Rifle River near Sterling
Observed Tue, Sep 22, 12:30 AM EDT
- Flood stage
- 6.00 ft
- Record crest
- 15.72 ft2020
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 13.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 11.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 6.00 ft |
| Action | 5.00 ft |
- 15.00 ftFlooding of property along North Main Street in Omer.
- 12.00 ftFlooding of homes along Pinnacle Drive and Miller Road. Flooding of Crystal Creek Campground along Grove Road.
- 11.00 ftFlooding occurs at Rifle River Campground and Canoe Livery.
- 9.00 ftHigh water begins to impact campground at White's Canoe Livery at Melita Road bridge.
- 6.00 ftHigh water begins to impact canoe livery at River View Campground.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 21% |
| Moderate flooding | Under 5% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued August 28, 2026.
Crest history
100 crests on NOAA’s list since 1937.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 19, 2020 | 15.72 ft |
| 2 | March 28, 1950 | 13.74 ft |
| 3 | February 21, 2018 | 12.96 ft |
| 4 | March 21, 1948 | 12.62 ft |
| 5 | March 25, 1939 | 12.07 ft |
| 6 | April 14, 2026 | 11.64 ft |
| 7 | March 6, 1974 | 11.43 ft |
| 8 | March 28, 1989 | 11.39 ft |
| 9 | March 3, 1991 | 11.33 ft |
| 10 | May 21, 1959 | 10.99 ft |
| 11 | April 15, 2014 | 10.90 ft |
| 12 | March 16, 2019 | 10.75 ft |
| 13 | June 2, 1943 | 10.70 ft |
| 14 | March 30, 1962 | 10.67 ft |
| 15 | March 31, 1940 | 10.65 ft |
| 16 | June 3, 1945 | 10.59 ft |
| 17 | April 19, 2013 | 10.30 ft |
| 18 | March 6, 2004 | 10.08 ft |
| 19 | April 4, 1956 | 10.01 ft |
| 20 | April 28, 2011 | 9.83 ft |
| 21 | September 30, 1986 | 9.80 ft |
| 22 | September 1, 1975 | 9.79 ft |
| 23 | June 19, 1996 | 9.78 ft |
| 24 | April 12, 1965 | 9.65 ft |
| 25 | March 23, 2007 | 9.54 ft |
Most recent crests
- April 14, 2026: 11.64 ft
- April 1, 2025: 9.15 ft
- March 9, 2024: 4.54 ft
- April 6, 2023: 6.75 ft
- March 24, 2022: 7.74 ft
- March 12, 2021: 4.72 ft
- May 19, 2020: 15.72 ft
- April 30, 2020: 7.66 ft
- December 31, 2019: 8.34 ft
- November 28, 2019: 7.01 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
What this means
Forecasts by the North Central River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued as needed during times of high water, but are not routinely available. River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 24 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time. River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 48 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time. Stage may be affected by ice during winter months.
Sources
Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service. Streamflow and the daily record from the U.S. Geological Survey.