USGS Water-Year Summary 2024

07128500 PURGATOIRE RIVER NEAR LAS ANIMAS, CO

LOCATION - Lat 38°02'03.2", long 103°12'05.1" referenced to North American Datum of 1983, in NE 1/4 SW 1/4 sec.23, T.23 S., R.52 W., Bent County, CO, Hydrologic Unit 11020010, near center of span on downstream side of bridge on State Highway 101, 2.3 mi southeast of courthouse in Las Animas, and 4.5 mi upstream from mouth.

DRAINAGE AREA - 3,441 mi² of which 11.8 mi² probably is noncontributing.

REVISIONS HISTORY - WSP 1241: 1927 (M). WDR-US-2011: Drainage area.

SURFACE-WATER RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD - May to September 1889, July to October 1909 (gage heights and discharge measurements only), January 1922 to September 1931, July 1948 to current year. Monthly discharge only for some periods, published in WSP 1311. Published as Purgatoire Creek at Las Animas in 1889 and as Purgatory River near Las Animas in 1909. Statistical summary computed for 1978 to current year, subsequent to completion of Trinidad Reservoir.

GAGE - Water-stage recorder with satellite telemetry and crest-stage gage. Datum of gage is 3,878.04 ft above NGVD of 1929. See WSP 1731 for history of changes prior to Oct. 1, 1955. Oct. 1, 1955 to July 11, 1966, at site on left bank at datum 6.00 ft higher. Supplementary water-stage recorder at site 1.6 mi downstream at different datum, July 12 to Nov. 17, 1966. Nov. 18, 1966 to May 4, 1982, at site on left bank 15 ft upstream at datum 3.1 ft higher. May 5, 1982 to July 16, 2002, at site on right bank at same datum. July 17, 2002 to Oct. 17, 2011, at site on left bank at downstream side of bridge at same datum. Oct. 18, 2011 to Apr. 26, 2012, at current site and datum. Apr. 27, 2012 to Nov. 19, 2012, at site on right bank 15 ft upstream at same datum. Nov. 20, 2012 to Sep. 9, 2014, near center of span on upstream side of bridge at same datum. Sep. 10, 2014 to current near center of span on downstream side of bridge at same datum.

REMARKS - Water year 2014; records good except for estimated daily discharges, which are poor. Water year 2015; records good except for estimated daily discharges, which are poor. Water year 2016; no estimated daily discharges. Records good except for the periods Dec. 15 to Jan. 24, and Feb. 3-6, which are poor. Water year 2017; records fair except for estimated daily discharges, which are poor. Water year 2018; records fair except for estimated daily discharges, which are poor. Water year 2019; records fair except for the period Dec. 9 to Mar. 8, and estimated daily discharges, which are poor. Water year 2020; records fair except for estimated daily discharges, which are poor. Water year 2021; records fair except for estimated daily discharges, which are poor. Water year 2022; records fair except for estimated daily discharges, which are poor. Water year 2023; records fair except for estimated daily discharges, which are poor. Natural flow of stream affected by storage reservoirs, diversions for irrigation and municipal use, groundwater withdrawals, return flows from irrigated areas, and flows from sewage-treatment plants. Flows regulated to some extent by Trinidad Lake (station 07124400) about 141 mi upstream since Jan. 1975.

EXTREMES OUTSIDE PERIOD OF RECORD - Flood of Oct. 1, 1904, is the greatest since at least 1860, discharge unknown.

EXTREMES FOR PERIOD PRIOR TO REGULATION - Maximum discharge, 70,000 ft³/s, May 20, 1955, from rating curve extended above 38,000 ft³/s, gage height 15.00 ft, at different datum.