Colorado River near Cisco: Level & Flow Today
River flow & level · USGS gauge 09180500 · Utah · drains 24,100 sq mi
Latest reading Nov 4, 8:00 AM · streamflow
The Colorado River at Cisco is running 12,500 cfs, 322% of the median flow for November 4 (3,880 cfs, 108 years). Gage height is 5.98 ft, 13.0 ft below flood stage (19.0 ft). Flow is down 24% from 24 hours ago.
Whitewater: Colorado River
for rafters & kayakersFisher Towers / Daily (Cisco to Moab)
HighClass I–III · 46.7 mi · 5 ft/mi gradient · Put-in: Cisco Landing put-in · Take-out: Moab Bridge Take-Out
Low from 1,500 · good 3,200–7,000 · too high above 15,000 cfs
Now: 12,500 cfs on this gauge. Runnable range: American Whitewater, reach 1841.
49°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, 8:00 AM at this gauge.
The Daily (Fisher Towers) section near Moab runs commercially most of the year. Cataract Canyon below the Green River confluence is a multi-day trip that needs a Canyonlands National Park 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 (13.3 ft) is 7.3 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMinor (19.0 ft) is 13.0 ft above the latest reading, off this chartModerate (21.0 ft) is 15.0 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMajor (23.0 ft) is 17.0 ft above the latest reading, off this chart
Reading
About Colorado River near Cisco
Over the past 12 months, daily mean flow at this gauge ranged from 1,170 cfs (Aug 6, 2026) to 15,500 cfs (Nov 3, 2026). USGS daily records for this gauge start in 1914; on November 4 the flow has ranged from 1,340 cfs (1935) to 8,140 cfs (1987). The river drains 24,100 square miles above this gauge. The nearest gauges we track are Colorado River near Colorado-Utah State Line (26 mi northeast) and Green River at Green River (48 mi west). See all 3 Utah river gauges on the Utah lake & river levels page.
Colorado River near Cisco fishing report & conditions
updated Nov 4, 10:34 AM ETWater 49°F and cooling, flow 322% of normal, flow falling — poor fall fishing day (3/10), best window 7:32 AM–9:32 AM (moon overhead near sunrise).
- Water temp49°Fmeasured Nov 4, 8:00 AM · this gauge · −1° in 24 h
- Flow322% of normalFlow falling (-24% in 24 h)
Official Utah fishing info: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources — Fish Utah map & trip reports
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 5:13 PM
Major fishing times
- Moon overhead7:32 AM–9:32 AMSunrise
- Moon underfoot7:54 PM–9:54 PM
Minor fishing times
- Moonrise1:35 AM–2:35 AM
- Moonset2:19 PM–3:19 PM
Fishing times for the next 7 days
| TodayNov 4 | 3/10Poor | Major 7:32 AM–9:32 AM · 7:54 PM–9:54 PM Minor 1:35 AM–2:35 AM · 2:19 PM–3:19 PM |
|---|---|---|
| ThuNov 5 | 2/10Poor | Major 8:16 AM–10:16 AM · 8:38 PM–10:38 PM Minor 2:41 AM–3:41 AM · 2:42 PM–3:42 PM |
| FriNov 6 | 2/10Poor | Major 9:00 AM–11:00 AM · 9:22 PM–11:22 PM Minor 3:45 AM–4:45 AM · 3:06 PM–4:06 PM |
| SatNov 7 | 4/10Fair | Major 9:45 AM–11:45 AM · 10:08 PM–12:08 AM Minor 4:50 AM–5:50 AM · 3:31 PM–4:31 PM |
| SunNov 8 | 5/10Fair | Major 10:31 AM–12:31 PM · 10:55 PM–12:55 AM Minor 5:54 AM–6:54 AM · 4:00 PM–5:00 PM |
| MonNov 9 | 5/10Fair | Major 11:19 AM–1:19 PM · 11:44 PM–1:44 AM Minor 6:59 AM–7:59 AM · 4:34 PM–5:34 PM |
| TueNov 10 | 4/10Fair | Major 12:09 PM–2:09 PM Minor 8:02 AM–9:02 AM · 5:14 PM–6:14 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 38.81, -109.29 (moon times from astronomical equations, Colorado River near Cisco local time).
Flood stages
NOAA NWS gauge CLRU1- Action stage13.3 ft+7.3 ft from now
- Minor stage19 ft+13.0 ft from now
- Moderate stage21 ft+15.0 ft from now
- Major stage23 ft+17.0 ft from now
- Record crest21.52 ft1914
November 4 in history
108 years of flow records- Today12,500 cfs
- Same date last year3,010 cfs2025
- Median3,880 cfs
- Normal range3,160 cfs – 4,570 cfs25th–75th percentile
- Highest since 19148,140 cfs1987
- Lowest since 19141,340 cfs1935
Last 10 days
| Date | Mean flow (cfs) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Wed Nov 4 (today) | 12,815 | -17% |
| Tue Nov 3 | 15,500 | +14% |
| Mon Nov 2 | 13,600 | +210% |
| Sun Nov 1 | 4,390 | +11% |
| Sat Oct 31 | 3,950 | +1% |
| Fri Oct 30 | 3,920 | -8% |
| Thu Oct 29 | 4,270 | -10% |
| Wed Oct 28 | 4,740 | -16% |
| Tue Oct 27 | 5,650 | -30% |
| Mon Oct 26 | 8,030 | -4% |
Daily mean of all readings that day; today is the average so far.
Nearby lakes & rivers
- Colorado River near Colorado-Utah State Line26 mi northeast · River5,930 cfs157% of normal
- Green River at Green River48 mi west · River5,620 cfs195% of normal
- Colorado River near Cameo63 mi northeast · River1,940 cfs97% of normal
- Gunnison River at Delta66 mi east · River908 cfs106% of normal
- Fruit Growers Reservoir72 mi east · Lake · Orchard City5,469.61 ft−1.30 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 09180500 — Colorado River Near Cisco, Ut
- Location
- 38.8105, -109.2934 · Utah
- Drainage area
- 24,100 sq mi
- Measures
- Streamflow (discharge), cubic feet per second
- Daily statistics
- 1914–2026 (approved daily values)
- Latest reading
- Nov 4, 8:00 AM local time (provisional)
- Page built
- Nov 4, 2026 10:34 AM ET
- Flood stages
- NWS gauge CLRU1 — 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.