Rivermatics

17 USGS Streamgages · Colorado River system

Gila River flows and levels

Gila River is gauged at 17 USGS streamgages in New Mexico and Arizona, each tracked by Rivermatics. The mainstem runs about 686 miles (1,104 km) from headwaters to outlet. It drains into the Colorado River system. It drains roughly 45,394 square miles at its outlet. The gauged reach falls about 5,415 feet, from 5,556 feet down to 141. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned 14-day flow outlook at 14 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
Gila River near Gila Hot Springs, NM NM 1,510 5,556 142 36.3 14-day
Gila River near Gila, NM NM 1,864 4,655 141.1 49.7 14-day
Gila River near Redrock, NM NM 2,829 4,090 164.1 49.7 14-day
Gila River below Blue Creek, near Virden, NM NM 3,203 3,877 147.6 43 14-day
Gila River at Duncan, AZ AZ 3,589 3,631 99.6 13 —
Gila River near Clifton, AZ AZ 4,010 3,339 108.7 41.3 14-day
Gila River at Head of Safford Valley, near Solomon AZ 7,857 3,097 287.8 117.7 14-day
Gila River at Calva, AZ AZ 11,470 2,519 105.6 13.7 14-day
Gila River below Coolidge Dam, AZ AZ 12,886 2,311 386 484.9 14-day
Gila River at Kelvin, AZ AZ 18,011 1,747 403.7 577.9 14-day
Gila River near Maricopa, AZ AZ 19,915 1,114 0 0 14-day
Gila River at Estrella Parkway, near Goodyear, AZ AZ 45,585 883 3.5 0 14-day
Gila River below Painted Rock Dam, AZ AZ 50,910 520 1.8 0 14-day
Gila River near Dateland, AZ AZ 55,000 362 0 0 14-day
Gila River near Dome, AZ AZ 57,850 141 5.3 1.9 14-day
Gila River at Miller Rd near Buckeye, AZ AZ — 831 — — —
Gila River below Gillespie Dam, Az (Low-Flow Station) AZ — 727 3.4 0.4 —

Typical flow by month at Gila River below Gillespie Dam, Az (Low-Flow Station)

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 34 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 0 28.6 537.4
February 0 12.4 1,594.5
March 0 8.7 5,698.7
April 0 3.4 2,059.7
May 0 1.3 195.4
June 0 0.4 39.9
July 0 0.4 31.3
August 0 0.3 54.4
September 0 0.5 82.1
October 0 3.2 192.9
November 0 8.6 198.3
December 1 34.1 280

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does the Gila River run highest?
December, on the long-term record at Gila River below Gillespie Dam, Az (Low-Flow Station) — the furthest-downstream gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river. Median daily flow there is about 34.1 cfs that month, against 0.3 cfs in August, 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 Gila River?
Rivermatics tracks 17 USGS streamgages on the Gila River, across New Mexico and Arizona. 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 Gila River?
Yes, at 14 of the 17 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 Gila River part of?
The Gila 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 Gila 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

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