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South Platte River at South Platte

Highest listed crest 11.20 ftFlood stage 7.0 ft100 crests since 1910

The South Platte River at South Platte crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 100 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1910 to 2021. The highest, 11.20 ft on July 12, 1996, was major flooding, 4.20 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
11.20 ft
July 12, 1996; 7,756 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
7.0 ft
Major flooding from 9.5 ft
Crests at major
1
6th of 100 gauges in Colorado
Most recent flood crest
June 14, 2015
7.63 ft, minor flooding
Location
Jefferson County
Near Littleton (14.9 mi)
Identifiers
NWS SPTC2
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, South Platte River at South Platte
Action stage6.05Jul 31, 1998The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)7.05Jun 14, 2015Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage8.51Jun 8, 1921Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage9.51Jul 12, 1996Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

100 crests from 1910 to 2021. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the South Platte River at South Platte, 1910 to 2021 24681012ft Flood stage 7.0 ftMajor 9.5 ft Jul 29, 1910: 4.60 ft, below flood stage; 1,300 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 1911: 5.95 ft, below flood stage; 2,280 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 1912: 5.60 ft, below flood stage; 2,180 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 1913: 5.20 ft, below flood stage; 1,540 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 1915: 5.00 ft, below flood stage; 1,500 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1916: 4.10 ft, below flood stage; 1,130 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 1917: 5.40 ft, below flood stage; 2,050 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 1918: 6.90 ft, action stage; 3,000 cubic feet per secondAug 1, 1919: 5.10 ft, below flood stage; 1,850 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 1920: 4.60 ft, below flood stage; 1,390 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 1921: 8.95 ft, moderate flooding; 6,320 cubic feet per secondAug 5, 1922: 4.48 ft, below flood stage; 1,720 cubic feet per secondJul 16, 1923: 4.85 ft, below flood stage; 1,860 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 1924: 5.42 ft, below flood stage; 2,300 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 1925: 2.94 ft, below flood stage; 690 cubic feet per secondJul 2, 1927: 3.55 ft, below flood stage; 1,160 cubic feet per secondAug 9, 1929: 4.84 ft, below flood stage; 2,340 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 1931: 3.89 ft, below flood stage; 1,320 cubic feet per secondJul 30, 1932: 3.54 ft, below flood stage; 1,020 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 1933: 5.92 ft, below flood stage; 2,080 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 1934: 3.59 ft, below flood stage; 765 cubic feet per secondJul 23, 1935: 4.62 ft, below flood stage; 1,630 cubic feet per secondAug 12, 1936: 5.37 ft, below flood stage; 2,770 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1937: 4.05 ft, below flood stage; 1,260 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 1938: 4.50 ft, below flood stage; 1,660 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 1939: 3.85 ft, below flood stage; 1,100 cubic feet per secondSep 3, 1940: 3.91 ft, below flood stage; 1,150 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 1941: 4.56 ft, below flood stage; 1,640 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1942: 8.15 ft, minor flooding; 5,210 cubic feet per secondJul 22, 1943: 4.88 ft, below flood stage; 1,180 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 1944: 4.63 ft, below flood stage; 1,640 cubic feet per secondAug 21, 1945: 5.48 ft, below flood stage; 2,500 cubic feet per secondJul 16, 1946: 3.72 ft, below flood stage; 1,010 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 1947: 5.86 ft, below flood stage; 2,490 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 1949: 7.96 ft, minor flooding; 4,810 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1950: 3.42 ft, below flood stage; 777 cubic feet per secondAug 3, 1951: 3.78 ft, below flood stage; 1,010 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 1952: 4.14 ft, below flood stage; 1,220 cubic feet per secondAug 3, 1953: 4.30 ft, below flood stage; 1,330 cubic feet per secondJul 14, 1954: 3.28 ft, below flood stage; 702 cubic feet per secondAug 7, 1955: 3.93 ft, below flood stage; 1,130 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1956: 4.16 ft, below flood stage; 1,230 cubic feet per secondJul 22, 1957: 4.88 ft, below flood stage; 1,600 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 1958: 5.53 ft, below flood stage; 2,170 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 1959: 4.08 ft, below flood stage; 1,140 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 1960: 3.66 ft, below flood stage; 846 cubic feet per secondAug 18, 1961: 4.05 ft, below flood stage; 1,160 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 1962: 4.25 ft, below flood stage; 1,190 cubic feet per secondJul 22, 1963: 3.11 ft, below flood stage; 545 cubic feet per secondAug 7, 1964: 4.02 ft, below flood stage; 1,050 cubic feet per secondJul 20, 1965: 4.55 ft, below flood stage; 1,400 cubic feet per secondJul 18, 1966: 3.69 ft, below flood stage; 840 cubic feet per secondAug 31, 1967: 3.65 ft, below flood stage; 848 cubic feet per secondAug 14, 1968: 4.25 ft, below flood stage; 1,280 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 1969: 6.51 ft, action stage; 3,290 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 1970: 8.24 ft, minor flooding; 5,040 cubic feet per secondJul 23, 1971: 4.25 ft, below flood stage; 1,210 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 1972: 4.22 ft, below flood stage; 1,170 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 1973: 6.85 ft, action stage; 3,450 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 1974: 3.64 ft, below flood stage; 905 cubic feet per secondJul 19, 1975: 4.65 ft, below flood stage; 1,610 cubic feet per secondAug 3, 1976: 4.22 ft, below flood stage; 1,250 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1977: 3.44 ft, below flood stage; 753 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 1978: 4.15 ft, below flood stage; 1,170 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1979: 4.97 ft, below flood stage; 1,830 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 1980: 6.05 ft, action stage; 2,730 cubic feet per secondAug 9, 1981: 3.23 ft, below flood stage; 650 cubic feet per secondJul 31, 1982: 4.22 ft, below flood stage; 1,190 cubic feet per secondJul 9, 1990: 4.19 ft, below flood stage; 1,233 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 1991: 3.91 ft, below flood stage; 1,052 cubic feet per secondAug 24, 1992: 3.59 ft, below flood stage; 866 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 1993: 4.11 ft, below flood stage; 1,191 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 1994: 4.37 ft, below flood stage; 1,310 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 1995: 7.32 ft, minor flooding; 3,670 cubic feet per secondJul 12, 1996: 11.20 ft, major flooding; 7,756 cubic feet per secondAug 31, 1997: 4.97 ft, below flood stageJul 31, 1998: 6.09 ft, action stage; 2,556 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 1999: 5.61 ft, below flood stage; 2,228 cubic feet per secondJul 17, 2000: 4.61 ft, below flood stage; 1,390 cubic feet per secondJul 9, 2001: 4.09 ft, below flood stage; 1,060 cubic feet per secondJul 22, 2002: 3.77 ft, below flood stage; 870 cubic feet per secondAug 31, 2003: 3.82 ft, below flood stage; 870 cubic feet per secondAug 5, 2004: 4.20 ft, below flood stage; 1,150 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 2005: 4.12 ft, below flood stage; 1,060 cubic feet per secondJul 8, 2006: 5.22 ft, below flood stage; 1,900 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 2007: 5.28 ft, below flood stage; 1,920 cubic feet per secondJul 7, 2008: 4.50 ft, below flood stage; 1,330 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 2009: 4.79 ft, below flood stage; 1,500 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 2010: 4.38 ft, below flood stage; 1,340 cubic feet per secondJul 13, 2011: 4.75 ft, below flood stage; 1,530 cubic feet per secondJul 7, 2012: 3.72 ft, below flood stage; 851 cubic feet per secondSep 16, 2013: 3.75 ft, below flood stage; 968 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 2014: 4.61 ft, below flood stage; 1,500 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 2015: 7.63 ft, minor flooding; 4,540 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 2016: 4.15 ft, below flood stage; 1,090 cubic feet per secondJul 21, 2017: 4.03 ft, below flood stage; 1,100 cubic feet per secondJul 23, 2018: 3.75 ft, below flood stage; 906 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 2019: 4.80 ft, below flood stage; 1,600 cubic feet per secondAug 6, 2020: 3.71 ft, below flood stage; 867 cubic feet per secondAug 19, 2021: 3.78 ft, below flood stage; 918 cubic feet per second Highest, 11.20 ft, Jul 12, 1996 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, South Platte River at South Platte 1910s: 0 1920s: 1 1930s: 0 1940s: 2 2 1950s: 0 1960s: 0 1970s: 1 1980s: 0 1990s: 2 2000s: 0 2010s: 1 2020s: 0 1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 100 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, South Platte River at South Platte
1Jul 12, 199611.20+4.20Major7,756
2Jun 8, 19218.95+1.95Moderate6,320
3Apr 30, 19708.24+1.24Minor5,040
4Apr 23, 19428.15+1.15Minor5,210
5Jun 14, 19497.96+0.96Minor4,810
6Jun 14, 20157.63+0.63Minor4,540
7Jun 18, 19957.32+0.32Minor3,670
8Jun 24, 19186.90−0.10Action3,000
9May 22, 19736.85−0.15Action3,450
10Jun 19, 19696.51−0.49Action3,290
11Jul 31, 19986.09−0.91Action2,556
12Jun 12, 19806.05−0.95Action2,730
13Jul 6, 19115.95−1.05Below flood stage2,280
14Jun 2, 19335.92−1.08Below flood stage2,080
15Jun 24, 19475.86−1.14Below flood stage2,490
16Jun 18, 19995.61−1.39Below flood stage2,228
17Jun 30, 19125.60−1.40Below flood stage2,180
18May 26, 19585.53−1.47Below flood stage2,170
19Aug 21, 19455.48−1.52Below flood stage2,500
20Jun 7, 19245.42−1.58Below flood stage2,300
21Jun 20, 19175.40−1.60Below flood stage2,050
22Aug 12, 19365.37−1.63Below flood stage2,770
23May 20, 20075.28−1.72Below flood stage1,920
24Jul 8, 20065.22−1.78Below flood stage1,900
25Jun 18, 19135.20−1.80Below flood stage1,540
26Aug 1, 19195.10−1.90Below flood stage1,850
27Jun 5, 19155.00−2.00Below flood stage1,500
28Jun 17, 19794.97−2.03Below flood stage1,830
29Aug 31, 19974.97−2.03Below flood stage—
30Jul 22, 19434.88−2.12Below flood stage1,180
31Jul 22, 19574.88−2.12Below flood stage1,600
32Jul 16, 19234.85−2.15Below flood stage1,860
33Aug 9, 19294.84−2.16Below flood stage2,340
34Jul 6, 20194.80−2.20Below flood stage1,600
35Jun 3, 20094.79−2.21Below flood stage1,500
36Jul 13, 20114.75−2.25Below flood stage1,530
37Jul 19, 19754.65−2.35Below flood stage1,610
38May 31, 19444.63−2.37Below flood stage1,640
39Jul 23, 19354.62−2.38Below flood stage1,630
40Jul 17, 20004.61−2.39Below flood stage1,390
41Jun 1, 20144.61−2.39Below flood stage1,500
42Jul 29, 19104.60−2.40Below flood stage1,300
43Jun 14, 19204.60−2.40Below flood stage1,390
44Jun 6, 19414.56−2.44Below flood stage1,640
45Jul 20, 19654.55−2.45Below flood stage1,400
46May 30, 19384.50−2.50Below flood stage1,660
47Jul 7, 20084.50−2.50Below flood stage1,330
48Aug 5, 19224.48−2.52Below flood stage1,720
49Jun 14, 20104.38−2.62Below flood stage1,340
50May 26, 19944.37−2.63Below flood stage1,310

The worst floods along the South Platte River

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

April 30, 1970: 8.24 ft here, minor flooding

April 23, 1942: 8.15 ft here, minor flooding

  • WatertonCO · Apr 23, 1942 · 5.68 ft · Minor · its highest

Gauges on the South Platte River

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

Flood gauges on the South Platte River
AtwoodCO11.515.52 ft, Sep 15, 20131
DenverCO11.018.66 ft, Jun 17, 19651
Fort MorganCO17.525.73 ft, Sep 15, 20131
HendersonCO11.017.67 ft, May 6, 19732
North PlatteNE13.014.54 ft, Sep 23, 20130
RoscoeNE9.012.21 ft, Sep 21, 20130
South Platte this gaugeCO7.011.20 ft, Jul 12, 19961
WatertonCO5.55.68 ft, Apr 23, 19420
Cheesman ReservoirCO7.013.40 ft, Apr 29, 19701
BalzacCO10.013.71 ft, Sep 15, 20131
CrookCO9.810.13 ft, Sep 17, 20130
JulesburgCO10.010.74 ft, Sep 18, 20130
KerseyCO10.015.09 ft, Sep 14, 20131
Lake GeorgeCO7.08.34 ft, Apr 28, 19700
WeldonaCO10.019.20 ft, Sep 14, 20131

Other gauges in Jefferson County

Flood gauges in Jefferson County
Evergreen5.37.10 ft, Aug 24, 19920
Morrison9.011.50 ft, Jul 7, 19332
Plainview5.07.17 ft, Sep 13, 20131
Cheesman Reservoir7.013.40 ft, Apr 29, 19701
Golden3.53.60 ft, May 18, 19950

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SPTC2, 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.