USGS Water-Year Summary 2024
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.
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.