USGS Streamgage 06721000
South Platte River at Fort Lupton, CO
South Platte River at Fort Lupton, CO is USGS streamgage 06721000 in Colorado, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 10190003. It sits on the South Platte River, alongside 8 other gauges Rivermatics tracks on the same river. It drains a watershed of about 5,043 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1929. Typical flow runs near 374.3 cfs in July and 211.5 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
- 5,043 sq mi
- Gauge elevation
- 4,865 ft
- Subbasin (HUC-8)
- 10190003
- Coordinates
- 40.11611, -104.81806
- USGS site number
- 06721000
- Records begin
- 1929-08-09 (97 years)
- Rivermatics forecast
- 14-day flow outlook
14-day flow forecast
Based on observations through for South Platte River at Fort Lupton, 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.
| Date | Low p10 | Expected p50 | High p90 | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 73 | 84.9 | 95.6 | ||
| 60.9 | 79.6 | 98.6 | ||
| 53.2 | 74.9 | 97.6 | ||
| 51 | 73.9 | 102 | ||
| 49.6 | 75.3 | 108 | ||
| 54.7 | 83 | 129 | ||
| 59.9 | 94.1 | 150 | ||
| 58.8 | 93.7 | 145 | ||
| 53.2 | 86.6 | 133 | ||
| 51.6 | 82.3 | 126 | ||
| 48.6 | 77.7 | 117 | ||
| 42.7 | 72.4 | 114 | ||
| 40.2 | 68.2 | 107 | ||
| 37.1 | 64.1 | 100 |
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 97 years of data), averaged within each month. These describe the historical normal range — they are not a forecast and not today's reading.
| Month | Low p10 | Typical p50 | High p90 | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 87.6 | 227.1 | 352.5 | |
| February | 87.5 | 235.7 | 405 | |
| March | 73.4 | 251.1 | 692.7 | |
| April | 66.2 | 211.5 | 1,060 | |
| May | 162.7 | 443.2 | 2,182.9 | |
| June | 238.4 | 628.4 | 2,468.3 | |
| July | 112.1 | 374.3 | 1,191.4 | |
| August | 77.4 | 284.2 | 766 | |
| September | 50.4 | 184.3 | 429.2 | |
| October | 44.6 | 174.8 | 423.9 | |
| November | 75.2 | 256.8 | 509.1 | |
| December | 87.2 | 229.5 | 398.2 |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).
Common questions
- When does South Platte River at Fort Lupton, CO normally run highest?
- June, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 628.4 cfs, against 174.8 cfs in October, the lowest month. These are historical normals for the date, not a forecast and not today's reading.
- What is a normal flow for South Platte River at Fort Lupton, CO?
- It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 227.1 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 87.6 and 352.5 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
- How long has South Platte River at Fort Lupton, CO been measured?
- Discharge records at USGS site 06721000 begin in 1929, about 97 years, covering roughly 8,265 days of published daily values. The long record is what makes the monthly percentiles on this page meaningful.
- Is there a flow forecast for South Platte River at Fort Lupton, 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 South Platte River at Fort Lupton, CO?
- The gauge sits at 40.11611, -104.81806, in Colorado, in hydrologic subbasin 10190003, at an elevation of about 4,865 feet, draining roughly 5,043 square miles.
- Can I use South Platte River at Fort Lupton, 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 South Platte River
Every gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river, ordered by drainage area — upstream first. See the South Platte River in full.
- South Platte River above Cheesman Lake, CO 1,627 sq mi
- South Platte River below Brush Creek near Trumbull, CO 2,028 sq mi
- South Platte River below Union Ave, at Englewood,C 3,098 sq mi
- South Platte River at Englewood, CO 3,391 sq mi
- South Platte River at 64Th Ave. Commerce City, CO 3,895 sq mi
- South Platte River at Fort Lupton, CO this page
- South Platte River at Fort Morgan, CO 14,648 sq mi
- South Platte River at Roscoe, Nebr. 23,900 sq mi
- South Platte River above Strontia Springs Reservoir, CO
Other gauges in this subbasin
- Cherry Creek near Parker, CO
- Toll Gate Creek above 6Th Ave at Aurora, CO
- Sand Creek at Mouth near Commerce City, CO
- Cherry Creek near Franktown, CO
- Cherry Creek below Cherry Creek Lake, CO
- Cherry Creek at Denver, CO
- South Platte River at 64Th Ave. Commerce City, CO
- Sand Creek above Burlington Ditch near Commerce City, CO