Animas River at Durango
Colorado · Tubing & floating
Measured at USGS 09361500 — ANIMAS RIVER AT DURANGO, CO · NWS forecast point DRGC2
Reading taken Jul 28, 11:30 PM UTC
Low and slow — expect to drag in the shallows
At 293 CFS, this gauge is running 46% of normal for late July — below the 636 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 114 years of record (1898–2026).
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
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Flood stages at Durango
Official National Weather Service categories for gauge DRGC2, issued by WFO GJT. Impact statements are the NWS's own wording for this location, reproduced verbatim.
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Major flood 10.5 ft · 16,890 CFS
- 11.0 ft The area surrounding the Durango Fish Hatchery is flooding. Water is nearing the base of the Rio Grande Western Railroad Bridge adjacent to 15th Street.
- 12.0 ft Portions of the Animas River Trail are flooded with adjacent businesses and residences threatened. Major flooding is occurring north of Durango in Trimble and Hermosa. Major Flooding is occurring at the Durango Trout Hatchery.
- 12.5 ft Large portions of the Animas River Trail and adjacent buildings and parking lots along the Animas River between the Hwy 160 bridge and the Hwy 550 bridge are flooded.
- 13.0 ft Floodwaters are approaching the bases of several bridges in Durango including the West 9th Street Bridge the US 550 bridge and the Animas River Trail pedestrian bridges. Debris dams and backwater flooding is possible making these bridges unsafe.
- 16.5 ft Water reaches the bottom of the East 32nd Street Bridge. Devastating flooding is occurring through Durango with many buildings near the highway 160 bridge and between the Animas River and Hwy 550 south of 15th street flooded.
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Moderate flood 9.0 ft · 12,400 CFS
- 9.0 ft Significant overbank flow is occurring in Durango.
- 9.7 ft The Dalton Ranch Golf Club is beginning to flood. Some dikes topped north of Durango.
- 10.0 ft Major flooding is occurring in the Val-Air Glider field and hangars.
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Minor flood 8.0 ft · 9,560 CFS
- 8.0 ft Minor flooding of agricultural lands and residential structures north of Durango is occurring. Water is nearing sections of the Rio Grande Western Railroad north of Durango.
- 8.5 ft Flooding of the Durango and Silverton narrow gauge railroad between Tacoma and Needleton is occurring.
-
Action 7.0 ft · 7,080 CFS
- 7.0 ft Agricultural lands north of Durango are experiencing minor flooding. Portions of the Val-Air Gliderport field are flooded.
- Right now 2.46 ft
NWS forecast: 2.43 ft by Jul 29, 1:00 AM UTC.
12 months of flow at Durango
Daily values from USGS gauge 09361500. Provisional data, subject to revision.
Highest crests on record at Durango
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 11.00 ft | 25,000 CFS | Oct 5, 1911 |
| 9.65 ft | 20,000 CFS | Jun 29, 1927 |
| 8.83 ft | 11,600 CFS | Sep 6, 1970 |
| 8.50 ft | 12,700 CFS | Jun 19, 1949 |
| 8.12 ft | 9,360 CFS | Jun 6, 1957 |
| 7.53 ft | 7,960 CFS | May 28, 1958 |
| 7.45 ft | 8,220 CFS | Jun 11, 1980 |
| 7.40 ft | 10,500 CFS | May 14, 1941 |
| 7.40 ft | 8,550 CFS | May 25, 2005 |
| 7.38 ft | 7,950 CFS | Jun 9, 1985 |
Historical crests published by the National Weather Service for this gauge.
About Animas River at Durango
This gauge measures Animas River at Durango, Colorado — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters on this stretch check before committing to a shuttle.
Town run; tubers told to go only at or under 800 cfs.
Raw CFS means little on its own, so every reading on this page is shown against the USGS median for the same calendar day — 636 CFS for late July, from 114 years of record.
Because the National Weather Service also operates a forecast point here, the page carries the official flood-category ladder and the NWS's own stage-by-stage impact statements.
Animas River at Durango — common questions
What is the current flow on Animas River at Durango?
As of the last reading on this page, Animas River at Durango was running 293 CFS at a gage height of 2.46 ft, or 46% of the USGS median for this date. The number updates automatically from USGS gauge 09361500, which reports every 15 to 60 minutes.
Is that high or low for this time of year?
The USGS median flow for late July at this gauge is 636 CFS, calculated from 114 years of record (1898–2026). Comparing today's reading against that median is the only way a raw CFS number tells you anything — 200 CFS is a drought on one river and a flood on another.
How often does this reading update?
USGS transmits from this gauge every 15 to 60 minutes. This page bakes in the most recent reading when it is rebuilt, then refreshes live from USGS when you open it. Readings are provisional and subject to revision by USGS.
What flow is good for tubing Animas River?
riverlvl does not publish a recommended tubing range — that call belongs to the outfitters and the local authorities who know this stretch. What this page gives you is the objective input: today's flow, the seasonal median for the same date, and where the reading sits in the 12-month record. Local outfitters generally publish their own cutoffs, and they close when the river is up.
Does rain upstream change this reading quickly?
Yes. This is a free-flowing gauge, so it responds directly to rain in the basin upstream. Flashy rises of several feet in a few hours are normal on rivers like this after a heavy storm, which is why the reading is worth checking the morning you go.
What does gage height mean versus CFS?
Gage height is how high the water surface is above the gauge's own zero point, in feet — a local measure, not depth and not elevation. CFS is cubic feet per second, the volume of water moving past the gauge. Flood stages are set in gage height; float and paddling conditions are usually discussed in CFS.