Rivermatics

USGS Streamgage 09165000

Dolores River below Rico, CO

Dolores River below Rico, CO is USGS streamgage 09165000 in Colorado, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 14030002. It sits on the Dolores River, alongside 6 other gauges Rivermatics tracks on the same river. It drains a watershed of about 106 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1951. Typical flow runs near 93.2 cfs in July and 115.3 cfs in April, with the higher of the two arriving in April. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned flow outlook for this gauge, reaching 14 days ahead.

View live conditions & forecast →

Gauge details

State
Colorado
Drainage area
106 sq mi
Gauge elevation
8,444 ft
Subbasin (HUC-8)
14030002
Coordinates
37.63888, -108.06037
USGS site number
09165000
Records begin
1951-10-01 (75 years)
Rivermatics forecast
14-day flow outlook

14-day flow forecast

Based on observations through for Dolores River below Rico, CO. Each day carries a median estimate and the band the model expects the flow to fall within — not a single number to plan against. Forecasts are re-issued daily; see the live screen for the current outlook.

Forecast daily mean discharge in cubic feet per second, by date
Date Low p10 Expected p50 High p90 Range
13.2 13.9 14.7
12.6 13.5 14.7
11.9 13.1 14.7
12.9 15.6 24
14.5 20.8 42.9
17.4 29.3 74.6
17.9 30.2 64
17.2 26.3 45.4
15.6 22.5 36.8
14.7 20.2 31.3
13.6 18.2 27.3
13 17.2 25.3
12.4 16.2 23.1
12 15.7 22.2

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs). Estimates only — do not use them for navigation or for any safety, rescue, or emergency decision.

Typical flow by month

Long-term daily discharge percentiles from the USGS record (up to 75 years of data), averaged within each month. These describe the historical normal range — they are not a forecast and not today's reading.

Historical monthly discharge percentiles in cubic feet per second
Month Low p10 Typical p50 High p90 Range
January 9.5 16.4 28.2
February 9.9 16.1 29.2
March 14.2 26.5 64.4
April 46.5 115.3 254.5
May 175.8 399.5 785.5
June 123.9 394.3 1,034.4
July 39.1 93.2 378.8
August 27.3 58.1 141.6
September 22.4 40.1 117.7
October 18.7 32.6 85.6
November 13.7 23.2 49.8
December 10.5 18.2 34.3

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does Dolores River below Rico, CO normally run highest?
May, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 399.5 cfs, against 16.1 cfs in February, the lowest month. These are historical normals for the date, not a forecast and not today's reading.
What is a normal flow for Dolores River below Rico, CO?
It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 16.4 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 9.5 and 28.2 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
How long has Dolores River below Rico, CO been measured?
Discharge records at USGS site 09165000 begin in 1951, about 75 years, covering roughly 9,200 days of published daily values. The long record is what makes the monthly percentiles on this page meaningful.
Is there a flow forecast for Dolores River below Rico, CO?
Yes. Rivermatics trains a machine-learned model — a temporal-fusion transformer — on this basin's observed flows, weather, and snowpack, and issues a daily flow outlook reaching 14 days ahead: a median estimate inside a confidence band, not a single number to bet on. Every forecast is scored against days the model never trained on, and that track record is published on the live gauge screen. Open live conditions to see the current outlook.
Where is Dolores River below Rico, CO?
The gauge sits at 37.63888, -108.06037, in Colorado, in hydrologic subbasin 14030002, at an elevation of about 8,444 feet, draining roughly 106 square miles.
Can I use Dolores River below Rico, CO data for flood or safety decisions?
No. Rivermatics provides estimates, not guarantees, and the readings and forecasts here may be delayed, inaccurate, or wrong. Do not use them for navigation or for any safety, rescue, or emergency decision. Check the National Weather Service and USGS directly, and use your own judgment.

Upstream and downstream on the Dolores River

Every gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river, ordered by drainage area — upstream first. See the Dolores River in full.

Other gauges in this subbasin