Rivermatics

USGS Streamgage 09123450

Lake Fork below Lake San Cristobal near Lake City, CO

Lake Fork below Lake San Cristobal near Lake City, CO is USGS streamgage 09123450 in Colorado, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 14020002. It sits on the Lake Fork, alongside 1 other gauge Rivermatics tracks on the same river. It drains a watershed of about 106 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 2012. Typical flow runs near 119.6 cfs in July and 43.6 cfs in April, with the higher of the two arriving in July. 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
8,996 ft
Subbasin (HUC-8)
14020002
Coordinates
37.98436, -107.2921
USGS site number
09123450
Records begin
2012-11-08 (14 years)
Rivermatics forecast
14-day flow outlook

14-day flow forecast

Based on observations through for Lake Fork below Lake San Cristobal near Lake City, 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
23.7 24.7 25.6
22.1 23.5 24.9
20.6 22.5 24.4
20.5 23.3 28.3
22 27 40.2
23.8 31.6 53
23.1 31 49.4
22.2 29.7 45
20.8 27.7 40.2
19.8 26.3 36.9
19.1 25.1 34.5
18.2 24 32.8
17 23 32
15.8 21.9 30.6

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 14 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 9.3 15.4 22.7
February 9.2 13.3 18.8
March 7.6 15.3 38.2
April 17.1 43.6 109.5
May 105.5 203.3 399.9
June 109.3 411.3 782.2
July 42.5 119.6 435.3
August 28.9 62.9 151.2
September 20.7 39.4 107.6
October 17.7 31.6 102.5
November 14.8 23.3 41.4
December 10.3 17.3 27.7

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does Lake Fork below Lake San Cristobal near Lake City, CO normally run highest?
June, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 411.3 cfs, against 13.3 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 Lake Fork below Lake San Cristobal near Lake City, CO?
It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 15.4 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 9.3 and 22.7 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
How long has Lake Fork below Lake San Cristobal near Lake City, CO been measured?
Discharge records at USGS site 09123450 begin in 2012, about 14 years, covering roughly 5,019 days of published daily values. The long record is what makes the monthly percentiles on this page meaningful.
Is there a flow forecast for Lake Fork below Lake San Cristobal near Lake City, 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 Lake Fork below Lake San Cristobal near Lake City, CO?
The gauge sits at 37.98436, -107.2921, in Colorado, in hydrologic subbasin 14020002, at an elevation of about 8,996 feet, draining roughly 106 square miles.
Can I use Lake Fork below Lake San Cristobal near Lake City, 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 Lake Fork

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

Other gauges in this subbasin