In-town access points
The local fishing guide identifies access behind the River Center, at Town Park, by the Visitor Center, and at Yamaguchi Park. Use designated access and parking, follow posted signs, and respect adjacent private property.
Live river report · San Juan River
A live Pagosa Springs fishing report with San Juan River flow, nearby water temperature, weather, forecasts, and a year of official history—automatically updated hourly.
Live river desk
USGS reading from
Current data recap
The San Juan River in Pagosa Springs is flowing at 856 CFS. That is down 7,464 CFS (89.7%) from seven days ago.
The historical median daily mean for October 30 is 90 CFS from 90 approved daily observations. The current instantaneous reading is 851.1% above that seasonal reference.
The separate USGS water-temperature station near County Road 119 last reported 46.2°F at Oct 23, 2:45 AM MDT. Because that reading is more than three hours old, it is not treated as current.
NOAA's modeled 24-hour outlook is 963 CFS, 12.5% higher than the current reading. NWS reports 36°F and mostly sunny, with N winds 5 mph and 4% chance of precipitation. Air temperatures are forecast between 36° and 62°F over the next 24 hours with precipitation chances reaching 85%. Thunderstorms appear in the hourly forecast, so check timing before heading out.
Before you go: No San Juan River entry was found in CPW's current weather and drought closure list. Verify the official list before fishing because restrictions can change quickly.
Automatically assembled from the official data below. This recap cannot assess water clarity, hatches, current access conditions, temperatures between sensor locations, or how actively fish are feeding. USGS historical statistics methodology.
−7,464 CFS
USGS station 09342500
Last reported Fri, Oct 23, 2:45 AM MDT
Measured discharge
Cubic feet per second at the Pagosa Springs gauge
Looking downstream · NOAA
Forecast discharge at the Pagosa gauge. These are modeled values, not guaranteed conditions.
Forecast issued .
Open NOAA hydrographDaily river data
Compare daily San Juan River flow with the nearby USGS water-temperature range. The newest seven dates are shown first; expand the table for the full 30-day record.
| Date | Daily average | Low–high | Latest / close | Daily change | Water temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| So far | 914.8 CFS | 856–971 CFS | 856 CFS | −107 CFS | — |
| 1,076.9 CFS | 963–1,250 CFS | 963 CFS | −267 CFS | — | |
| 1,386.8 CFS | 1,230–1,600 CFS | 1,230 CFS | −390 CFS | — | |
| 1,827.6 CFS | 1,610–2,180 CFS | 1,620 CFS | −600 CFS | — | |
| 2,528.3 CFS | 2,120–3,220 CFS | 2,220 CFS | −820 CFS | — | |
| 3,479.8 CFS | 3,040–4,330 CFS | 3,040 CFS | −1,190 CFS | — | |
| 4,239.1 CFS | 3,580–5,280 CFS | 4,230 CFS | −1,050 CFS | — |
| Date | Daily average | Low–high | Latest / close | Daily change | Water temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7,075 CFS | 5,260–9,230 CFS | 5,280 CFS | −3,010 CFS | 46.2–46.9°Flatest 46.2° | |
| 3,612.9 CFS | 1,090–8,290 CFS | 8,290 CFS | +7,295 CFS | 46–48°Flatest 46.9° | |
| 502.4 CFS | 450–995 CFS | 995 CFS | +494 CFS | 43.9–48.6°Flatest 48.2° | |
| 509.7 CFS | 487–536 CFS | 501 CFS | −28 CFS | 46–52.3°Flatest 48° | |
| 540.3 CFS | 515–579 CFS | 529 CFS | −46 CFS | 44.6–51.4°Flatest 48.9° | |
| 606.5 CFS | 568–669 CFS | 575 CFS | −90 CFS | 40.8–47.7°Flatest 46.8° | |
| 702.3 CFS | 654–780 CFS | 665 CFS | −115 CFS | 40.6–47.8°Flatest 45.3° | |
| 940.7 CFS | 780–1,240 CFS | 780 CFS | −470 CFS | 40.8–47.1°Flatest 45° | |
| 1,533.8 CFS | 1,220–2,070 CFS | 1,250 CFS | −850 CFS | 42.4–48.2°Flatest 45.5° | |
| 2,394.3 CFS | 1,940–2,900 CFS | 2,100 CFS | +180 CFS | 44.1–47.5°Flatest 44.1° | |
| 795.3 CFS | 525–1,920 CFS | 1,920 CFS | +1,355 CFS | 47.5–49.8°Flatest 47.5° | |
| 581.6 CFS | 424–724 CFS | 565 CFS | +204 CFS | 49.1–53.8°Flatest 49.8° | |
| 240 CFS | 216–361 CFS | 361 CFS | +139 CFS | 52–56.8°Flatest 53.8° | |
| 215.6 CFS | 200–228 CFS | 222 CFS | 0 CFS | 49.6–55.9°Flatest 53.8° | |
| 230.3 CFS | 212–248 CFS | 222 CFS | −23 CFS | 48.2–58.1°Flatest 53.2° | |
| 254.1 CFS | 232–283 CFS | 245 CFS | −27 CFS | 47.8–58.6°Flatest 54° | |
| 286.5 CFS | 265–305 CFS | 272 CFS | −28 CFS | 49.1–55.6°Flatest 52.5° | |
| 319.7 CFS | 300–352 CFS | 300 CFS | −31 CFS | 49.8–58.3°Flatest 54° | |
| 346.1 CFS | 326–374 CFS | 331 CFS | −43 CFS | 49.5–58.6°Flatest 55.6° | |
| 395 CFS | 364–427 CFS | 374 CFS | −53 CFS | 48.6–57.6°Flatest 54.9° | |
| 470.9 CFS | 427–515 CFS | 427 CFS | −88 CFS | 48–56.7°Flatest 54.3° | |
| 588.9 CFS | 504–677 CFS | 515 CFS | −162 CFS | 46.2–54.9°Flatest 52.9° | |
| 811.9 CFS | 673–1,070 CFS | 677 CFS | −403 CFS | 47.3–54.1°Flatest 51.1° |
How it is calculated: Daily average, minimum, and maximum use every valid USGS discharge reading available for that Mountain Time date. Latest / close is the final available reading for the day.
About today: The current date is incomplete and marked “So far.” Daily change compares each date’s latest reading with the previous date’s latest reading. Values may be revised by USGS.
Water temperature: Daily low and high use readings from separate USGS station 09342600 near County Road 119. A dash means that station did not report for the date.
Plan before you cast
Pagosa Springs has designated public access along the in-town San Juan River, but public and private stretches can sit close together. Check signs at each location and do not use private banks or crossings without permission.
The local fishing guide identifies access behind the River Center, at Town Park, by the Visitor Center, and at Yamaguchi Park. Use designated access and parking, follow posted signs, and respect adjacent private property.
Anglers age 16 and older need a valid Colorado fishing license. Rules, closures, and season details can change, so verify current Colorado Parks and Wildlife information before fishing.
Read it honestly
Published by Pagosa Troutfitters, a local Pagosa Springs guide service. The recap is assembled automatically from the official sources shown above; it does not use guide field notes or claim conditions the instruments cannot measure.
River conditions explained
Yes. The page retrieves the newest available measurements from USGS station 09342500 at Pagosa Springs and refreshes its cached data hourly. It is near-real-time monitoring data, not a second-by-second feed, and USGS may revise provisional readings.
CFS means cubic feet per second. It measures how much water passes the gauge each second. Comparing today's CFS with the historical median and recent trend is more informative than treating one flow number as good or bad by itself.
The current instantaneous reading is 856 CFS. The historical median daily mean for this calendar date is 90 CFS, based on 90 approved daily observations. These are different measurement types, so the comparison provides seasonal context rather than a fishing-quality rating.
The separate USGS station near County Road 119 last reported 46.2°F at Fri, Oct 23, 2:45 AM MDT. That reading is more than three hours old, so this page does not treat it as current.
This page did not find a current San Juan River entry in Colorado Parks and Wildlife's closure list, but anglers should verify the official list because drought and warm-water restrictions can change quickly.
The local fishing guide identifies public access behind the River Center, at Town Park, by the Visitor Center, and at Yamaguchi Park. Use designated access and parking, follow posted signs, and respect private property along the river.
Anglers age 16 and older need a valid Colorado fishing license. Anglers under 16 can fish without a license. Check Colorado Parks and Wildlife for current license details, regulations, and closures before fishing.
It is the automated river-data portion of a fishing report. Flow, historical context, weather, and trend help with planning, but they do not reveal water clarity, temperature at the gauge, current hatches, productive flies, or how actively trout are feeding.
Pagosa Troutfitters, a local fly-fishing guide service based in Pagosa Springs, publishes this report. The recap is assembled automatically from official USGS, NOAA, National Weather Service, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife data. It does not use guide field notes or claim to observe water clarity, hatches, fly selection, or fish activity.
USGS station 09342500 measures the San Juan River at Pagosa Springs, Colorado. Gauge height describes the water level at that monitoring location; it is not the depth of every run, riffle, or fishing access point.
Need help planning?
Conditions can change quickly. Ask about current trip availability and whether the in-town San Juan or private water is the better fit for your group.