward will be slower to develop, and also speeds will be considerably lighter. That said, gusts of 25-40 mph are still expected to combine with very low humidity and cured grasses to support critical fire weather conditions. Areas farther east into eastern Adams, Arapahoe, Elbert, and Lincoln counties have more uncertainty if those winds even develop, so those locations remain under a Fire Weather Watch. Such conditions may be a longer duration than usual, with potential for low humidity to extend well into the evening hours. The National Weather Service in Denver has issued a Red Flag Warning for wind and low relative humidity, which is in effect from 10 AM Friday to midnight MST Friday night. The Fire Weather Watch is no longer in effect. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 238, 239, 240, 241 and 243. * TIMING...From 10 AM Friday to midnight MST Friday night. * WINDS...West 20 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 80 mph or more immediately next to the foothills. Gusts closer to 40 mph along and east of I-25. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 8 percent. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread. Avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark and start a fast moving wildfire.
Summary
Total streamflow across the
Whitewater River
was last observed at
1,190
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
2,361
acre-ft of water today; about 63%
of normal.
River levels are low and may signify a drought.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
1,899 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2019-02-08 when daily discharge volume was observed at
51,883 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Whitewater River At Brookville
reporting a streamflow rate of 481 cfs.
However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the
Whitewater R A Windy Point Overflow Channel Ca
with a gauge stage of 12 ft.
This river is monitored from 9 different streamgauging stations along the Whitewater River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 1,242 ft, the
Whitewater R At Towanda.
River Details
| Last Updated | 2025-12-18 |
| Discharge Volume | 2,361 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
1,190.4 cfs
-6.1 cfs (-0.51%) |
| Percent of Normal | 62.69% |
| Maximum |
51,882.7 cfs
2019-02-08 |
| Seasonal Avg | 1,899 cfs |
River Streamflow Levels
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Whitewater R At Towanda
USGS 07147070 |
50 cfs | 1.99 ft | 7.48 | |||||
|
Whitewater River Near Economy
USGS 03274650 |
1 cfs | 4.22 ft | 34.29 | |||||
|
Whitewater R A Windy Point Overflow Channel Ca
USGS 10257549 |
0 cfs | 12 ft | None | |||||
|
Whitewater R A Windy Point Main Channel Ca
USGS 10257548 |
467 cfs | 5.43 ft | -3.91 | |||||
|
Whitewater River Near Alpine
USGS 03275000 |
126 cfs | 4.44 ft | 3.28 | |||||
|
Whitewater River At Brookville
USGS 03276500 |
481 cfs | 2.66 ft | 1.05 | |||||
|
Whitewater R A Rancho Mirage Ca
USGS 10259100 |
0 cfs | 6.36 ft | None | |||||
|
Whitewater R A Indio Ca
USGS 10259300 |
0 cfs | 6.62 ft | None | |||||
|
Whitewater R Nr Mecca
USGS 10259540 |
66 cfs | 3.47 ft | 0.61 |
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile
A whitewater river is classified based on its chemistry, sediments and water colour. Whitewater rivers have high levels of suspended sediments, giving the water a pH that is near-neutral, a high electric conductivity and a pale muddy, café au lait-like colour. Whitewater rivers are of great ecological importance and are important to local fisheries. The major seasonal Amazonian floodplains known as várzea receive their water from them.The best-known whitewater rivers are Amazonian and have their source in the Andes, but there are also whitewater rivers elsewhere in South America and in other continents.Amazonian rivers fall into three main categories: whitewater, blackwater and clearwater. This classification system was first proposed by Alfred Russel Wallace in 1853 based on water colour, but the types were more clearly defined according to chemistry and physics by Harald Sioli (de) from the 1950s to the 1980s. Although many Amazonian rivers fall clearly into one of these categories, others show a mix of characteristics and may vary depending on season and flood levels.