Rio Chama below El Vado Dam, NM

Rio Arriba County, New Mexico · USGS gauge 08285500 · NWS RCEN5 · Rio Chama flood status · New Mexico river levels

Is Rio Chama below El Vado Dam, NM flooding right now?

Rio Chama below El Vado Dam, NM measured 4.46 ft on 2026-10-27 17:30:00 UTC. That observation was 2.3 ft below its 6.8 ft flood stage. This is the latest available reading, not a guarantee of current conditions.

Gauge height

4.46 ft

as of 31 min ago

Streamflow

1,960 cfs

data refreshed 15 min ago

Minor flooding here begins at 6.8 ft, with major flooding at 12 ft. The highest crest on record was 12 ft on Sat, May 22, 1920.

Streamflow outlook

NOAA National Water Model forecast, issued 12 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	6.2 ft	1.7 ft below
Minor flood	6.8 ft	2.3 ft below
Moderate flood	9 ft	4.5 ft below
Major flood	12 ft	7.5 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
12 ft	1920-05-22
7.08 ft	1985-05-07
6.89 ft	1941-05-17
6.82 ft	1973-05-20
6.67 ft	2009-05-09

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Distance	County
Willow Creek below Heron Dam, NM	5.8 mi	Rio Arriba County
Rio Chama near La Puente, NM	7.6 mi	Rio Arriba County
Horse Lake C above Heron Re near Los Ojos, NM	8.8 mi	Rio Arriba County
Rio Brazos at Fishtail Road near Tierra Amarilla, NM	17.8 mi	Rio Arriba County
Rio Chama above Abiquiu Reservoir, NM	19.3 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