USGS Water-Year Summary for Site 07126300

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	Available Parameters
	00010 Temperature, water(Max.,Min.,Mean)
	00060 Discharge(Mean)
	00095 Specific cond at 25C(Mean,Min.,Max.)
	63680 Turbidity, Form Neph(Max.,Med.,Min.)

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Water year 2023: 2022-10-01 to 2023-09-30

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USGS Water-Year Summary 2023

07126300 PURGATOIRE RIVER NEAR THATCHER, CO

LOCATION - Lat 37°21'23", long 103°53'59" referenced to North American Datum of 1927, in NW 1/4 SW 1/4 sec.10, T.31 S., R.58 W., Las Animas County, CO, Hydrologic Unit 11020010, on right bank 250 ft downstream from county road bridge at gas line crossing, 1.2 mi downstream from Van Bremer Arroyo, and 18 mi southeast of Thatcher.

DRAINAGE AREA - 1,914 mi² of which 11.8 mi² probably is noncontributing.

REVISIONS HISTORY - WDR-US-2011: Drainage area.

SURFACE-WATER RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD - July 1966 to current year. Statistical summary computed for 1976 to current year, subsequent to completion of Trinidad Reservoir.

GAGE - Water-stage recorder with satellite telemetry and crest-stage gages. Elevation of gage is 4,790 ft above NGVD of 1929, from topographic map.

REMARKS - Water year 2014; records good except for flows above 1,800 ft³/s and below 2 ft³/s, and estimated daily discharges, which are poor. Water year 2015; records good except for flows above 1,780 ft³/s and below 2 ft³/s, and estimated daily discharges, which are poor. Water year 2016; records fair except for flows below 2 ft³/s, and estimated daily discharges, which are poor. Water year 2017; records good except for the period May 1 to June 22, flows above 2,050 ft³/s, and estimated daily discharges, which are poor. Water year 2018; records fair except for flows above 2,050 ft³/s, and estimated daily discharges, which are poor. Water year 2019; records fair except for flows above 2,050 ft³/s, and estimated daily discharges, which are poor. Water year 2020; records good except for flows above 2,050 ft³/s, and estimated daily discharges, which are poor. Water year 2021; records poor. Water year 2022; records good except for flows above 2,050 ft³/s and below 0.3 ft³/s, and estimated daily discharges, which are poor. Water year 2023; records fair except for flows above 2,050 ft³/s and below 0.50 ft³/s, and 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. Peak flows regulated to some extent by Trinidad Lake (station 07124400) 52 mi upstream since Jan. 1975.

EXTREMES OUTSIDE PERIOD OF RECORD - Floods of July 22, 1954 and May 19, 1955, reached stages of 26.7 and 25.2 ft, respectively, from floodmarks, discharges unknown. Flood of June 18, 1965, reached a stage of 23.5 ft, from floodmarks, discharge, 47,700 ft³/s.

EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD - Maximum discharge, 42,400 ft³/s, July 3, 1981, from rating curve extended above 2,020 ft³/s on basis of slope-area measurements of peak flow at gage heights 12.25 ft and 23.50 ft, gage height 22.00 ft.