2 USGS Streamgages · Rio Grande system
Rio Ruidoso flows and levels
Rio Ruidoso is gauged at 2 USGS streamgages in New Mexico, each tracked by Rivermatics. It feeds the Rio Hondo. It drains into the Rio Grande system. Drainage area at the gauges ranges from 18 square miles at Rio Ruidoso at Ruidoso, NM up to 120 at Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood, NM. The gauged reach falls about 742 feet, from 7,164 feet down to 6,422. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned 14-day flow outlook at 1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Ruidoso at Ruidoso, NM | NM | 18 | 7,164 | 10.2 | 2.7 | — |
| Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood, NM | NM | 120 | 6,422 | 21.1 | 8.6 | 14-day |
Typical flow by month at Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood, NM
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 73 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 | 3.4 | 7.7 | 20.8 | |
| February | 3.5 | 9.3 | 31.2 | |
| March | 4.4 | 14.3 | 51.3 | |
| April | 4.3 | 21.1 | 76.6 | |
| May | 3 | 14.1 | 64.2 | |
| June | 1.9 | 7.4 | 24.5 | |
| July | 3 | 8.6 | 29.8 | |
| August | 4.6 | 13.3 | 48.7 | |
| September | 4.3 | 12.6 | 44.7 | |
| October | 3.8 | 8.8 | 26.2 | |
| November | 3.6 | 7.9 | 24 | |
| December | 3.2 | 7.7 | 19.5 |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).
Common questions
- When does the Rio Ruidoso run highest?
- April, on the long-term record at Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood, NM — the furthest-downstream gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river. Median daily flow there is about 21.1 cfs that month, against 7.4 cfs in June, 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 Rio Ruidoso?
- Rivermatics tracks 2 USGS streamgages on the Rio Ruidoso, across New Mexico. 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 Rio Ruidoso?
- Yes, at 1 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 Rio Ruidoso part of?
- The Rio Ruidoso 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 Rio Ruidoso 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
- Pecos River 26 gauges
- 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