Dolores River
Streamflow, conditions and background by watershed segment. Data through November 1, 2026.
Data gaps and disparities
Found automatically in the gauge records behind this river, and notes from a reviewer who checked them against other sources. Gauges need at least 26 weeks of daily data to appear on the Flow tab.
Warnings (2)
- warning: gap Dolores River At Dolores: 2 gaps of 60+ days inside the record (5,846 days in all). Longest: Sep 30, 1912 to Sep 30, 1921 (3,288 days); Sep 30, 1903 to Sep 30, 1910 (2,558 days).
- warning: gap Dolores River Near Slick Rock, CO: 15 gaps of 60+ days inside the record (4,074 days in all). Longest: Jul 1, 2003 to Apr 9, 2008 (1,745 days); Jul 1, 2001 to Feb 28, 2002 (243 days); Jul 1, 2002 to Feb 28, 2003 (243 days).
Context (5)
Show 5 notes
- ended Discontinued gauges: 1 gauge has stopped reporting: Dolores River Near Mcphee, CO (last 1952). Their segments rest on fewer gauges after those years.
- flatline Dolores River At Dolores: 68 runs of 30+ days at exactly the same flow: 20.0 cfs for 120 days from Nov 1, 1901; 60.0 cfs for 90 days from Dec 1, 1896; 40.0 cfs for 90 days from Dec 1, 1899. Usually an estimated period (ice, a broken gauge) rather than measured daily flow.
- flatline Dolores River Below Mcphee Reservoir: 33 runs of 30+ days at exactly the same flow: 30.0 cfs for 93 days from Dec 5, 2011; 28.0 cfs for 75 days from Dec 16, 1994; 30.0 cfs for 69 days from Dec 8, 2009. Below a dam this is usually a steady set release, which is real flow.
- flatline Dolores River Below Rico, CO: 5 runs of 30+ days at exactly the same flow: 11.0 cfs for 91 days from Jan 1, 1964; 119.0 cfs for 75 days from Jan 10, 1998; 20.8 cfs for 46 days from Dec 24, 2000. Usually an estimated period (ice, a broken gauge) rather than measured daily flow.
- gap Dolores River Below Rico, CO: 5 gaps of 60+ days inside the record (600 days in all). Longest: Oct 30, 2019 to Mar 25, 2020 (148 days); Nov 29, 2021 to Apr 6, 2022 (129 days); Nov 25, 2020 to Mar 25, 2021 (121 days).
Values removed (0)
A reading is removed automatically only when it is impossible (for example, a daily mean above the highest flow USGS recorded that water year). Low and zero flows are never removed: rivers here really do dry up.
None.
Gauges
Each row is one physical gauge; "published by" lists every agency copy that was merged into it.
| Gauge | Segment | Published by | First | Last | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dolores River At Dolores | Upper Dolores | codwr | 1895-09-30 | 2026-10-26 | 6000 |
| Dolores River Near Slick Rock, CO | Upper Dolores | codwr | 1997-04-28 | 2026-09-28 | 952 |
| Dolores River Below Rico, CO | Upper Dolores | codwr | 1951-10-01 | 2026-10-26 | 3797 |
| Dolores River Below Mcphee Reservoir | Upper Dolores | codwr | 1985-08-12 | 2026-10-26 | 2143 |
| Dolores River Near Mcphee, CO | Upper Dolores | codwr | 1938-10-03 | 1952-09-22 | 730 |