Purgatoire River

Streamflow, conditions and background by watershed segment. Data through November 1, 2026.

Where it is

Segments are the HUC8 watersheds the gauges sit in, numbered upstream to downstream. Use the buttons to switch between the state and the river.

Map of the Purgatoire River in New MexicoNew Mexico, with the Purgatoire River's 1 watershed segment shaded and numbered upstream to downstream, the river and its gauges, and towns near it (Trinidad).Beaver CreekCanadian RiverChaco RiverEast Fork Gila RiverGila RiverMimbres RiverPecos RiverRio ChamaRio GrandeRio HondoRio PuercoRio SaladoRio San JoseSalt CreekSan Francisco RiverSan Juan River1. Purgatoire (HUC 11020010)Purgatoire RiverAlbuquerqueSanta FeLas CrucesRoswellFarmingtonCanadian River1. Purgatoire (HUC 11020010)South Fork Purgatoire RiverSouth Fork Purgatoire RiverSouth Fork Purgatoire RiverSouth Fork Purgatoire RiverSouth Fork Purgatoire RiverSouth Fork Purgatoire RiverSouth Fork Purgatoire RiverSouth Fork Purgatoire RiverSouth Fork Purgatoire RiverNorth Fork Purgatoire RiverNorth Fork Purgatoire RiverNorth Fork Purgatoire RiverNorth Fork Purgatoire RiverNorth Fork Purgatoire RiverNorth Fork Purgatoire RiverNorth Fork Purgatoire RiverNorth Fork Purgatoire RiverNorth Fork Purgatoire RiverTrinchera CreekTrinchera CreekSan Francisco CreekSan Francisco CreekSan Francisco CreekSan Francisco CreekSan Francisco CreekSan Francisco CreekChicosa ArroyoChicosa ArroyoChicosa ArroyoChicosa ArroyoChicosa ArroyoChicosa ArroyoVan Bremer ArroyoTrinchera CreekChacuaco CreekChacuaco CreekChacuaco CreekChacuaco CreekChacuaco CreekTrinchera CreekTrinchera CreekTrinchera CreekTrinchera CreekTrinchera CreekTrinchera CreekTrinchera CreekTrinchera CreekTrinchera CreekTrinchera CreekChacuaco CreekVan Bremer ArroyoLuning ArroyoLuning ArroyoVan Bremer ArroyoVan Bremer ArroyoVan Bremer ArroyoVan Bremer ArroyoVan Bremer ArroyoVan Bremer ArroyoVan Bremer ArroyoVan Bremer ArroyoVan Bremer ArroyoVan Bremer ArroyoVan Bremer ArroyoVan Bremer ArroyoVan Bremer ArroyoChacuaco CreekChacuaco CreekChacuaco CreekChacuaco CreekChacuaco CreekChacuaco CreekChacuaco CreekChacuaco CreekChacuaco CreekChacuaco CreekChacuaco CreekChacuaco CreekChacuaco CreekChacuaco CreekChacuaco CreekChacuaco CreekPurgatoire RiverUnnamed reservoirTrinidadPurgatoire River nr Las Animas (Purgatoire)Purgatoire River @ Ninemile Dam (Purgatoire)MIDDLE FORK PURGATOIRE RIVER AT STONEWALL, CO. (Purgatoire)PURGATOIRE RIVER NEAR ALFALFA, CO. (Purgatoire)PURGATOIRE RIVER BELOW TRINIDAD LAKE, CO. (Purgatoire)PURGATOIRE RIVER AT MADRID, CO. (Purgatoire)PURGATOIRE RIVER NEAR HOEHNE, CO. (Purgatoire)PURGATOIRE RIVER AT TRINIDAD, CO. (Purgatoire)PURGATOIRE RIVER NEAR THATCHER, CO. (Purgatoire)1
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About the Purgatoire River

This report follows 199 miles (321 km) of the Purgatoire River, all within the Purgatoire watershed segment. At the lower end of the report the river drains about 3,449 square miles. Named tributaries joining it here include the Chacuaco Creek, Van Bremer Arroyo, San Francisco Creek, Trinchera Creek and Chicosa Arroyo. Largest urban areas near it: Trinidad. 9 gauges with at least 26 weeks of daily flow cover 1896 to 2026.

From the archive: NHDPlus river network, WBD watersheds, NHD waterbodies, TIGER urban areas and the report's gauges.

From the headwaters down

Each watershed segment in order, with last week's flow rated against the same week in 1991–2020.

  1. Purgatoire

    44 cfs last week normal, 228 dry days this year.

    Towns: Trinidad.

    Water 12.0 °C at Purgatoire River Near Thatcher, CO. Median conductance 2,790 µS/cm in the 2020s. Rain over the last 3 months: 201% of normal.

Reservoirs

ReservoirCompletedMain purposeStorage, acre-ft
Trinidad Dam1976Flood Risk Reduction164,930

From the archive: National Inventory of Dams (USACE) and the reservoir registry.

Sources

Numbered sources for the statements above, as they were read when the page was prepared.