TornadoLiveMap

Rio Chama below Abiquiu — water level right now

Rio Arriba County, New Mexico · NWS gauge AICN5
Loading the latest reading…
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current stage (ft)
 
5.4
minor flood stage
 
5.52
record crest
set 1985-05-14
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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 · 4.8
minor · 5.4
moderate · 5.8
major · 6.3
Flood stageLevel (ft)What it means
Major flood stage6.3extensive inundation and significant evacuations — a serious event
Moderate flood stage5.8some buildings and roads inundated; evacuations possible
Minor flood stage5.4low-lying roads and fields near the river start to flood
Action stage4.8water is approaching flood level — time to pay attention

Highest floods on record here

#Crest (ft)Datevs. minor flood stage
15.521985-05-14+0.12 above
25.451970-06-12+0.05 above
35.161989-04-250.24 below
45.011995-06-280.39 below
54.832004-05-150.57 below
64.822010-04-270.58 below
74.81998-05-290.6 below
84.82005-04-190.6 below
94.762008-04-160.64 below
104.732009-05-290.67 below
114.72007-05-170.7 below
124.512011-06-060.89 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 above Abiquiu 12 mi away · loading… Rio Chama near Chamita 20 mi away · loading… Rio Ojo Caliente below La Madera 22 mi away · loading… Rio Grande at Embudo 25 mi away · loading… Embudo Creek below Dixon 28 mi away · loading… Rio Grande at Otowi 29 mi away · loading…

Gauge details

NWS gauge IDAICN5
USGS site08287000
CountyRio Arriba
StateNew Mexico
NWS forecast officeAlbuquerque
River forecast centerWest Gulf River Forecast Center
Coordinates36.237, -106.417
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 below Abiquiu

Is Rio Chama below 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 5.4 ft. Blue means normal, yellow is action stage, orange minor, red moderate and dark red major flooding.

What is flood stage for Rio Chama below Abiquiu?

major flood stage 6.3 ft, moderate flood stage 5.8 ft, minor flood stage 5.4 ft, action stage 4.8 ft. These are official National Weather Service thresholds set specifically for this gauge, not generic values.

What is the record flood at Rio Chama below Abiquiu?

The highest crest on file at this gauge is 5.52 ft, reached on 1985-05-14 — that is 0.12 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.