Esopus Creek at Phoenicia
New York · Tubing & floating
Measured at USGS 01362500 — ESOPUS CREEK AT COLDBROOK NY · NWS forecast point MTRN6
Reading taken Jul 28, 11:00 PM UTC
Running high and pushy for a tube or an inner-tube crowd
At 950 CFS, this gauge is running 270% of normal for late July — above the 352 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 94 years of record (1932–2026). The stage is 2.5 ft below the NWS action stage of 8.0 ft.
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
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Flood stages at Phoenicia
Official National Weather Service categories for gauge MTRN6, issued by WFO ALY. Impact statements are the NWS's own wording for this location, reproduced verbatim.
-
Major flood 18.0 ft
- 18.0 ft Water reaches mobile home park in Phoenicia. Roads and bridges washed out.
- 21.0 ft Water reaches Route 28.
- 22.0 ft Boiceville business district underwater.
-
Moderate flood 15.0 ft
- 16.0 ft Water reaches roads.
-
Minor flood 11.0 ft
- 11.0 ft Flood stage. Water begins to overflow banks above Ashokan Reservoir with little damage.
-
Action 8.0 ft
- 10.0 ft The river is about a foot below bankfull.
- Right now 5.47 ft
NWS forecast: 7.70 ft by Jul 29, 6:00 PM UTC.
12 months of flow at Phoenicia
Daily values from USGS gauge 01362500. Provisional data, subject to revision.
Highest crests on record at Phoenicia
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 23.34 ft | 75,856 CFS | Aug 28, 2011 |
| 21.94 ft | 65,300 CFS | Mar 21, 1980 |
| 20.70 ft | 59,600 CFS | Mar 30, 1951 |
| 20.58 ft | 55,308 CFS | Apr 3, 2005 |
| 20.40 ft | 55,000 CFS | Aug 24, 1933 |
| 20.33 ft | 53,600 CFS | Jan 19, 1996 |
| 20.06 ft | 51,700 CFS | Apr 4, 1987 |
| 20.00 ft | 54,000 CFS | Oct 15, 1955 |
| 18.98 ft | 46,900 CFS | Dec 21, 1957 |
| 18.12 ft | 39,262 CFS | Dec 25, 2020 |
Historical crests published by the National Weather Service for this gauge.
About Esopus Creek at Phoenicia
This gauge measures Esopus Creek at Phoenicia, New York — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters on this stretch check before committing to a shuttle.
Town Tinker tubing; Ashokan portal release.
Raw CFS means little on its own, so every reading on this page is shown against the USGS median for the same calendar day — 352 CFS for late July, from 94 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.
Esopus Creek at Phoenicia — common questions
What is the current flow on Esopus Creek at Phoenicia?
As of the last reading on this page, Esopus Creek at Phoenicia was running 950 CFS at a gage height of 5.47 ft, or 270% of the USGS median for this date. The number updates automatically from USGS gauge 01362500, 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 352 CFS, calculated from 94 years of record (1932–2026). 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 Esopus Creek?
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.