Colorado River at Glenwood Springs
Colorado · Tubing & floating
Measured at USGS 09085100 — COLORADO RIVER BELOW GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO · NWS forecast point GCOC2
Reading taken Jul 28, 11:15 PM UTC
Running thin — a slow, scrapey float
At 1,850 CFS, this gauge is running 60% of normal for late July — below the 3,100 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 59 years of record (1967–2026).
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
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Flood stages at Glenwood Springs
Official National Weather Service categories for gauge GCOC2, issued by WFO GJT. Impact statements are the NWS's own wording for this location, reproduced verbatim.
-
Major flood 23.0 ft
- 23.0 ft Water Reaches bottom of Devereux Road bridge. Water floods lower portions of I-70 in Glenwood Springs. railroad tracks and Amtrack Station flood. Hotels and parking areas around hotsprings adjacent to I-70 flood.
- 30.0 ft Water reaches top of left bank, covering Devereux Rd and bridge.
- 31.0 ft Railroad yard and John's Building and Home Center on left bank flooded.
- 37.0 ft Water reaches low point of I-70 on right bank.
-
Moderate flood 18.2 ft
- 18.2 ft Water reaches base of Two Rivers Park Plaza. CDOT facility parking lot on Centennial Drive begins to flood. Water enters Two Rivers Park.
- 20.0 ft Water nears railroad tracks and Amtrack station in Glenwood Springs.
- 20.2 ft Water overflows Two Rivers Park Boat Ramp and begins to cover baseball field.
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Minor flood 16.5 ft
- 16.5 ft Water begins to cover dirt parking lot on right bank. Grassy areas along right bank flooded. Two Rivers Park Plaza Parking lot partially submerged.
- 17.0 ft Gaging station destroyed.
- 17.5 ft Water reaches telephone poles on right bank.
-
Action 15.7 ft
- 15.7 ft The lawn and lower portions of the parking lot at the Two Rivers Park Plaza begin to flood.
- Right now 4.12 ft
12 months of flow at Glenwood Springs
Daily values from USGS gauge 09085100. Provisional data, subject to revision.
Highest crests on record at Glenwood Springs
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 12.49 ft | 31,500 CFS | May 25, 1984 |
| 11.74 ft | 27,900 CFS | Jun 25, 1983 |
| 11.10 ft | 27,600 CFS | Jun 26, 2011 |
| 10.90 ft | 23,800 CFS | Jun 18, 1995 |
| 10.58 ft | 24,900 CFS | Jun 2, 2014 |
| 10.51 ft | 24,300 CFS | Jun 8, 2010 |
| 10.42 ft | 23,400 CFS | Jun 5, 1997 |
| 10.35 ft | 21,600 CFS | Jun 9, 1985 |
| 9.88 ft | 21,200 CFS | Jun 18, 2015 |
| 9.84 ft | 20,800 CFS | Jul 1, 2019 |
Historical crests published by the National Weather Service for this gauge.
About Colorado River at Glenwood Springs
This gauge measures Colorado River at Glenwood Springs, Colorado — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters on this stretch check before committing to a shuttle.
Shoshone put-in to Two Rivers Park.
Raw CFS means little on its own, so every reading on this page is shown against the USGS median for the same calendar day — 3,100 CFS for late July, from 59 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.
Colorado River at Glenwood Springs — common questions
What is the current flow on Colorado River at Glenwood Springs?
As of the last reading on this page, Colorado River at Glenwood Springs was running 1,850 CFS at a gage height of 4.12 ft, or 60% of the USGS median for this date. The number updates automatically from USGS gauge 09085100, 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 3,100 CFS, calculated from 59 years of record (1967–2026). 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 Colorado 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.