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Elk River near Milner

Highest listed crest 8.08 ftFlood stage 7.5 ft21 crests since 2005

The Elk River near Milner crested above flood stage 5 times among the 21 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2005 to 2026. The highest, 8.08 ft on June 21, 2019, was minor flooding, 0.58 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
8.08 ft
June 21, 2019; 8,080 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
7.5 ft
Major flooding from 9.5 ft
Crests at major
0
5 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
May 16, 2023
7.78 ft, minor flooding
Location
Routt County
Near Steamboat Springs (7.4 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Elk River near Milner
Action stage7.06Jun 6, 2024The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)7.55May 16, 2023Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage8.50—Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage9.50—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

21 crests from 2005 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Elk River near Milner, 2005 to 2026 46810ft Flood stage 7.5 ftMajor 9.5 ft May 24, 2005: 7.26 ft, action stage; 6,060 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2006: 7.21 ft, action stage; 5,690 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 2007: 5.81 ft, below flood stage; 3,280 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 2008: 7.77 ft, minor flooding; 6,290 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2009: 7.39 ft, action stage; 4,930 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 2010: 7.95 ft, minor flooding; 6,970 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 2012: 5.06 ft, below flood stage; 2,280 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 2013: 6.36 ft, below flood stage; 3,630 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 2014: 7.65 ft, minor flooding; 6,300 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 2015: 6.09 ft, below flood stage; 3,330 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 2016: 7.02 ft, action stage; 4,660 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 2017: 6.95 ft, below flood stage; 4,980 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 2018: 5.88 ft, below flood stage; 3,290 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 2019: 8.08 ft, minor flooding; 8,080 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 2020: 6.84 ft, below flood stage; 4,340 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 2021: 5.14 ft, below flood stage; 2,450 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 2022: 7.15 ft, action stage; 5,030 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 2023: 7.78 ft, minor flooding; 6,570 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 2024: 7.14 ft, action stage; 4,810 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 2025: 5.49 ft, below flood stage; 2,852 cubic feet per secondMay 15, 2026: 4.54 ft, below flood stage; 1,955 cubic feet per second Highest, 8.08 ft, Jun 21, 2019 20052010201520202025

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Elk River near Milner 2000s: 1 2010s: 3 3 2020s: 1 2000s2010s2020s
  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.
  3. 27 crests measured on an earlier gauge datum are left out: 9.75 ft on May 24, 1904; 9.90 ft on Jun 5, 1905; 10.05 ft on May 29, 1906; 10.40 ft on May 19, 1917; 6.30 ft on May 26, 1920; 6.35 ft on Jun 15, 1921; and more.

Highest crests

Highest listed crests, Elk River near Milner
1Jun 21, 20198.08+0.58Minor8,080
2Jun 8, 20107.95+0.45Minor6,970
3May 16, 20237.78+0.28Minor6,570
4May 22, 20087.77+0.27Minor6,290
5May 30, 20147.65+0.15Minor6,300
6May 21, 20097.39−0.11Action4,930
7May 24, 20057.26−0.24Action6,060
8May 23, 20067.21−0.29Action5,690
9May 19, 20227.15−0.35Action5,030
10Jun 6, 20247.14−0.36Action4,810
11Jun 11, 20167.02−0.48Action4,660
12Jun 11, 20176.95−0.55Below flood stage4,980
13Jun 2, 20206.84−0.66Below flood stage4,340
14May 17, 20136.36−1.14Below flood stage3,630
15Jun 3, 20156.09−1.41Below flood stage3,330
16May 11, 20185.88−1.62Below flood stage3,290
17May 14, 20075.81−1.69Below flood stage3,280
18May 13, 20255.49−2.01Below flood stage2,852
19May 23, 20215.14−2.36Below flood stage2,450
20Apr 27, 20125.06−2.44Below flood stage2,280
21May 15, 20264.54−2.96Below flood stage1,955

Other gauges in Routt County

Flood gauges in Routt County
Hayden8.08.36 ft, Jun 3, 20110

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge ENMC2, 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.