Rivermatics

5 USGS Streamgages · Colorado River system

Blue River flows and levels

Blue River is gauged at 5 USGS streamgages in Colorado, each tracked by Rivermatics. The mainstem runs about 68 miles (110 km) from headwaters to outlet. It drains into the Colorado River system. Drainage area at the gauges ranges from 42 square miles at Blue River at Blue River, CO up to 597 at Blue River below Green Mountain Reservoir, CO. The gauged reach falls about 2,099 feet, from 9,834 feet down to 7,736. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned 14-day flow outlook at 4 of them.

Gauges on this river, upstream to downstream

Ordered by drainage area, which is how far down the river each gauge sits. April and July figures are long-term median daily flows for that month from the USGS record — historical normals, not a forecast and not today's reading.

USGS streamgages on this river, ordered upstream to downstream
Gauge State Drainage sq mi Elevation ft April p50 cfs July p50 cfs Forecast
Blue River at Blue River, CO CO 42 9,834 9.2 52.2 14-day
Blue River near Dillon, CO CO 123 9,036 39.2 154.2 14-day + temp
Blue River below Dillon, CO CO 334 8,788 98.4 283.2 14-day + temp
Blue River above Green Mountain Reservoir, CO CO 511 7,955 184.7 709.4 —
Blue River below Green Mountain Reservoir, CO CO 597 7,736 302.8 600.1 14-day

Typical flow by month at Blue River below Green Mountain Reservoir, CO

The furthest-downstream gauge on this river, so the fullest flow it carries here. Long-term daily discharge percentiles from the USGS record (up to 84 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 147 254.3 458.9
February 140.6 245.5 437.6
March 118.6 246.6 497.4
April 86.5 302.8 662.3
May 59.3 306.8 1,156.2
June 61 592.9 1,686.3
July 188 600.1 1,617.1
August 344.8 578.6 926.9
September 283.7 515.2 809
October 191.5 384.9 724.5
November 142.7 270.9 422
December 138.5 269.8 458.4

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does the Blue River run highest?
July, on the long-term record at Blue River below Green Mountain Reservoir, CO — the furthest-downstream gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river. Median daily flow there is about 600.1 cfs that month, against 245.5 cfs in February, the lowest. Upstream gauges peak on their own schedule; the table on this page gives April and July for each.
How many gauges are on the Blue River?
Rivermatics tracks 5 USGS streamgages on the Blue River, across Colorado. Each has its own page with the site's full flow record and monthly normals. The river may carry other gauges that publish neither daily values nor discharge statistics; those are not tracked here.
Is there a flow forecast for the Blue River?
Yes, at 4 of the 5 gauges. Rivermatics trains a machine-learned model — a temporal-fusion transformer — on each basin's observed flows, weather and snowpack, and issues a daily 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 each gauge's live screen.
What river system is the Blue River part of?
The Blue River drains into the Colorado River system — it is a tributary somewhere in that chain, following the flowpath down to its terminal river. Rivermatics builds this from the USGS/geoconnex reference-mainstem network rather than from names.
Can I use Blue River 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.

Other rivers in the Colorado River system

Browse nearby gauges by state