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South Platte River near Balzac

Highest listed crest 13.71 ftFlood stage 10.0 ft30 crests since 1990

The South Platte River near Balzac crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 30 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1990 to 2021. The highest, 13.71 ft on September 15, 2013, was major flooding, 3.71 feet above flood stage. 8 other gauges on the South Platte River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 7 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
13.71 ft
September 15, 2013; 60,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
10.0 ft
Major flooding from 12.5 ft
Crests at major
1
6th of 100 gauges in Colorado
Most recent flood crest
May 13, 2015
10.39 ft, minor flooding
Location
Morgan County
Colorado
Identifiers
NWS BZNC2
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 near Balzac
Action stage8.04Jun 5, 2014The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)10.03May 13, 2015Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage11.00—Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage12.51Sep 15, 2013Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

30 crests from 1990 to 2021. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the South Platte River near Balzac, 1990 to 2021 2468101214ft Flood stage 10.0 ftMajor 12.5 ft Jun 1, 1990: 4.80 ft, below flood stage; 1,642 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1991: 6.17 ft, below flood stage; 3,780 cubic feet per secondAug 27, 1992: 6.52 ft, below flood stage; 4,090 cubic feet per secondSep 16, 1993: 5.38 ft, below flood stage; 2,170 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 1995: 10.43 ft, minor flooding; 16,500 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 1996: 5.56 ft, below flood stage; 3,290 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1997: 9.25 ft, action stage; 11,400 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 1998: 5.46 ft, below flood stage; 3,430 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 1999: 10.38 ft, minor flooding; 18,533 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 2001: 6.10 ft, below flood stage; 4,420 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 2002: 3.87 ft, below flood stage; 960 cubic feet per secondSep 2, 2003: 4.24 ft, below flood stage; 1,490 cubic feet per secondAug 22, 2004: 3.94 ft, below flood stage; 870 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 2005: 6.61 ft, below flood stage; 4,030 cubic feet per secondJul 12, 2006: 4.67 ft, below flood stage; 1,540 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 2007: 5.82 ft, below flood stage; 2,980 cubic feet per secondAug 19, 2008: 5.56 ft, below flood stage; 2,350 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 2009: 7.51 ft, below flood stage; 5,160 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 2010: 9.75 ft, action stage; 10,600 cubic feet per secondJul 17, 2011: 9.06 ft, action stage; 8,690 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 2012: 3.95 ft, below flood stage; 1,180 cubic feet per secondSep 15, 2013: 13.71 ft, major flooding; 60,000 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 2014: 9.06 ft, action stage; 9,050 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 2015: 10.39 ft, minor flooding; 17,300 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 2016: 6.85 ft, below flood stage; 5,900 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 2017: 6.30 ft, below flood stage; 4,750 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2018: 4.12 ft, below flood stage; 2,210 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2019: 5.39 ft, below flood stage; 3,530 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 2020: 3.50 ft, below flood stage; 1,060 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 2021: 5.25 ft, below flood stage; 3,070 cubic feet per second Highest, 13.71 ft, Sep 15, 2013 1990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, South Platte River near Balzac 1990s: 2 2 2000s: 0 2010s: 2 2020s: 0 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, South Platte River near Balzac
1Sep 15, 201313.71+3.71Major60,000
2Jun 12, 199510.43+0.43Minor16,500
3May 13, 201510.39+0.39Minor17,300
4May 3, 199910.38+0.38Minor18,533
5Jun 17, 20109.75−0.25Action10,600
6Jun 16, 19979.25−0.75Action11,400
7Jul 17, 20119.06−0.94Action8,690
8Jun 5, 20149.06−0.94Action9,050
9Jun 14, 20097.51−2.49Below flood stage5,160
10Jun 16, 20166.85−3.15Below flood stage5,900
11Jun 7, 20056.61−3.39Below flood stage4,030
12Aug 27, 19926.52−3.48Below flood stage4,090
13May 29, 20176.30−3.70Below flood stage4,750
14Jun 4, 19916.17−3.83Below flood stage3,780
15May 7, 20016.10−3.90Below flood stage4,420
16May 26, 20075.82−4.18Below flood stage2,980
17May 28, 19965.56−4.44Below flood stage3,290
18Aug 19, 20085.56−4.44Below flood stage2,350
19Apr 28, 19985.46−4.54Below flood stage3,430
20Jun 24, 20195.39−4.61Below flood stage3,530
21Sep 16, 19935.38−4.62Below flood stage2,170
22Jun 9, 20215.25−4.75Below flood stage3,070
23Jun 1, 19904.80−5.20Below flood stage1,642
24Jul 12, 20064.67−5.33Below flood stage1,540
25Sep 2, 20034.24−5.76Below flood stage1,490
26May 21, 20184.12−5.88Below flood stage2,210
27Feb 8, 20123.95−6.05Below flood stage1,180
28Aug 22, 20043.94−6.06Below flood stage870
29Mar 5, 20023.87−6.13Below flood stage960
30Mar 22, 20203.50−6.50Below flood stage1,060

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.

September 15, 2013: 13.71 ft here, major flooding

  • Fort MorganCO · Sep 15, 2013 · 25.73 ft · Major · its highest
  • WeldonaCO · Sep 14, 2013 · 19.20 ft · Major · its highest
  • AtwoodCO · Sep 15, 2013 · 15.52 ft · Major · its highest
  • KerseyCO · Sep 14, 2013 · 15.09 ft · Major · its highest
  • RoscoeNE · Sep 21, 2013 · 12.21 ft · Moderate · its highest
  • CrookCO · Sep 17, 2013 · 10.13 ft · Moderate · its highest
  • HendersonCO · Sep 12, 2013 · 11.65 ft · Minor
  • JulesburgCO · Sep 18, 2013 · 10.74 ft · Minor · its highest

June 12, 1995: 10.43 ft here, minor flooding

  • RoscoeNE · Jun 6, 1995 · 11.29 ft · Moderate
  • South PlatteCO · Jun 18, 1995 · 7.32 ft · Minor

May 13, 2015: 10.39 ft here, minor flooding

  • North PlatteNE · May 20, 2015 · 14.09 ft · Moderate
  • KerseyCO · May 11, 2015 · 11.54 ft · Moderate
  • RoscoeNE · May 16, 2015 · 11.09 ft · Moderate
  • WeldonaCO · May 12, 2015 · 10.87 ft · Minor

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 PlatteCO7.011.20 ft, Jul 12, 19961
WatertonCO5.55.68 ft, Apr 23, 19420
Cheesman ReservoirCO7.013.40 ft, Apr 29, 19701
Balzac this gaugeCO10.013.71 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 Morgan County

Flood gauges in Morgan County
Fort Morgan17.525.73 ft, Sep 15, 20131
Weldona10.019.20 ft, Sep 14, 20131

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BZNC2, 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.