Kayak Love

New Mexico · river

Rio Chama below Abiquiu Dam

USGS monitoring location. Launch access and paddling suitability have not been verified.

Weather comparison · not a safety rating

80

Mostly favorable

Weather score out of 100

Weather only. This is a monitoring station, not a verified launch. Access, hazards and suitable flow are unknown.

Weather observation: Mon, 19 Oct 2026 10:30:00 GMT.

River observation: Mon, 19 Oct 2026 10:15:00 GMT.

Page checked: Mon, 19 Oct 2026 10:42:03 GMT. Readings older than one hour are not used for the current score.

Photograph taken near Rio Chama below Abiquiu Dam
Nearby on Wikimedia Commons — 16 21 2615 abiquiu.jpg by Dsdugan, CC BY-SA 4.0. Taken within 10km of this location — it may not show the launch itself.

Wind

1 mph

gusting to 2 mph

Air temp

47°F

0% chance of rain

River flow

182 cfs

normal for this date

Weather outlook

Sunday · 100

  • Mon

    59

  • Tue

    94

  • Wed

    88

  • Thu

    75

  • Fri

    49

  • Sat

    88

  • Sun

    100

    Best

Compares forecast wind, air temperature and rain. Does not assess river flow, swell, currents, water temperature or launch access. All times are local to this location.

Wind, next 12 hours

mph
Hourly wind forecast
HourWind (mph)Gusts (mph)
4a34
5a33
6a67
7a77
8a77
9a14
10a47
11a55
12p44
1p45
2p411
3p811

Is this flow normal for October 19?

Today's 182 cfs is 12% above the median for this date — which counts as normal water here.

The median flow on this date is 162 cfs, across 55 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 — 1 mph — light wind at the forecast location±0
  • Cold — 47°F air temperature — cool weather; water temperature is not measured-20

We don't have launch notes for this one

This page is built from the USGS gauge at this location, and uses available public readings. 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

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