Animas River at Durango: Level & Flow Today
River flow & level · USGS gauge 09361500 · Colorado · drains 701 sq mi
Latest reading Nov 4, 7:30 AM · streamflow
The Animas River at Durango is running 4,040 cfs, 1513% of the median flow for November 4 (267 cfs, 115 years). Gage height is 5.52 ft, 2.5 ft below flood stage (8.0 ft). Flow is down 39% from 24 hours ago.
Whitewater: Animas River
for rafters & kayakersDurango town run (32nd St. to Purple Cliffs)
RunnableClass III · 5.8 mi · 27 ft/mi gradient
Low from 1,000 · too high above 6,000 cfs
Now: 4,040 cfs on this gauge. Runnable range: American Whitewater, reach 351.
43°F water: cold-shock range. Wear a wetsuit or drysuit sized for immersion; most people feel maximum-intensity cold shock in 50–60°F water without one. Reading Nov 4, 7:30 AM at this gauge.
Flow on this section is natural (snowmelt and rain), not set by a dam release schedule, so check the live reading above before you go. Commercial rafting season depends on runoff. Source.
Below dams the river can rise suddenly and turn violent when releases start; stay out of tailrace areas and off the river outside scheduled windows unless you know the flow. Ranges are for experienced paddlers at the gauge shown; rapids change after floods, so scout and check for new wood. Wear a PFD, never boat alone, and follow the American Whitewater Safety Code. New to whitewater? Go with a licensed outfitter.
Streamflow
cubic feet per secondReadingNormal range for the date (25th–75th pct.)Median for the date
Gage height & flood stages
ft above gauge datumReading
About Animas River at Durango
Over the past 12 months, daily mean flow at this gauge ranged from 142 cfs (Feb 21, 2026) to 10,800 cfs (Nov 2, 2026). USGS daily records for this gauge start in 1898; on November 4 the flow has ranged from 141 cfs (2013) to 1,100 cfs (1942). The river drains 701 square miles above this gauge. The nearest gauges we track are Lake Nighthorse (4 mi southwest) and Lemon Reservoir (14 mi northeast). See all 12 Colorado river gauges on the Colorado lake & river levels page.
Animas River at Durango fishing report & conditions
updated Nov 4, 10:34 AM ETWater 43°F, flow 1513% of normal, flow falling — poor fall fishing day (3/10), best window 7:26 AM–9:26 AM (moon overhead near sunrise).
- Water temp43°Fmeasured Nov 4, 7:30 AM · this gauge
- Flow1513% of normalFlow falling (-39% in 24 h)
Official Colorado fishing info: Colorado Parks and Wildlife — Fishing conditions & stocking report
Best fishing times today
Today is a poor fishing day (solunar + local conditions)
3/10
Waning crescent · 21% lit · New moon Mon, Nov 9 · Sunrise 6:39 AM · Sunset 5:10 PM
Major fishing times
- Moon overhead7:26 AM–9:26 AMSunrise
- Moon underfoot7:49 PM–9:49 PM
Minor fishing times
- Moonrise1:30 AM–2:30 AM
- Moonset2:13 PM–3:13 PM
Fishing times for the next 7 days
| TodayNov 4 | 3/10Poor | Major 7:26 AM–9:26 AM · 7:49 PM–9:49 PM Minor 1:30 AM–2:30 AM · 2:13 PM–3:13 PM |
|---|---|---|
| ThuNov 5 | 2/10Poor | Major 8:10 AM–10:10 AM · 8:32 PM–10:32 PM Minor 2:34 AM–3:34 AM · 2:37 PM–3:37 PM |
| FriNov 6 | 2/10Poor | Major 8:54 AM–10:54 AM · 9:16 PM–11:16 PM Minor 3:38 AM–4:38 AM · 3:02 PM–4:02 PM |
| SatNov 7 | 4/10Fair | Major 9:39 AM–11:39 AM · 10:02 PM–12:02 AM Minor 4:41 AM–5:41 AM · 3:29 PM–4:29 PM |
| SunNov 8 | 5/10Fair | Major 10:25 AM–12:25 PM · 10:49 PM–12:49 AM Minor 5:45 AM–6:45 AM · 3:58 PM–4:58 PM |
| MonNov 9 | 5/10Fair | Major 11:13 AM–1:13 PM · 11:38 PM–1:38 AM Minor 6:48 AM–7:48 AM · 4:33 PM–5:33 PM |
| TueNov 10 | 4/10Fair | Major 12:03 PM–2:03 PM Minor 7:50 AM–8:50 AM · 5:13 PM–6:13 PM |
How this rating works
Solunar theory says fish feed more when the moon is overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 hours) and around moonrise and moonset (minor periods, about 1 hour). On a lake or river there is no tide, so instead of tide changes we score the local conditions anglers watch: the barometric pressure trend, the wind, whether the river is steady, and the water temperature where it is measured.
| Base | every day starts at 1 | 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Sunrise / sunset | a period overlaps sunrise or sunset ±1 h: major +2, minor +1 (max 3) (Moon overhead × sunrise +2) | 2 |
| Moon phase | within 2 days of a new or full moon +2, within 4 days +1 (today: 4.6 days) | 0 |
| Local conditions | pressure 6 AM→6 PM: falling +2, steady or slowly rising +1, rising fast 0 · daytime wind 4–15 mph +1, over 20 mph (or gusts over 30) −1 · flow within ±15% in 24 h +1, rising over 25% −1 · water 55–75°F +1, below 45°F or above 85°F −1 (0 to 4 in total)
| 0 |
| Today | 3, rounded | 3/10 |
1–3 poor · 4–5 fair · 6–7 good · 8–10 excellent. Pressure and wind are the NOAA National Weather Service hourly forecast for this spot; the level/flow trend is the latest 24 hours of readings on this page; water temperature measured at this gauge. Days 2–7 score sun, moon, forecast pressure and forecast wind only (level and water temperature aren’t forecast). Solunar times are a rule of thumb, not a guarantee.
Solunar periods calculated for 37.28, -107.88 (moon times from astronomical equations, Animas River at Durango local time).
Flood stages
NOAA NWS gauge DRGC2- Action stage7 ft+1.5 ft from now
- Minor stage8 ft+2.5 ft from now
- Moderate stage9 ft+3.5 ft from now
- Major stage10.5 ft+5.0 ft from now
- Record crest11 ft1911
November 4 in history
115 years of flow records- Today4,040 cfs
- Same date last year373 cfs2025
- Median267 cfs
- Normal range221 cfs – 373 cfs25th–75th percentile
- Highest since 18981,100 cfs1942
- Lowest since 1898141 cfs2013
Last 10 days
| Date | Mean flow (cfs) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Wed Nov 4 (today) | 4,262 | -28% |
| Tue Nov 3 | 5,950 | -45% |
| Mon Nov 2 | 10,800 | +192% |
| Sun Nov 1 | 3,700 | +106% |
| Sat Oct 31 | 1,800 | -2% |
| Fri Oct 30 | 1,840 | -13% |
| Thu Oct 29 | 2,110 | -15% |
| Wed Oct 28 | 2,480 | -17% |
| Tue Oct 27 | 3,000 | -23% |
| Mon Oct 26 | 3,900 | -24% |
Daily mean of all readings that day; today is the average so far.
Nearby lakes & rivers
- Lake Nighthorse4 mi southwest · Lake6,881.68 ft24h +0.01 ft
- Lemon Reservoir14 mi northeast · Lake · Durango8,140.55 ft−7.38 ft vs full pool
- Vallecito Reservoir18 mi northeast · Lake7,663.61 ft−1.38 ft vs full pool
- Jackson Gulch Reservoir23 mi west · Lake7,811.07 ft24h +0.01 ft
- Navajo Reservoir36 mi southeast · Lake6,065.31 ft−19.68 ft vs full pool
- McPhee Reservoir43 mi northwest · Lake6,887.39 ft24h +1.99 ft
Guides
All guides →- Best time to go whitewater rafting, river by riverTypical flow each month against American Whitewater’s ranges, for 40+ rafting runs.
- What river flow is best for rafting?How to read cfs and our Too low / Good / High bands before a raft trip, with live examples.
- What CFS is safe for kayaking and rafting?Live flows against American Whitewater ranges for classic Eastern runs.
About this data
- Gauge
- USGS 09361500 — Animas River At Durango, Co
- Location
- 37.2792, -107.8797 · Colorado
- Drainage area
- 701 sq mi
- Measures
- Streamflow (discharge), cubic feet per second
- Daily statistics
- 1898–2026 (approved daily values)
- Latest reading
- Nov 4, 7:30 AM local time (provisional)
- Page built
- Nov 4, 2026 10:34 AM ET
- Flood stages
- NWS gauge DRGC2 — National Water Prediction Service
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Water Data for the Nation (USGS monitoring location page). Readings every 15–60 minutes; the newest values are provisional. Percentiles compare today’s reading with every past year’s daily mean for the same calendar date. Weather: NOAA National Weather Service.