Gunnison River near Grand Junction, CO
River level and flood forecast · Mesa County
Normal2.9 ftas of Mon 1:30 PM
The river is 10.1 ft below flood stage (13 ft).
Forecast to hold near 2.9 ft through Mon, Oct 19, 6 AM.
Flow: 1,050 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Mon, Oct 12, 11:22 AM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 16 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 15 ft |
| Flood stage | 13 ft |
| Action stage | 10 ft |
| Record crest (May 17, 2023) | 12.32 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 19 ftPortions of town of Whitewater flooded. Major flooding of residences and agricultural land along Gunnison River. Portions of railroad tracks washed out.
- 18 ftRanch land near southern end of Foster Lane begins to flood.
- 17.5 ftWater reaches the railroad tracks paralleling the Gunnison River near State Highway 141 bridge. Sections of 141 in vicinity of the bridge are flooded as well as Foster Lane, Coffman Road and CS15.
- 16 ftWater nears the top of the right bank of the Gunnison River near State Highway 141 bridge.
- 14.25 ftWater covers State Highway 141 bridge. Highway 141 becomes impassable.
- 13 ftSome residential flooding is likely near Redlands Dam.
- 11 ftWater nears the bottom of State Highway 141 bridge. Water reaches the base of the bridge near Redlands Dam.
- 10 ftConsiderable agricultural land flooding is likely between Whitewater and Orchard Mesa. Water flows into quarry on left bank of Gunnison downstream of State Highway 141 bridge.
- 9 ftSome lowland flooding near redlands dam is likely. Low lying agricultural land flooded.
- 8.6 ftWater reaches the top of the left bank on the west side of the State Highway 141 bridge. Water begins to fill gravel quarry on left bank upstream of State Highway 141 bridge.
- 7 ftWater will inundate sections of the river walk near Redlands Dam.
Highest crests on record
- 12.32 ft — May 17, 2023
- 11.91 ft — June 9, 2019
- 11.71 ft — May 26, 2017
- 11.41 ft — May 22, 2008
- 11.29 ft — June 8, 2011
Recent crests: 3.95 ft (April 2, 2026) · 6.2 ft (June 2, 2025) · 8.34 ft (May 22, 2024) · 12.32 ft (May 17, 2023) · 6.58 ft (May 19, 2022)
Up and down the river, and nearby
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (GJNC2); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.