Yampa River at Deerlodge Park: Level & Flow Today
River flow & level · USGS gauge 09260050 · Colorado · drains 7,931 sq mi
Latest reading Nov 4, 8:15 AM · streamflow
The Yampa River at Deerlodge Park is running 346 cfs, 69% of the median flow for November 4 (502 cfs, 42 years). Gage height is 2.38 ft, 11.1 ft below flood stage (13.5 ft). Flow is down 20% from 24 hours ago.
Whitewater: Yampa River
for rafters & kayakersDeerlodge Park to Echo Park (Yampa Canyon)
Too lowClass II–III (IV) · 46 mi · 12 ft/mi gradient · Put-in: Deerlodge Park Campground and River Access · Take-out: Echo Park Access
Low from 1,300 · good 2,700–20,000 · too high above 25,000 cfs
Now: 346 cfs on this gauge. Runnable range: American Whitewater, reach 437.
44°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, 8:15 AM at this gauge.
The Yampa is one of the last free-flowing rivers in the Colorado system, so its season is short (spring snowmelt). Trips need a Dinosaur National Monument permit. 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 datumAction (12.0 ft) is 9.6 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMinor (13.5 ft) is 11.1 ft above the latest reading, off this chartModerate (15.0 ft) is 12.6 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMajor (17.0 ft) is 14.6 ft above the latest reading, off this chart
Reading
About Yampa River at Deerlodge Park
Over the past 12 months, daily mean flow at this gauge ranged from 5.70 cfs (Aug 19, 2026) to 4,110 cfs (May 20, 2026). USGS daily records for this gauge start in 1983; on November 4 the flow has ranged from 241 cfs (1990) to 1,380 cfs (1986). The river drains 7,931 square miles above this gauge. The nearest gauges we track are Green River near Greendale (57 mi northwest). See all 12 Colorado river gauges on the Colorado lake & river levels page.
Yampa River at Deerlodge Park fishing report & conditions
updated Nov 4, 10:34 AM ETWater 44°F and cooling, flow 69% of normal, flow falling — poor fall fishing day (3/10), best window 7:29 AM–9:29 AM (moon overhead near sunrise).
- Water temp44°Fmeasured Nov 4, 8:15 AM · this gauge · −1° in 24 h
- Flow69% of normalFlow falling (-20% 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 6:47 AM · Sunset 5:06 PM
Major fishing times
- Moon overhead7:29 AM–9:29 AMSunrise
- Moon underfoot7:51 PM–9:51 PM
Minor fishing times
- Moonrise1:31 AM–2:31 AM
- Moonset2:16 PM–3:16 PM
Fishing times for the next 7 days
| TodayNov 4 | 3/10Poor | Major 7:29 AM–9:29 AM · 7:51 PM–9:51 PM Minor 1:31 AM–2:31 AM · 2:16 PM–3:16 PM |
|---|---|---|
| ThuNov 5 | 2/10Poor | Major 8:13 AM–10:13 AM · 8:35 PM–10:35 PM Minor 2:38 AM–3:38 AM · 2:38 PM–3:38 PM |
| FriNov 6 | 2/10Poor | Major 8:57 AM–10:57 AM · 9:19 PM–11:19 PM Minor 3:44 AM–4:44 AM · 3:01 PM–4:01 PM |
| SatNov 7 | 4/10Fair | Major 9:42 AM–11:42 AM · 10:04 PM–12:04 AM Minor 4:49 AM–5:49 AM · 3:25 PM–4:25 PM |
| SunNov 8 | 5/10Fair | Major 10:28 AM–12:28 PM · 10:52 PM–12:52 AM Minor 5:55 AM–6:55 AM · 3:53 PM–4:53 PM |
| MonNov 9 | 5/10Fair | Major 11:16 AM–1:16 PM · 11:41 PM–1:41 AM Minor 7:01 AM–8:01 AM · 4:25 PM–5:25 PM |
| TueNov 10 | 4/10Fair | Major 12:06 PM–2:06 PM Minor 8:04 AM–9:04 AM · 5:04 PM–6:04 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 40.45, -108.53 (moon times from astronomical equations, Yampa River at Deerlodge Park local time).
Flood stages
NOAA NWS gauge YDLC2- Action stage12 ft+9.6 ft from now
- Minor stage13.5 ft+11.1 ft from now
- Moderate stage15 ft+12.6 ft from now
- Major stage17 ft+14.6 ft from now
- Record crest19.13 ft1984
November 4 in history
42 years of flow records- Today346 cfs
- Same date last year342 cfs2025
- Median502 cfs
- Normal range370 cfs – 694 cfs25th–75th percentile
- Highest since 19831,380 cfs1986
- Lowest since 1983241 cfs1990
Last 10 days
| Date | Mean flow (cfs) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Wed Nov 4 (today) | 345 | -15% |
| Tue Nov 3 | 408 | -4% |
| Mon Nov 2 | 426 | +39% |
| Sun Nov 1 | 307 | +8% |
| Sat Oct 31 | 285 | +5% |
| Fri Oct 30 | 272 | +0% |
| Thu Oct 29 | 271 | +0% |
| Wed Oct 28 | 271 | -2% |
| Tue Oct 27 | 276 | -3% |
| Mon Oct 26 | 285 | -6% |
Daily mean of all readings that day; today is the average so far.
Nearby lakes & rivers
- Red Fleet Reservoir49 mi west · Lake5,570.10 ft−38.24 ft vs full pool
- Steinaker Reservoir53 mi west · Lake5,501.67 ft24h +1.23 ft
- Green River near Greendale57 mi northwest · River1,930 cfs137% of normal
- Flaming Gorge Reservoir57 mi northwest · Lake6,004.48 ft−35.52 ft vs full pool
- Rifle Gap Reservoir70 mi southeast · Lake · Rifle5,917.20 ft−19.21 ft vs normal
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 09260050 — Yampa River At Deerlodge Park, Co
- Location
- 40.4516, -108.5251 · Colorado
- Drainage area
- 7,931 sq mi
- Measures
- Streamflow (discharge), cubic feet per second
- Daily statistics
- 1983–2025 (approved daily values)
- Latest reading
- Nov 4, 8:15 AM local time (provisional)
- Page built
- Nov 4, 2026 10:34 AM ET
- Flood stages
- NWS gauge YDLC2 — 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.