River stage
Otowi, Rio Grande
- River level
- 2.99 ft
- Status
- Below flood stage
- 7-day change
- -0.89 ft
- Recent high
- 5.03 ft
- Recent low
- 2.02 ft
Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS OTWN5
- 30-day change
- +0.77 ft
- Average
- 2.57 ft
- Readings
- 122
- Data span
- 122 days
- Record crest
- 14.50 ft
In brief
The Rio Grande at Otowi, NM read 2.99 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 5.01 ft below action stage. That is 0.77 ft higher than 30 days earlier.
Source: National Weather Service gauge OTWN5
Water 63 °F (17 °C) · -2 °F in 24 hours
River level timeline
Stage threshold profile
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Crest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14.50 ft | 1904-09-29 |
| 2 | 14.10 ft | 1920-05-23 |
| 3 | 13.54 ft | 1941-05-16 |
| 4 | 13.10 ft | 1911-10-07 |
| 5 | 12.05 ft | 1905-05-25 |
| 6 | 10.93 ft | 1916-05-11 |
| 7 | 10.22 ft | 1942-04-23 |
| 8 | 10.10 ft | 1919-05-24 |
Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.
What happens at each level
- 9.00 ft
Flooding of cultivated lands upstream of the Otowi gage will increase if water levels rise further. Fast flowing water could undermine the river banks.
- 13.00 ft
Cultivated lands upriver through San Ildefonso and Santa Clara Pueblos are being inundated. Backwater flooding is occurring where creeks and arroyos join the Rio Grande. Debris in the fast flowing water could result in debris damming at nearby bridges causing local overflows. The flow in the river is approaching the flood flow of 1941 which was estimated at 22,500 cubic feet per second.
- 17.00 ft
Flooding along the Rio Grande from above Cochiti Lake to Espanola exceeds the flood of 1920 and may exceed any flood level since 1740. Portions of San Ildefonso and Santa Clara Pueblos are inundated as are parts of Espanola.
Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Rio Grande flooding at Otowi?
No. The Rio Grande at Otowi is at 2.99 ft, 5.01 ft below action stage.
What is the flood stage at Otowi?
The National Weather Service sets action stage 8 ft, minor flooding 9 ft, moderate flooding 13 ft and major flooding 17 ft.
What is the highest the Rio Grande has been at Otowi?
The highest crest on record is 14.5 ft, on 1904-09-29.
Is the Rio Grande high or low right now at Otowi?
At 2.99 ft it is higher than 83% of readings over the last 122 days.
How warm is the water at Otowi, Rio Grande?
The water temperature at Otowi, Rio Grande is 63 °F (17.4 °C), measured 7:00 pm by USGS. It has fallen 2.5 °F in the last 24 hours.
Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge OTWN5); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 08313000). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.