6 USGS Streamgages · Colorado River system
Roaring Fork River flows and levels
Roaring Fork River is gauged at 6 USGS streamgages in Colorado, each tracked by Rivermatics. The mainstem runs about 65 miles (105 km) from headwaters to outlet. It drains into the Colorado River system. Drainage area at the gauges ranges from 9 square miles at Roaring Fork River above Lost Man Creek near Aspen, CO up to 1,453 at Roaring Fork River at Glenwood Springs, CO. The gauged reach falls about 4,834 feet, from 10,559 feet down to 5,725. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned 14-day flow outlook at 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roaring Fork River above Lost Man Creek near Aspen, CO | CO | 9 | 10,559 | 0 | 3.9 | — |
| Roaring Fork River Ab Difficult C near Aspen, CO | CO | 76 | 8,143 | 27.6 | 65.1 | 14-day + temp |
| Roaring Fork River near Aspen, CO | CO | 106 | 8,009 | 44.8 | 106.5 | 14-day |
| Roaring Fork River below Maroon Creek near Aspen, CO | CO | 289 | 7,575 | 133.3 | 321.7 | 14-day + temp |
| Roaring Fork River near Emma, CO | CO | 859 | 6,477 | 387.9 | 780.3 | 14-day + temp |
| Roaring Fork River at Glenwood Springs, CO | CO | 1,453 | 5,725 | 763 | 1,578.1 | 14-day + temp |
Typical flow by month at Roaring Fork River at Glenwood Springs, 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 55 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 | 358 | 460.4 | 611.6 | |
| February | 326.8 | 437.8 | 574.7 | |
| March | 331.6 | 495.9 | 673.5 | |
| April | 468.8 | 763 | 1,245.3 | |
| May | 984.7 | 1,854.2 | 3,756.5 | |
| June | 1,655 | 3,579 | 6,427.3 | |
| July | 709.4 | 1,578.1 | 4,173.2 | |
| August | 477.6 | 864.6 | 1,417.7 | |
| September | 493.8 | 696.6 | 1,030.9 | |
| October | 517.3 | 668.3 | 993.1 | |
| November | 462.5 | 609.6 | 796.5 | |
| December | 392 | 515.9 | 678 |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).
Common questions
- When does the Roaring Fork River run highest?
- June, on the long-term record at Roaring Fork River at Glenwood Springs, CO — the furthest-downstream gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river. Median daily flow there is about 3,579 cfs that month, against 437.8 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 Roaring Fork River?
- Rivermatics tracks 6 USGS streamgages on the Roaring Fork 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 Roaring Fork River?
- Yes, at 5 of the 6 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 Roaring Fork River part of?
- The Roaring Fork 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 Roaring Fork 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
- Gila River 17 gauges
- San Juan River 10 gauges
- Animas River 9 gauges
- Gore Creek 9 gauges
- Green River 9 gauges
- Little Colorado River 9 gauges
- Virgin River 8 gauges
- Yampa River 8 gauges