TornadoLiveMap

Rio Chama above Abiquiu — water level right now

Rio Arriba County, New Mexico · NWS gauge RCAN5
Loading the latest reading…
–
current stage (ft)
 
11
minor flood stage
 
10.76
record crest
set 2009-05-09
–
flood status
official NWS category
Official NOAA forecast → USGS data → Full US flood map →

Flood stages at this gauge

Where the water stands right now against the four official thresholds:

action · 10.2
minor · 11
moderate · 12
major · 13.5
Flood stageLevel (ft)What it means
Major flood stage13.5extensive inundation and significant evacuations — a serious event
Moderate flood stage12some buildings and roads inundated; evacuations possible
Minor flood stage11low-lying roads and fields near the river start to flood
Action stage10.2water is approaching flood level — time to pay attention

Highest floods on record here

#Crest (ft)Datevs. minor flood stage
110.762009-05-090.24 below
29.962005-05-201.04 below
39.082002-07-221.92 below
49.022006-08-101.98 below
58.952008-05-232.05 below
68.911999-05-162.09 below
78.71973-05-202.3 below
88.31968-08-112.7 below
97.671985-05-083.33 below
107.591984-05-183.41 below
117.341980-05-253.66 below
127.311995-05-243.69 below

Historic crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service — the 12 highest on file.

Where this gauge is

The marker is this gauge; nearby gauges load live and are clickable.

Nearby river gauges

Rio Chama below Abiquiu 12 mi away · loading… Rio Ojo Caliente below La Madera 31 mi away · loading… Rio Chama near Chamita 32 mi away · loading… Rio Grande at Embudo 36 mi away · loading… Embudo Creek below Dixon 39 mi away · loading… Rio Grande at Otowi 40 mi away · loading…

Gauge details

NWS gauge IDRCAN5
USGS site08286500
CountyRio Arriba
StateNew Mexico
NWS forecast officeAlbuquerque
River forecast centerWest Gulf River Forecast Center
Coordinates36.319, -106.599
Time zoneMST7MDT
Turn Around, Don't Drown. Six inches of moving water can knock you off your feet and twelve inches can float a car. Never drive around barricades or into water of unknown depth — most flood deaths happen in vehicles.

Questions about Rio Chama above Abiquiu

Is Rio Chama above Abiquiu flooding right now?

The live reading at the top of this page answers that: the gauge is compared against its official NWS flood stages every 15 minutes. Minor flooding at this gauge begins at 11 ft. Blue means normal, yellow is action stage, orange minor, red moderate and dark red major flooding.

What is flood stage for Rio Chama above Abiquiu?

major flood stage 13.5 ft, moderate flood stage 12 ft, minor flood stage 11 ft, action stage 10.2 ft. These are official National Weather Service thresholds set specifically for this gauge, not generic values.

What is the record flood at Rio Chama above Abiquiu?

The highest crest on file at this gauge is 10.76 ft, reached on 2009-05-09 — that is -0.24 ft above minor flood stage. The full list of the highest crests is in the table on this page.

Where does this data come from?

From the NOAA National Water Prediction Service, the official U.S. river gauge network — a U.S. government work in the public domain. Live stage is refreshed every 15 minutes; flood thresholds and historic crests are refreshed monthly. For life-safety decisions follow NWS Albuquerque and local emergency management.