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Arkansas River near Avondale

Highest listed crest 10.60 ftFlood stage 7.0 ft10 crests since 1994

The Arkansas River near Avondale crested above flood stage 10 times among the 10 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1994 to 2024. The highest, 10.60 ft on April 30, 1999, was moderate flooding, 3.60 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
10.60 ft
April 30, 1999; 20,900 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
7.0 ft
Major flooding from 12.0 ft
Crests at major
0
10 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
June 10, 2024
8.97 ft, minor flooding
Location
Pueblo County
Near Pueblo (11.6 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Arkansas River near Avondale
Action stage6.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)7.08Jun 10, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage10.02Jun 22, 2023Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage12.00—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

10 crests from 1994 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Arkansas River near Avondale, 1994 to 2024 789101112ft Flood stage 7.0 ftMajor 12.0 ft Jun 3, 1994: 8.86 ft, minor flooding; 10,600 cubic feet per secondJul 10, 1996: 8.90 ft, minor flooding; 11,600 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 1999: 10.60 ft, moderate flooding; 20,900 cubic feet per secondSep 16, 2011: 8.38 ft, minor flooding; 8,540 cubic feet per secondSep 14, 2013: 9.46 ft, minor flooding; 11,100 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2015: 9.19 ft, minor flooding; 10,200 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 2015: 9.49 ft, minor flooding; 10,700 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 2023: 9.30 ft, minor flooding; 7,990 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 2023: 10.53 ft, moderate flooding; 11,700 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 2024: 8.97 ft, minor flooding; 6,910 cubic feet per second Highest, 10.60 ft, Apr 30, 1999 200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Arkansas River near Avondale 1990s: 3 2000s: 0 2010s: 4 4 2020s: 3 1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 near Avondale
1Apr 30, 199910.60+3.60Moderate20,900
2Jun 22, 202310.53+3.53Moderate11,700
3May 20, 20159.49+2.49Minor10,700
4Sep 14, 20139.46+2.46Minor11,100
5Jun 13, 20239.30+2.30Minor7,990
6May 9, 20159.19+2.19Minor10,200
7Jun 10, 20248.97+1.97Minor6,910
8Jul 10, 19968.90+1.90Minor11,600
9Jun 3, 19948.86+1.86Minor10,600
10Sep 16, 20118.38+1.38Minor8,540

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.

April 30, 1999: 10.60 ft here, moderate flooding

  • La JuntaCO · May 2, 1999 · 15.55 ft · Major · its highest
  • Catlin DamCO · May 1, 1999 · 11.30 ft · Major · its highest

June 22, 2023: 10.53 ft here, moderate flooding

  • NepestaCO · Jun 23, 2023 · 16.66 ft · Minor · its highest
  • FowlerCO · Jun 24, 2023 · 13.65 ft · Minor · its highest
  • La JuntaCO · Jun 24, 2023 · 12.73 ft · Minor

May 20, 2015: 9.49 ft here, minor flooding

  • NepestaCO · May 21, 2015 · 16.56 ft · Minor

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 JuntaCO11.015.55 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
Avondale this gaugeCO7.010.60 ft, Apr 30, 19990
FowlerCO13.513.65 ft, Jun 24, 20230
NepestaCO16.516.66 ft, Jun 23, 20230

Other gauges in Pueblo County

Flood gauges in Pueblo County
Pueblo8.08.29 ft, Jun 10, 20240
Nepesta16.516.66 ft, Jun 23, 20230
Pueblo10.010.82 ft, Jul 9, 19960
Vineland12.013.93 ft, May 11, 20170

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge ADLC2, 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.