National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service

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Web Portal Changes: The Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) hosted at https://water.weather.gov will be replaced by the National Water Prediction Service (NWPS), with a target of March 2024. Existing AHPS content and features will be preserved and expanded within NWPS.

Experimental National Water Center Products: The National Hydrologic Discussion, Area Hydrologic Discussion, and Flood Hazard Outlook, and real-time geospatial services depicting River Forecast Center and National Water Model forecasts, continue to be accessible via https://www.weather.gov/owp/operations, as described in the StoryMap here.

Weather Forecast Office Denver/Boulder, CO

Missouri Basin River Forecast Center

Air Quality Alert

Hydrograph

River at a Glance

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Cache La Poudre River (CO) above Fort Collins

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About this graph

Tabular Data (UTC)

Tabular Data (MDT)

Datum: NGVD29

Metadata

NOTE: Forecasts for the Cache La Poudre River (CO) above Fort Collins are issued as needed during times of high water, but are not routinely available.

Return to Area Map

Upstream Gauge

Downstream Gauge

Flood Categories (in feet)

Major Flood Stage:	10.5
Moderate Flood Stage:	9
Flood Stage:	7.5
Action Stage:	6.5
Low Stage (in feet):	-9999

Historic Crests
(1) 10.29 ft on 09/13/2013
(2) 8.08 ft on 05/31/2014
(3) 7.86 ft on 08/01/1976
(4) 7.72 ft on 06/21/1983
(5) 7.56 ft on 04/30/1999
(6) 7.03 ft on 06/18/1995
(7) 6.95 ft on 06/12/2015
(8) 6.94 ft on 06/12/2010
(9) 6.80 ft on 06/12/2016
(10) 6.72 ft on 07/01/2011
Show More Historic Crests

(P): Preliminary values subject to further review.

Recent Crests
(1) 6.07 ft on 05/23/2021
(2) 6.16 ft on 06/01/2020
(3) 5.92 ft on 07/01/2019
(4) 5.53 ft on 05/27/2018
(5) 6.57 ft on 06/11/2017
(6) 6.80 ft on 06/12/2016
(7) 6.95 ft on 06/12/2015
(8) 8.08 ft on 05/31/2014
(9) 10.29 ft on 09/13/2013
(10) 3.90 ft on 06/06/2012
Show More Recent Crests

(P): Preliminary values subject to further review.

Low Water Records
Currently none available.

For more information on your flood risk go to www.floodsmart.gov.

Show FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layers

Zoom Level:11

	Gauge Location	Disclaimer
Latitude/Longitude Disclaimer: The gauge location shown in the above map is the approximate location based on the latitude/longitude coordinates provided to the NWS by the gauge owner.

Flood Impacts & Photos

If you notice any errors in the below information, please contact our Webmaster
11	This is a major-life threatening flood with numerous streets and highways damaged and homes and businesses inundated.
10.4	Buildings flood in and near the town of Laporte. Numerous bridges...streets and highways along the river in Laporte and Fort Collins are impacted by flooding. This level represents a flood that has a 1-percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. For more information click here.
10	Numerous bridges crossing the river in Laporte and Fort Collins may be inaccessible as river levels rise to the base of the bridges. Water approaches several neighborhoods and North College Avenue from Vine to Conifer Streets on the north side of Fort Collins.
9.5	Laporte school buildings near the river flood. Highway 14 may be inaccessible in Poudre Canyon.
9	Roads along the river in Poudre Canyon begin to flood. River water begins to impact buildings in Laporte.
8.5	The river rises near the base of the bridge at College Avenue in Fort Collins.
7.8	This level represents a flood that has a 10-percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. For more information click here.
7.5	Considerable overbank flow and localized flooding occurs downstream in and near Laporte and Fort Collins.
7	The river may overflow onto low lying property including farmland near Harmony Road.
6.5	The river flows over the Poudre River Trail and bike path in low spots.
Photos (1) Looking Upstream (2) Looking Downstream

About This Location

Latitude: 40.664500° N, Longitude: 105.224200° W, Horizontal Datum: NAD27

River Stage Reference Frame	Gauge Height	Flood Stage	Uses
NWS stage	0 ft	7.5 ft	Interpreting hydrographs and NWS watch, warnings, and forecasts, and inundation maps
Vertical Datum	Elevation (gauge height = 0)	Elevation (gauge height = flood stage)	Elevation information source
NAVD88	Not Available	Not Available	Survey grade GPS equipment, FEMA flood plain maps, newer USGS topographic maps
NGVD 29	5220	5227.5	Older USGS topographic maps, NGVD29 benchmarks
MSL	Not Available	Not Available	Older USGS topographic maps, MSL benchmarks
Other	Not Available	Not Available

Additional Information

Observations provided by the Colorado Division of Water Resources
Observations also available from the City of Fort Collins

How low could the river get?

Resources

Hydrologic Resources

Additional Resources

Collaborative Agencies

The National Weather Service prepares its forecasts and other services in collaboration with agencies like the US Geological Survey, US Bureau of Reclamation, US Army Corps of Engineers, Natural Resource Conservation Service, National Park Service, ALERT Users Group, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and many state and local emergency managers across the country. For details, please click here.

NWS Information

National Weather Service
Denver/Boulder Weather Forecast Office
325 Broadway
Boulder, CO 80305-3328
(303) 494-4221
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Page last modified: 2-Nov-2020 7:28 PM

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