DENVER – The melting snowpack over the last month fortunately hasn't resulted in widespread flooding through Colorado. But that doesn't mean extra caution isn't needed along the state's swollen rivers, which are seeing above average streamflow from the snowmelt.
Over the last week, streamflows in some rivers have been more than 400% of normal in some areas of the state, from the Front Range into the high country. Not every river is seeing those extremely high numbers, but most across the western half of the state are well above normal.
The data comes from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), which measures a river's streamflow by cubic feet per second and compares it to the river's historical median and mean.
For example, the 7-day average (ending Friday) for Tenmile Creek in Frisco was 1,079.29 cubic feet per second, according to the USGS WaterWatch map. That was 348.32% of the normal mean, or average. You can view the full map here.
Here are some of the strongest streamflows (compared to the normal mean) over the last week, according to the USGS:
Black Gore Creek, near Minturn: 226.57 cubic feet per second; 547.80% of normal.
Cochetopa Creek, near Parlin: 269.57 cubic feet per second; 545.47% of normal.
Boulder Creek, near Longmont: 430.14 cubic feet per second; 411.38% of normal.
Vasquez Creek, at Winter Park: 212.86 cubic feet per second; 402.69% of normal.
Colorado River, near Grand Lake: 795.71 cubic feet per second; 365.16% of normal.
Arkansas River, near Leadville: 758.57 cubic feet per second; 362.43% of normal.
Yampa River, near Craig: 6,705.71 cubic feet per second; 355.94% of normal.
Eagle River, at Red Cliff: 342.00 cubic feet per second; 374.96% of normal.
Vallecito Creek, near Bayfield: 1097.29 cubic feet per second; 347.11% of normal.
Yampa River, at Steamboat Springs: 2,481.43 cubic feet per second; 343.75% of normal.
Cimarron River, near Cimarron: 898.43 cubic feet per second; 307.24% of normal.
Arkansas River, at Pueblo: 3,971.43 cubic feet per second; 304.66% of normal.
North Fork Poudre River, at Livermore: 161.43 cubic feet per second; 250% of normal.