Rio Chama above Abiquiu Reservoir, NM

Rio Arriba County, New Mexico · USGS gauge 08286500 · NWS RCAN5 · Rio Chama flood status · New Mexico river levels

Is Rio Chama above Abiquiu Reservoir, NM flooding right now?

Rio Chama above Abiquiu Reservoir, NM measured 4.83 ft on 2026-09-11 01:00:00 UTC. That observation was 6.2 ft below its 11 ft flood stage. This is the latest available reading, not a guarantee of current conditions.

Gauge height

4.83 ft

as of 80 min ago

Streamflow

98 cfs

data refreshed 2 min ago

Minor flooding here begins at 11 ft, with major flooding at 13.5 ft. The highest crest on record was 10.76 ft on Sat, May 9, 2009.

Streamflow outlook

NOAA National Water Model forecast, issued 14 hours ago. The NWM models discharge for every river reach in the country, including the many gauges the National Weather Service does not forecast individually. It is a model, not an official NWS river forecast, and it predicts flow rather than water level.

Flood stages at this gauge

Category	Stage	Current distance
Action	10.2 ft	5.4 ft below
Minor flood	11 ft	6.2 ft below
Moderate flood	12 ft	7.2 ft below
Major flood	13.5 ft	8.7 ft below

New to these numbers? What does flood stage mean? · How to read a river gauge · Why is the river rising?

Highest crests on record

Stage	Date
10.76 ft	2009-05-09
9.96 ft	2005-05-20
9.08 ft	2002-07-22
9.02 ft	2006-08-10
8.95 ft	2008-05-23

Last 7 days

Past 7 days · 4.81–6.13 ft

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Distance	County
Rio Chama below Abiquiu Dam, NM	11.6 mi	Rio Arriba County
Rio Chama below El Vado Dam, NM	19.3 mi	Rio Arriba County
Rio Chama near La Puente, NM	23.8 mi	Rio Arriba County
Willow Creek below Heron Dam, NM	24.5 mi	Rio Arriba County
Horse Lake C above Heron Re near Los Ojos, NM	28.0 mi	Rio Arriba County

Provisional data: Real-time readings are provisional and subject to revision by the USGS — sensors can be affected by ice, debris, or equipment malfunction. Do not rely on this site for decisions involving personal safety; follow official guidance from the National Weather Service and local authorities.

Sources: USGS monitoring location · NWS gauge & forecast