Cache La Poudre River (CO) at Fort Collins, CO
River level and flood forecast · Larimer County
Normal0.6 ftas of Mon 2 PM
The river is 9.4 ft below flood stage (10 ft).
Flow: 13 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Sun, Dec 31, 5 PM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 12 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 11 ft |
| Flood stage | 10 ft |
| Action stage | 8.5 ft |
| Record crest (September 13, 2013) | 11.56 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 12 ftCollege Avenue (U.S. Highway 287) is overtopped north of the Cache La Poudre River Bridge and the flow is directed along East Vine past Redwood Street. Water inundates businesses along East Prospect Road and East Mulberry Street.
- 11.8 ftThere is a 2 percent chance in any given year of reaching a flood of this magnitude.
- 10.5 ftWater inundates businesses along the east side of North College Avenue, East Vine Drive, and East Lincoln Avenue. Structures flood on the south side of East Mulberry Street along the river. The river also begins to impact structures along East Prospect Road.
- 8.5 ftThe Cache La Poudre River is out of its banks in and near Fort Collins. Water will flow onto bike paths in low lying areas.
Highest crests on record
- 11.56 ft — September 13, 2013
- 10.46 ft — April 30, 1999
- 9.54 ft — May 31, 2014
- 9.27 ft — June 12, 2010
- 8.49 ft — June 12, 2015
Recent crests: 6.8 ft (May 23, 2021) · 6.31 ft (June 1, 2020) · 5.74 ft (July 1, 2019) · 5.49 ft (May 28, 2018) · 7.05 ft (May 27, 2017)
Up and down the river, and nearby
- Big Thompson River (CO) at Loveland, CO
- North Fork Cache La Poudre River below Halligan Reservoir, CO
- Saint Vrain Creek below Longmont, CO
- South Platte River at Fort Lupton, CO
- Boulder Creek (CO) at North 75TH St., CO
- Colorado River below Bakers Gulch, CO
- Sand Creek (CO) near Commerce City, CO
- Colorado River near Granby, CO
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (POUC2); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.