Rivermatics

2 USGS Streamgages · Colorado River system

Lake Fork flows and levels

Lake Fork is gauged at 2 USGS streamgages in Colorado, each tracked by Rivermatics. The mainstem runs about 63 miles (101 km) from headwaters to outlet. It drains into the Colorado River system. Drainage area at the gauges ranges from 106 square miles at Lake Fork below Lake San Cristobal near Lake City, CO up to 339 at Lake Fork at Gateview, CO. The gauged reach falls about 1,160 feet, from 8,996 feet down to 7,836. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned 14-day flow outlook for every one 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
Lake Fork below Lake San Cristobal near Lake City, CO CO 106 8,996 43.6 119.6 14-day
Lake Fork at Gateview, CO CO 339 7,836 113.9 365.7 14-day + temp

Typical flow by month at Lake Fork at Gateview, 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 89 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 35.3 46.8 60.2
February 34.1 44.1 58.4
March 39 53 87.7
April 64.1 113.9 243.7
May 235.2 466.8 928.9
June 407.9 882.1 1,593.7
July 165.4 365.7 866.3
August 93.5 171.6 348.9
September 70.2 107.9 220.9
October 57 82.7 157.5
November 46.6 64.9 97.8
December 38.4 50.7 70.7

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does the Lake Fork run highest?
June, on the long-term record at Lake Fork at Gateview, CO — the furthest-downstream gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river. Median daily flow there is about 882.1 cfs that month, against 44.1 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 Lake Fork?
Rivermatics tracks 2 USGS streamgages on the Lake Fork, 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 Lake Fork?
Yes, at 2 of the 2 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 Lake Fork part of?
The Lake Fork 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 Lake Fork 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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