Kayak Love

Colorado · river

Colorado River near Dotsero

Live conditions for this USGS-monitored stretch of water, updated every 15 minutes.

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Paddle Score, from live wind and water conditions

Photograph taken near Colorado River near Dotsero
Nearby on Wikimedia Commons — Lake at Eagle River Colorado River confluence.jpg by This Photo was taken by Wolfgang Moroder . Feel free to use my photos, but please mention me as the author and send me a message . This image is not in the public domain . Please respect the copyright protection. It may only be used according to the rules mentioned here. This specifically excludes use in social media , if applicable terms of the licenses listed here not appropriate. Please do not upload an updated image here without consultation with the Author. The author would like to make corrections only at his own source. This ensures that the changes are preserved. Please if you think that any changes should be required, please inform the author. Otherwise you can upload a new image with a new name. Please use one of the templates derivative or extract ., CC BY-SA 3.0. Taken within 10km of this location — it may not show the launch itself.

Wind

10 mph

gusting to 12 mph

Air temp

89°F

1% chance of rain

River flow

919 cfs

very low for this date

Best day to paddle this week

Thursday · 95

  • Today

    58

  • Tue

    26

  • Wed

    88

  • Thu

    95

    Best

  • Fri

    68

  • Sat

    77

  • Sun

    84

Scored from each day's peak forecast wind, heat, and rain chance — river flow isn't forecastable, so check back before you load the boat.

Wind, next 12 hours

mph
Hourly wind forecast
HourWind (mph)Gusts (mph)
5p1215
6p910
7p1012
8p915
9p1113
10p1014
11p911
12a67
1a45
2a33
3a23
4a12

Is this flow normal for August 17?

Today's 919 cfs is 40% below the median for this date — which counts as very low water here.

The median flow on this date is 1,520 cfs, across 84 years of USGS record at this gauge. Whether that is runnable depends on the stretch — this is context, not a recommendation.

Why this score

  • Wind — 10 mph — noticeable but manageable-10

We don't have launch notes for this one

This page is built from the USGS gauge at this location, so the flow and weather are real — but we haven't verified where to put in, what the hazards are, or whether this stretch is legal or sensible to paddle. We'd rather say that than invent it. The links below are where to find out.

We also don't have a verified safe-flow range here, so the Paddle Score reflects weather only. Judge the flow number against local knowledge, not against our score.

Do your own homework

We show you live conditions. For local knowledge — where to put in, what the hazards are, whether it's worth the drive — here's where paddlers actually talk about this water. We don't vet these sources; check the dates and judge for yourself.

Nearby water

All paddling spots in Colorado →