Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

Rio Grande at Embudo

Highest listed crest 15.90 ftFlood stage 10.0 ft21 crests since 1903

The Rio Grande at Embudo crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 21 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1903 to 2009. The highest, 15.90 ft on June 19, 1903, was major flooding, 5.90 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Rio Grande crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
15.90 ft
June 19, 1903; 16,200 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
10.0 ft
Major flooding from 15.0 ft
Crests at major
1
6th of 46 gauges in New Mexico
Most recent flood crest
May 27, 2005
10.15 ft, minor flooding
Location
Rio Arriba County
New Mexico

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Rio Grande at Embudo
Action stage8.05Jun 8, 1997The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)10.04May 27, 2005Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage12.08May 20, 1987Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage15.01Jun 19, 1903Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

21 crests from 1903 to 2009. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Rio Grande at Embudo, 1903 to 2009 6810121416ft Flood stage 10.0 ftMajor 15.0 ft Jun 19, 1903: 15.90 ft, major flooding; 16,200 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 1920: 12.90 ft, moderate flooding; 12,700 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1921: 14.02 ft, moderate flooding; 14,400 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 1927: 10.60 ft, minor flooding; 9,500 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1941: 13.95 ft, moderate flooding; 12,000 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 1942: 12.02 ft, moderate flooding; 10,800 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1948: 12.32 ft, moderate flooding; 10,200 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 1949: 12.17 ft, moderate flooding; 9,990 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1979: 12.08 ft, moderate flooding; 9,000 cubic feet per secondJul 31, 1982: 8.56 ft, action stage; 5,010 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 1983: 9.06 ft, action stage; 5,660 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 1985: 11.60 ft, minor flooding; 8,420 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 1987: 12.32 ft, moderate flooding; 9,280 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 1991: 9.57 ft, action stage; 5,730 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 1994: 9.25 ft, action stage; 5,980 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 1995: 10.87 ft, minor flooding; 7,410 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 1997: 8.64 ft, action stage; 4,930 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 1999: 7.09 ft, below flood stage; 3,310 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 2005: 10.15 ft, minor flooding; 6,570 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 2008: 7.69 ft, below flood stage; 3,890 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 2009: 7.21 ft, below flood stage; 3,630 cubic feet per second Highest, 15.90 ft, Jun 19, 1903 19201940196019802000

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Rio Grande at Embudo 1900s: 1 1910s: 0 1920s: 3 1930s: 0 1940s: 4 4 1950s: 0 1960s: 0 1970s: 1 1980s: 2 1990s: 1 2000s: 1 1900s1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s
  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, Rio Grande at Embudo
1Jun 19, 190315.90+5.90Major16,200
2Jun 16, 192114.02+4.02Moderate14,400
3May 16, 194113.95+3.95Moderate12,000
4May 28, 192012.90+2.90Moderate12,700
5May 27, 194812.32+2.32Moderate10,200
6May 20, 198712.32+2.32Moderate9,280
7Jun 22, 194912.17+2.17Moderate9,990
8Jun 9, 197912.08+2.08Moderate9,000
9May 13, 194212.02+2.02Moderate10,800
10May 11, 198511.60+1.60Minor8,420
11Jul 6, 199510.87+0.87Minor7,410
12Jul 3, 192710.60+0.60Minor9,500
13May 27, 200510.15+0.15Minor6,570
14May 22, 19919.57−0.43Action5,730
15May 20, 19949.25−0.75Action5,980
16Jun 3, 19839.06−0.94Action5,660
17Jun 8, 19978.64−1.36Action4,930
18Jul 31, 19828.56−1.44Action5,010
19May 24, 20087.69−2.31Below flood stage3,890
20May 11, 20097.21−2.79Below flood stage3,630
21May 26, 19997.09−2.91Below flood stage3,310

The worst floods along the Rio Grande

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

June 19, 1903: 15.90 ft here, major flooding

  • LobatosCO · Jun 18, 1903 · 10.00 ft · Minor · its highest

June 16, 1921: 14.02 ft here, moderate flooding

  • LobatosCO · Jun 16, 1921 · 9.00 ft · Minor
  • Del NorteCO · Jun 13, 1921 · 6.10 ft · Minor

May 16, 1941: 13.95 ft here, moderate flooding

  • OtowiNM · May 16, 1941 · 13.54 ft · Moderate
  • San Felipe PuebloNM · May 14, 1941 · 10.53 ft · Moderate · its highest
  • EspanolaNM · May 15, 1941 · 10.40 ft · Minor · its highest

Gauges on the Rio Grande

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

Flood gauges on the Rio Grande
San Felipe PuebloNM8.510.53 ft, May 14, 19410
AlamosaCO9.010.62 ft, Jun 20, 19490
AlbuquerqueNM8.012.30 ft, Apr 24, 19420
Embudo this gaugeNM10.015.90 ft, Jun 19, 19031
EspanolaNM9.510.40 ft, May 15, 19410
OtowiNM9.014.50 ft, Sep 29, 19040
Wagon Wheel GapCO6.06.10 ft, Jun 9, 19850
Cochiti DamNM6.67.05 ft, May 31, 19840
Del NorteCO5.56.80 ft, Oct 5, 19110
LobatosCO9.010.00 ft, Jun 18, 19030

Other gauges in Rio Arriba County

Flood gauges in Rio Arriba County
Abiquiu5.45.52 ft, May 14, 19850
El Vado Dam6.87.08 ft, May 7, 19850
Chamita6.011.68 ft, Aug 14, 19941
Espanola9.510.40 ft, May 15, 19410
La Madera7.010.32 ft, Aug 25, 20251

Rio Arriba County: every hazard · River floods across the country · New Mexico

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge EMBN5, 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.