26 USGS Streamgages · Rio Grande system
Pecos River flows and levels
Pecos River is gauged at 26 USGS streamgages in New Mexico and Texas, each tracked by Rivermatics. The mainstem runs about 939 miles (1,511 km) from headwaters to outlet. It drains into the Rio Grande system. Drainage area at the gauges ranges from 189 square miles at Pecos River near Pecos, NM up to 44,015 at Pecos River near Langtry, TX. The gauged reach falls about 6,370 feet, from 7,503 feet down to 1,133. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned 14-day flow outlook at 22 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.
| Gauge | State | Drainage sq mi | Elevation ft | April p50 cfs | July p50 cfs | Forecast |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pecos River near Pecos, NM | NM | 189 | 7,503 | 110.6 | 76.2 | 14-day |
| Pecos River near Anton Chico, NM | NM | 1,050 | 5,130 | 121.1 | 55.3 | 14-day |
| Pecos River above Canon del Uta near Colonias, NM | NM | 2,330 | 4,800 | 48.9 | 13.2 | — |
| Pecos River above Santa Rosa Lake, NM | NM | 2,340 | 4,760 | 65 | 35.8 | 14-day |
| Pecos River below Santa Rosa Dam, NM | NM | 2,430 | 4,640 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 14-day |
| Pecos River near Puerto de Luna, NM | NM | 3,970 | 4,311 | 77.2 | 83.5 | 14-day |
| Pecos River below Sumner Dam, NM | NM | 4,390 | 4,145 | 93.4 | 98.9 | 14-day |
| Pecos River below Taiban Creek near Fort Sumner, NM | NM | 5,908 | 3,907 | 41.1 | 63.7 | 14-day |
| Pecos River near Dunlap, NM | NM | 6,647 | 3,751 | 40.7 | 61.3 | — |
| Pecos River near Acme, NM | NM | 11,380 | 3,513 | 29.1 | 61.1 | 14-day |
| Pecos River near Lake Arthur, NM | NM | 14,760 | 3,329 | 59.5 | 90.9 | 14-day |
| Pecos River near Artesia, NM | NM | 15,300 | 3,294 | 62 | 94.1 | 14-day |
| Pecos River below Brantley Dam near Carlsbad, NM | NM | 17,650 | 3,193 | 214 | 190.7 | 14-day |
| Pecos River at Damsite 3 near Carlsbad, NM | NM | 17,980 | 3,173 | 219.3 | 196.1 | 14-day |
| Pecos River below Avalon Dam, NM | NM | 18,080 | 3,114 | 0 | 0 | 14-day |
| Pecos River below Dark Canyon at Carlsbad, NM | NM | 18,550 | 3,075 | 18.2 | 17.1 | 14-day |
| Pecos River near Malaga, NM | NM | 19,190 | 2,896 | 39.3 | 38.5 | 14-day |
| Pecos River at Pierce Canyon Crossing, NM | NM | 19,260 | 2,890 | 35 | 34.1 | 14-day |
| Pecos River at Red Bluff, NM | NM | 19,540 | 2,852 | 40.6 | 41.6 | 14-day |
| Pecos River near Orla, TX | TX | 25,070 | 2,727 | 68.8 | 123.1 | 14-day |
| Pecos River at FM 3398 near Pecos, TX | TX | 26,230 | 2,564 | — | — | — |
| Pecos River at RR 1776 near Grandfalls, TX | TX | 34,740 | 2,440 | 2.8 | 2.1 | 14-day |
| Pecos River near Girvin, TX | TX | 37,300 | 2,285 | 20.9 | 14.2 | 14-day |
| Pecos River near Sheffield, TX | TX | 40,685 | 2,027 | 37.7 | 28 | 14-day |
| Pecos River at Brotherton Rh near Pandale, TX | TX | 42,169 | 1,720 | 66.3 | 53.3 | 14-day |
| Pecos River near Langtry, TX | TX | 44,015 | 1,133 | 172.7 | 159.9 | — |
Typical flow by month at Pecos River near Langtry, TX
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 10 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 | — | 213.3 | — | |
| February | — | 193.8 | — | |
| March | — | 186.6 | — | |
| April | — | 172.7 | — | |
| May | — | 186.4 | — | |
| June | — | 181.5 | — | |
| July | — | 159.9 | — | |
| August | — | 152.1 | — | |
| September | — | 163.7 | — | |
| October | — | 237.9 | — | |
| November | — | 233.2 | — | |
| December | — | 220.8 | — |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).
Common questions
- When does the Pecos River run highest?
- October, on the long-term record at Pecos River near Langtry, TX — the furthest-downstream gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river. Median daily flow there is about 237.9 cfs that month, against 152.1 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 Pecos River?
- Rivermatics tracks 26 USGS streamgages on the Pecos River, across New Mexico and Texas. 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 Pecos River?
- Yes, at 22 of the 26 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 Pecos River part of?
- The Pecos River drains into the Rio Grande 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 Pecos 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 Rio Grande system
- Rio Chama 6 gauges
- Black River 4 gauges
- Costilla Creek 4 gauges
- Gallinas Creek 4 gauges
- Rio Hondo 3 gauges
- Rio Penasco 3 gauges
- Santa Fe River 3 gauges
- Beaver Creek 2 gauges