Cache la Poudre River at Fort Collins
Colorado · Tubing & floating
Measured at USGS 06752260 — CACHE LA POUDRE RIVER AT FORT COLLINS, CO · NWS forecast point POUC2
Reading taken Jul 28, 11:15 PM UTC
Running thin — a slow, scrapey float
At 43 CFS, this gauge is running 64% of normal for late July — below the 68 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 51 years of record (1975–2026).
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
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Flood stages at Fort Collins
Official National Weather Service categories for gauge POUC2, issued by WFO BOU. Impact statements are the NWS's own wording for this location, reproduced verbatim.
-
Major flood 12.0 ft
- 12.0 ft College Avenue (U.S. Highway 287) is overtopped north of the Cache La Poudre River Bridge and the flow is directed along East Vine past Redwood Street. Water inundates businesses along East Prospect Road and East Mulberry Street.
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Moderate flood 11.0 ft · 7,411 CFS
- 11.8 ft There is a 2 percent chance in any given year of reaching a flood of this magnitude.
-
Minor flood 10.0 ft · 6,076 CFS
- 10.5 ft Water inundates businesses along the east side of North College Avenue, East Vine Drive, and East Lincoln Avenue. Structures flood on the south side of East Mulberry Street along the river. The river also begins to impact structures along East Prospect Road.
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Action 8.5 ft · 4,333 CFS
- 8.5 ft The Cache La Poudre River is out of its banks in and near Fort Collins. Water will flow onto bike paths in low lying areas.
- Right now 1.02 ft
12 months of flow at Fort Collins
Daily values from USGS gauge 06752260. Provisional data, subject to revision.
Highest crests on record at Fort Collins
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 11.56 ft | 8,140 CFS | Sep 13, 2013 |
| 10.46 ft | 7,710 CFS | Apr 30, 1999 |
| 9.54 ft | 5,860 CFS | May 31, 2014 |
| 9.27 ft | 4,570 CFS | Jun 12, 2010 |
| 8.49 ft | 4,420 CFS | Jun 12, 2015 |
| 7.88 ft | 3,220 CFS | Jun 9, 2011 |
| 7.22 ft | 3,290 CFS | Jun 9, 1997 |
| 7.21 ft | 2,990 CFS | Jun 12, 2016 |
| 7.05 ft | 2,850 CFS | May 27, 2017 |
| 6.80 ft | 2,750 CFS | May 23, 2021 |
Historical crests published by the National Weather Service for this gauge.
About Cache la Poudre River at Fort Collins
This gauge measures Cache la Poudre River at Fort Collins, Colorado — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters on this stretch check before committing to a shuttle.
Poudre Canyon and the whitewater park; 2013 flood legacy.
Raw CFS means little on its own, so every reading on this page is shown against the USGS median for the same calendar day — 68 CFS for late July, from 51 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.
Cache la Poudre River at Fort Collins — common questions
What is the current flow on Cache la Poudre River at Fort Collins?
As of the last reading on this page, Cache la Poudre River at Fort Collins was running 43 CFS at a gage height of 1.02 ft, or 64% of the USGS median for this date. The number updates automatically from USGS gauge 06752260, 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 68 CFS, calculated from 51 years of record (1975–2026). 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 Cache la Poudre 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.