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Cache La Poudre River (CO) above Fort Collins

Highest listed crest 10.29 ftFlood stage 7.5 ft68 crests since 1954

The Cache La Poudre River (CO) above Fort Collins crested above flood stage 5 times among the 68 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1954 to 2021. The highest, 10.29 ft on September 13, 2013, was moderate flooding, 2.79 feet above flood stage. 3 other gauges on the Cache La Poudre River (CO) crested above flood stage within a week of it, 2 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
10.29 ft
September 13, 2013; 9,730 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
7.5 ft
Major flooding from 10.5 ft
Crests at major
0
5 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
May 31, 2014
8.08 ft, minor flooding
Location
Larimer County
Near Fort Collins (11.6 mi), Wellington (11.6 mi)
Identifiers
NWS FTDC2
No USGS station

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Cache La Poudre River (CO) above Fort Collins
Action stage6.57Jun 11, 2017The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)7.54May 31, 2014Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage9.01Sep 13, 2013Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage10.50—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

68 crests from 1954 to 2021. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Cache La Poudre River (CO) above Fort Collins, 1954 to 2021 24681012ft Flood stage 7.5 ftMajor 10.5 ft May 21, 1954: 3.52 ft, below flood stage; 1,220 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1955: 4.19 ft, below flood stage; 1,840 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 1956: 5.07 ft, below flood stage; 3,040 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 1957: 6.10 ft, below flood stage; 4,370 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 1958: 5.78 ft, below flood stage; 3,770 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 1959: 4.97 ft, below flood stage; 2,680 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 1960: 4.87 ft, below flood stage; 2,580 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1961: 5.17 ft, below flood stage; 2,960 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 1962: 4.73 ft, below flood stage; 2,440 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1963: 3.90 ft, below flood stage; 1,450 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1964: 4.36 ft, below flood stage; 1,940 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 1965: 6.42 ft, below flood stage; 4,810 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 1966: 3.66 ft, below flood stage; 1,180 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 1967: 4.63 ft, below flood stage; 2,210 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 1968: 4.96 ft, below flood stage; 2,630 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 1969: 4.85 ft, below flood stage; 2,390 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 1970: 5.36 ft, below flood stage; 3,050 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1971: 5.84 ft, below flood stage; 3,870 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1972: 5.52 ft, below flood stage; 3,400 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 1973: 5.78 ft, below flood stage; 3,780 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1974: 5.22 ft, below flood stage; 2,940 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 1975: 4.94 ft, below flood stage; 2,510 cubic feet per secondAug 1, 1976: 7.86 ft, minor flooding; 7,340 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 1977: 4.23 ft, below flood stage; 1,740 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1978: 5.78 ft, below flood stage; 3,740 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1979: 5.46 ft, below flood stage; 3,290 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 1980: 5.77 ft, below flood stage; 3,860 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 1981: 4.92 ft, below flood stage; 2,420 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 1982: 5.48 ft, below flood stage; 3,170 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 1983: 7.72 ft, minor flooding; 6,590 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 1984: 6.27 ft, below flood stage; 4,000 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1985: 6.00 ft, below flood stage; 3,520 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 1986: 6.25 ft, below flood stage; 3,920 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1987: 4.70 ft, below flood stage; 1,670 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 1988: 5.47 ft, below flood stage; 2,740 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 1989: 4.54 ft, below flood stage; 1,570 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 1990: 5.33 ft, below flood stage; 2,520 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 1991: 6.52 ft, action stage; 4,520 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1992: 4.71 ft, below flood stage; 1,720 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 1993: 5.49 ft, below flood stage; 2,740 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 1994: 4.83 ft, below flood stage; 1,850 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 1995: 7.03 ft, action stage; 4,730 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 1996: 5.73 ft, below flood stage; 2,830 cubic feet per secondJul 9, 1997: 6.03 ft, below flood stage; 3,310 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1998: 5.01 ft, below flood stage; 1,880 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 1999: 7.56 ft, minor flooding; 5,820 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 2000: 4.93 ft, below flood stage; 1,790 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 2001: 4.88 ft, below flood stage; 1,740 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 2002: 3.54 ft, below flood stage; 879 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 2003: 5.86 ft, below flood stage; 3,770 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 2004: 4.31 ft, below flood stage; 1,600 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 2005: 4.97 ft, below flood stage; 2,270 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2006: 4.63 ft, below flood stage; 1,800 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 2007: 4.78 ft, below flood stage; 2,010 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 2008: 5.30 ft, below flood stage; 2,530 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2009: 4.74 ft, below flood stage; 1,920 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 2010: 6.94 ft, action stage; 4,770 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 2011: 6.72 ft, action stage; 4,180 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 2012: 3.90 ft, below flood stage; 933 cubic feet per secondSep 13, 2013: 10.29 ft, moderate flooding; 9,730 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 2014: 8.08 ft, minor flooding; 5,820 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 2015: 6.95 ft, action stage; 4,170 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 2016: 6.80 ft, action stage; 3,870 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 2017: 6.57 ft, action stage; 3,580 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 2018: 5.53 ft, below flood stage; 2,210 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 2019: 5.92 ft, below flood stage; 2,740 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 2020: 6.16 ft, below flood stage; 3,020 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2021: 6.07 ft, below flood stage; 2,910 cubic feet per second Highest, 10.29 ft, Sep 13, 2013 1960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Cache La Poudre River (CO) above Fort Collins 1950s: 0 1960s: 0 1970s: 1 1980s: 1 1990s: 1 2000s: 0 2010s: 2 2 2020s: 0 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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

The 50 highest of 68 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Cache La Poudre River (CO) above Fort Collins
1Sep 13, 201310.29+2.79Moderate9,730
2May 31, 20148.08+0.58Minor5,820
3Aug 1, 19767.86+0.36Minor7,340
4Jun 21, 19837.72+0.22Minor6,590
5Apr 30, 19997.56+0.06Minor5,820
6Jun 18, 19957.03−0.47Action4,730
7Jun 12, 20156.95−0.55Action4,170
8Jun 12, 20106.94−0.56Action4,770
9Jun 12, 20166.80−0.70Action3,870
10Jul 1, 20116.72−0.78Action4,180
11Jun 11, 20176.57−0.93Action3,580
12Jun 2, 19916.52−0.98Action4,520
13Jun 11, 19656.42−1.08Below flood stage4,810
14May 25, 19846.27−1.23Below flood stage4,000
15Jun 7, 19866.25−1.25Below flood stage3,920
16Jun 1, 20206.16−1.34Below flood stage3,020
17Jun 30, 19576.10−1.40Below flood stage4,370
18May 23, 20216.07−1.43Below flood stage2,910
19Jul 9, 19976.03−1.47Below flood stage3,310
20Jun 9, 19856.00−1.50Below flood stage3,520
21Jul 1, 20195.92−1.58Below flood stage2,740
22Jun 1, 20035.86−1.64Below flood stage3,770
23Jun 17, 19715.84−1.66Below flood stage3,870
24May 29, 19585.78−1.72Below flood stage3,770
25Jun 14, 19735.78−1.72Below flood stage3,780
26Jun 16, 19785.78−1.72Below flood stage3,740
27Jun 12, 19805.77−1.73Below flood stage3,860
28Jun 13, 19965.73−1.77Below flood stage2,830
29May 27, 20185.53−1.97Below flood stage2,210
30Jun 4, 19725.52−1.98Below flood stage3,400
31Jun 19, 19935.49−2.01Below flood stage2,740
32Jun 30, 19825.48−2.02Below flood stage3,170
33Jun 11, 19885.47−2.03Below flood stage2,740
34Jun 17, 19795.46−2.04Below flood stage3,290
35Jun 26, 19705.36−2.14Below flood stage3,050
36Jun 12, 19905.33−2.17Below flood stage2,520
37Jun 3, 20085.30−2.20Below flood stage2,530
38Jun 17, 19745.22−2.28Below flood stage2,940
39Jun 10, 19615.17−2.33Below flood stage2,960
40May 25, 19565.07−2.43Below flood stage3,040
41Jun 4, 19985.01−2.49Below flood stage1,880
42Jun 8, 19594.97−2.53Below flood stage2,680
43May 26, 20054.97−2.53Below flood stage2,270
44Jun 21, 19684.96−2.54Below flood stage2,630
45Jul 3, 19754.94−2.56Below flood stage2,510
46May 30, 20004.93−2.57Below flood stage1,790
47Jun 8, 19814.92−2.58Below flood stage2,420
48May 30, 20014.88−2.62Below flood stage1,740
49Jun 5, 19604.87−2.63Below flood stage2,580
50May 31, 19694.85−2.65Below flood stage2,390

The worst floods along the Cache La Poudre River (CO)

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Cache La Poudre River (CO) that crested above flood stage within a week.

September 13, 2013: 10.29 ft here, moderate flooding

  • Fort CollinsCO · Sep 13, 2013 · 11.56 ft · Moderate · its highest
  • GreeleyCO · Sep 15, 2013 · 9.25 ft · Minor · its highest
  • GreeleyCO · Sep 15, 2013 · 8.65 ft · Minor

May 31, 2014: 8.08 ft here, minor flooding

  • GreeleyCO · Jun 1, 2014 · 9.17 ft · Minor
  • GreeleyCO · Jun 3, 2014 · 8.73 ft · Minor · its highest

April 30, 1999: 7.56 ft here, minor flooding

  • Fort CollinsCO · Apr 30, 1999 · 10.46 ft · Minor
  • GreeleyCO · May 2, 1999 · 9.14 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Cache La Poudre River (CO)

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

Flood gauges on the Cache La Poudre River (CO)
Fort Collins this gaugeCO7.510.29 ft, Sep 13, 20130
Fort CollinsCO10.011.56 ft, Sep 13, 20130
GreeleyCO8.58.73 ft, Jun 3, 20140
GreeleyCO8.09.25 ft, Sep 15, 20130

Other gauges in Larimer County

Flood gauges in Larimer County
Loveland10.011.93 ft, Sep 13, 20131
Lake Estes6.59.05 ft, Sep 12, 20131
Masonville11.514.82 ft, Sep 13, 20131
Fort Collins10.011.56 ft, Sep 13, 20130

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge FTDC2, 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.