Yampa River at Steamboat Springs
Colorado · Tubing & floating
Measured at USGS 09239500 — YAMPA RIVER AT STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO · NWS forecast point STMC2
Reading taken Jul 28, 11:15 PM UTC
Low and slow — expect to drag in the shallows
At 74 CFS, this gauge is running 49% of normal for late July — below the 151 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 116 years of record (1910–2026).
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
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Flood stages at Steamboat Springs
Official National Weather Service categories for gauge STMC2, issued by WFO GJT. Impact statements are the NWS's own wording for this location, reproduced verbatim.
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Major flood 9.5 ft · 8,438 CFS
- 9.8 ft Water reaches the bottom of the 5th Street bridge over the Yampa River.
- 10.0 ft Water reaches the railroad crossing near the intersection of 5th street and Howelson Parkway.
- 10.5 ft The intersection of Howelsen Parkway and 5th Street near Howelsen Park is flooding.
- 12.5 ft Water is flowing over the 5th street bridge and other bridges along the Yampa River in Steamboat Springs, including the 13th Street Bridge and the Shield Drive Bridge.
- 13.5 ft Many portions of Yampa Street are flooded and impassable. Buildings adjacent to the river are flooded. Water has reached some buildings between Yampa Street and Lincoln Avenue.
- 19.5 ft The intersection of Lincoln Avenue and 9th Street is beginning to flood.
- 25.5 ft Water is near the intersection of 5th street and Lincoln Avenue. Major flooding and flood damage is occurring.
-
Moderate flood 8.5 ft · 6,939 CFS
- 8.7 ft Portions of Yampa Street are beginning to flood. The intersection of Yampa Street and 9th Street is flooded.
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Minor flood 7.5 ft · 5,439 CFS
- 7.5 ft Minor flooding is occurring along the Yampa River in Steamboat Springs. Water is flowing across some properties adjacent to the river and is approaching buildings.
- 8.1 ft Water reaches the foundations of buildings near Yampa Street and 9th Street, including the Steamboat Rafting Company.
- 8.4 ft Water is approaching buildings along Yampa Street between 5th and 7th Streets, including the Boathouse Pub.
-
Action 7.0 ft · 4,710 CFS
- 7.0 ft Some minor flooding of low-lying agricultural land along the Yampa River upstream and downstream of Steamboat Springs is occurring.
- Right now 1.03 ft
NWS forecast: 1.04 ft by Jul 29, 12:00 AM UTC.
12 months of flow at Steamboat Springs
Daily values from USGS gauge 09239500. Provisional data, subject to revision.
Highest crests on record at Steamboat Springs
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 8.90 ft | 5,040 CFS | Jun 13, 1906 |
| 8.90 ft | 4,550 CFS | Jun 8, 1905 |
| 7.65 ft | 5,310 CFS | Jun 3, 1997 |
| 7.50 ft | 3,550 CFS | May 25, 1904 |
| 7.44 ft | 5,190 CFS | Jun 1, 2003 |
| 7.12 ft | 5,670 CFS | May 25, 1984 |
| 7.08 ft | 5,200 CFS | Jun 7, 2011 |
| 6.96 ft | 5,790 CFS | Apr 26, 1974 |
| 6.89 ft | 3,930 CFS | May 17, 1996 |
| 6.87 ft | 4,850 CFS | May 29, 2014 |
Historical crests published by the National Weather Service for this gauge.
About Yampa River at Steamboat Springs
This gauge measures Yampa River at Steamboat Springs, Colorado — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters on this stretch check before committing to a shuttle.
City permits commercial tubing only below 700 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 — 151 CFS for late July, from 116 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.
Yampa River at Steamboat Springs — common questions
What is the current flow on Yampa River at Steamboat Springs?
As of the last reading on this page, Yampa River at Steamboat Springs was running 74 CFS at a gage height of 1.03 ft, or 49% of the USGS median for this date. The number updates automatically from USGS gauge 09239500, 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 151 CFS, calculated from 116 years of record (1910–2026). 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 Yampa 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.