Colorado River at Lees Ferry
Arizona · Fishing & wading
Measured at USGS 09380000 — COLORADO RIVER AT LEES FERRY, AZ · NWS forecast point CLFA3
Reading taken Jul 28, 11:00 PM UTC
Low and clear — wadeable, and fish will be spooky
At 7,970 CFS, this gauge is running 58% of normal for late July — below the 13,700 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 104 years of record (1922–2026).
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
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12 months of flow at Lees Ferry
Daily values from USGS gauge 09380000. Provisional data, subject to revision.
Highest crests on record at Lees Ferry
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 31.50 ft | 300,000 CFS | Jul 7, 1884 |
| 26.50 ft | 220,000 CFS | Jun 18, 1921 |
| 21.15 ft | 123,000 CFS | Jun 12, 1952 |
| 21.14 ft | 126,000 CFS | Jun 12, 1957 |
| 20.51 ft | 120,000 CFS | May 17, 1941 |
| 20.35 ft | 127,000 CFS | Jul 1, 1927 |
| 13.84 ft | 44,800 CFS | Nov 20, 2012 |
| 13.59 ft | 42,800 CFS | Mar 6, 2008 |
| 13.55 ft | 42,500 CFS | Nov 22, 2004 |
| 11.57 ft | 26,200 CFS | Jul 7, 2011 |
Historical crests published by the National Weather Service for this gauge.
About Colorado River at Lees Ferry
This gauge sits on Colorado River at Lees Ferry, Arizona, immediately below Lake Powell. Flow here is controlled by releases from the dam, so it can change by hundreds of CFS within an hour with no rain anywhere in the basin — check it before you go, not the day before.
Below Glen Canyon Dam; midday drops strand boats.
Raw CFS means little on its own, so every reading on this page is shown against the USGS median for the same calendar day — 13,700 CFS for late July, from 104 years of record.
Reservoir feeding this stretch
Flow at this gauge is set by releases from Lake Powell. A full pool usually means more water is on its way down.
Colorado River at Lees Ferry — common questions
What is the current flow on Colorado River at Lees Ferry?
As of the last reading on this page, Colorado River at Lees Ferry was running 7,970 CFS at a gage height of 8.05 ft, or 58% of the USGS median for this date. The number updates automatically from USGS gauge 09380000, 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 13,700 CFS, calculated from 104 years of record (1922–2026). 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.
Is Colorado River at Lees Ferry wadeable right now?
That depends on the reach and on your own judgement — riverlvl will not tell you the water is safe to stand in. What it will tell you is whether today's flow is unusually high or low for the date, against a seasonal median of 13,700 CFS, which is the single most useful input to that decision. On a dam tailwater like this one, the bigger risk is a sudden generation release, which can raise the river several feet with little warning.
How do releases from Lake Powell affect this stretch?
Directly and quickly. When the dam generates or spills, flow at this gauge climbs — often within an hour, often by an order of magnitude. The reservoir level itself is tracked on lakelvl.com, and the link on this page goes straight to it, so you can see whether the pool is high enough that releases are likely.
Where does this data come from?
Flow and gage height are public-domain USGS data from gauge 09380000. Flood categories, impact statements and the forecast come from the NOAA / National Weather Service National Water Prediction Service, gauge CLFA3. riverlvl adds the seasonal comparison and plain-English summary; it is not an official source and does not issue warnings.