Rio Chama below Abiquiu Dam, NM

Rio Arriba County, New Mexico · USGS gauge 08287000 · NWS AICN5 · Rio Chama flood status · New Mexico river levels

Is Rio Chama below Abiquiu Dam, NM flooding right now?

Rio Chama below Abiquiu Dam, NM measured 2.08 ft on 2026-09-11 01:15:00 UTC. That observation was 3.3 ft below its 5.4 ft flood stage. This is the latest available reading, not a guarantee of current conditions.

Gauge height
2.08 ft
as of 87 min ago
Streamflow
66 cfs
data refreshed 10 min ago

Minor flooding here begins at 5.4 ft, with major flooding at 6.3 ft. The highest crest on record was 5.52 ft on Tue, May 14, 1985.

Streamflow outlook

NOAA National Water Model forecast, issued 15 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

CategoryStageCurrent distance
Action4.8 ft2.7 ft below
Minor flood5.4 ft3.3 ft below
Moderate flood5.8 ft3.7 ft below
Major flood6.3 ft4.2 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

StageDate
5.52 ft1985-05-14
5.45 ft1970-06-12
5.16 ft1989-04-25
5.01 ft1995-06-28
4.83 ft2004-05-15

Last 7 days

Past 7 days · 1.93–2.12 ft

Nearby gauges

GaugeDistanceCounty
Rio Chama above Abiquiu Reservoir, NM11.6 miRio Arriba County
Rio Chama near Chamita, NM20.4 miRio Arriba County
Rio Ojo Caliente at La Madera, NM22.2 miRio Arriba County
Santa Clara Creek near Espanola, NM22.5 miRio Arriba County
Los Alamos Canyon at Los Alamos, NM25.1 miLos Alamos 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