Yampa River flows on the rise, triggering flood warning
City of Steamboat Springs/Screenshot
The Yampa River continues to run strong through Steamboat Springs, measuring 1,900 cubic feet per second on Wednesday afternoon, May 10, at the U.S. Geological Survey gauge at the Fifth Street bridge downtown.
Routt County is under a flood warning between 5 a.m., Thursday, May 11 through noon, Saturday, May 13.
Following a river flow dip on Monday and Tuesday, the prediction from the Colorado Basin River Forecast Center is that Yampa River flows will keep trending up to reach 3,099 cfs, or 5.6 feet, on May 19 at the Fifth Street gauge.
Forecasts from the center extend 10 days in advance. Residents can visit the website for the Colorado Basin River Forecast Center, a division of the National Weather Service, at CBRFC.noaa.gov/lmap/lmap.php and zoom in on the Yampa Valley to find specific gauging stations.
On Wednesday the gauging station on the Elk River at County Road 42 just west of the Marabou Ranch neighborhood remained above action stage at 7.3 feet, and the forecast shows an increase to above flood stage at 7.8 feet on Friday, similar to a high reached on May 4.
Hydrologists with the forecast center say Yampa River water flow through downtown Steamboat traditionally peaks between May 16 and June 7 each year.
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