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Arkansas River at La Junta

Highest listed crest 15.55 ftFlood stage 11.0 ft23 crests since 1942

The Arkansas River at La Junta crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 23 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1942 to 2024. The highest, 15.55 ft on May 2, 1999, was major flooding, 4.55 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Arkansas River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 2 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
15.55 ft
May 2, 1999; 30,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
11.0 ft
Major flooding from 15.0 ft
Crests at major
1
6th of 100 gauges in Colorado
Most recent flood crest
June 12, 2024
11.36 ft, minor flooding
Location
Otero County
Colorado

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Arkansas River at La Junta
Action stage10.07Jun 10, 2010The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)11.011Jun 12, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage13.02Jun 12, 2015Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage15.01May 2, 1999Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

23 crests from 1942 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Arkansas River at La Junta, 1942 to 2024 810121416ft Flood stage 11.0 ftMajor 15.0 ft Apr 25, 1942: 9.96 ft, below flood stage; 34,800 cubic feet per secondJul 23, 1951: 10.00 ft, action stage; 27,900 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 1955: 14.20 ft, moderate flooding; 50,000 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 1965: 12.90 ft, minor flooding; 31,700 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 1967: 10.00 ft, action stage; 15,100 cubic feet per secondJul 10, 1978: 11.87 ft, minor flooding; 14,800 cubic feet per secondAug 22, 1982: 10.17 ft, action stage; 10,000 cubic feet per secondAug 22, 1984: 11.09 ft, minor flooding; 18,000 cubic feet per secondJul 20, 1990: 11.00 ft, minor flooding; 11,200 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1994: 10.90 ft, action stage; 4,540 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1995: 12.12 ft, minor flooding; 6,710 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 1997: 11.80 ft, minor flooding; 6,130 cubic feet per secondJul 30, 1998: 9.88 ft, below flood stage; 5,170 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 1999: 15.55 ft, major flooding; 30,000 cubic feet per secondJul 19, 2004: 10.48 ft, action stage; 3,710 cubic feet per secondAug 28, 2006: 10.73 ft, action stage; 3,390 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 2007: 11.42 ft, minor flooding; 3,100 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 2010: 10.05 ft, action stage; 1,970 cubic feet per secondSep 17, 2013: 12.21 ft, minor flooding; 4,340 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 2015: 13.38 ft, moderate flooding; 9,240 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 2017: 12.66 ft, minor flooding; 5,500 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2023: 12.73 ft, minor flooding; 4,360 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 2024: 11.36 ft, minor flooding; 2,650 cubic feet per second Highest, 15.55 ft, May 2, 1999 1960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Arkansas River at La Junta 1940s: 0 1950s: 1 1960s: 1 1970s: 1 1980s: 1 1990s: 4 4 2000s: 1 2010s: 3 2020s: 2 1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.

Highest crests

Highest listed crests, Arkansas River at La Junta
1May 2, 199915.55+4.55Major30,000
2May 20, 195514.20+3.20Moderate50,000
3Jun 12, 201513.38+2.38Moderate9,240
4Jun 19, 196512.90+1.90Minor31,700
5Jun 24, 202312.73+1.73Minor4,360
6May 12, 201712.66+1.66Minor5,500
7Sep 17, 201312.21+1.21Minor4,340
8Jun 4, 199512.12+1.12Minor6,710
9Jul 10, 197811.87+0.87Minor14,800
10Jun 12, 199711.80+0.80Minor6,130
11Jun 27, 200711.42+0.42Minor3,100
12Jun 12, 202411.36+0.36Minor2,650
13Aug 22, 198411.09+0.09Minor18,000
14Jul 20, 199011.000.00Minor11,200
15Jun 4, 199410.90−0.10Action4,540
16Aug 28, 200610.73−0.27Action3,390
17Jul 19, 200410.48−0.52Action3,710
18Aug 22, 198210.17−0.83Action10,000
19Jun 10, 201010.05−0.95Action1,970
20Jul 23, 195110.00−1.00Action27,900
21May 26, 196710.00−1.00Action15,100
22Apr 25, 19429.96−1.04Below flood stage34,800
23Jul 30, 19989.88−1.12Below flood stage5,170

The worst floods along the Arkansas River

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Arkansas River that crested above flood stage within a week.

May 2, 1999: 15.55 ft here, major flooding

  • Catlin DamCO · May 1, 1999 · 11.30 ft · Major · its highest
  • AvondaleCO · Apr 30, 1999 · 10.60 ft · Moderate · its highest

May 20, 1955: 14.20 ft here, moderate flooding

  • SyracuseKS · May 20, 1955 · 10.90 ft · Minor

June 19, 1965: 12.90 ft here, minor flooding

  • Garden CityKS · Jun 19, 1965 · 22.30 ft · Major · its highest
  • SyracuseKS · Jun 17, 1965 · 21.80 ft · Major · its highest

Gauges on the Arkansas River

Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.

Flood gauges on the Arkansas River
PuebloCO8.08.29 ft, Jun 10, 20240
Cañon CityCO10.010.90 ft, Jun 18, 19950
Catlin DamCO8.011.30 ft, May 1, 19992
CoolidgeKS8.08.85 ft, Aug 17, 20150
Garden CityKS10.022.30 ft, Jun 19, 19654
La Junta this gaugeCO11.015.55 ft, May 2, 19991
LamarCO11.013.06 ft, May 27, 19960
ParkdaleCO9.09.13 ft, Jun 9, 19850
PortlandCO9.012.94 ft, Jul 6, 20062
SyracuseKS10.021.80 ft, Jun 17, 19653
AvondaleCO7.010.60 ft, Apr 30, 19990
FowlerCO13.513.65 ft, Jun 24, 20230
NepestaCO16.516.66 ft, Jun 23, 20230

Other gauges in Otero County

Flood gauges in Otero County
Catlin Dam8.011.30 ft, May 1, 19992
Fowler13.513.65 ft, Jun 24, 20230

Otero County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Colorado

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge LXHC2, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.