Paonia Reservoir Water Level
Colorado · Muddy Creek
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Water level history
About Paonia Reservoir
Paonia Reservoir is a reservoir on the Muddy Creek in Colorado, operated by U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Its full summer pool sits at 6447.5 ft above sea level. Live water levels come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS) and update hourly.
Understanding Paonia Reservoir's water level
"Full pool" is the elevation U.S. Bureau of Reclamation targets when Paonia Reservoir is completely filled — 6447.5 feet above sea level. That is the elevation Paonia Reservoir reaches at the top of a good runoff year, not a level it is held at. Reservoirs like this one fill from winter storms and snowmelt and are then drawn down deliberately through the dry season, so the gap between today's reading and 6447.5 ft is normally the season rather than a shortage. Judge it against the same week last year, not against full.
Paonia Reservoir fills on mountain snowmelt through spring and early summer, then declines through the irrigation season and into autumn. How high it gets is set by the winter snowpack rather than by summer rain, so a thin snow year shows up in the level all the way through to the following spring.
The recent high and low above are drawn from the published history available for Paonia Reservoir, so they show how today compares over that record rather than an all-time extreme. The 12-month and 5-year chart views make the trend and the lake's usual seasonal shape easy to see.
Paonia Reservoir — frequently asked
What is the current water level of Paonia Reservoir?
The gauge at the top of this page shows Paonia Reservoir's current elevation in feet above sea level, updated from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CWMS).
What is full pool for Paonia Reservoir?
Paonia Reservoir's full summer pool is 6447.5 feet above sea level. Levels are typically drawn down below that in winter for flood storage.
Who manages Paonia Reservoir?
Paonia Reservoir is operated by U.S. Bureau of Reclamation on the Muddy Creek.
Where is Paonia Reservoir located?
Paonia Reservoir is in Colorado, on the Muddy Creek.
Why is Paonia Reservoir low right now?
Reservoir levels fall during dry spells and seasonal drawdown — when U.S. Bureau of Reclamation lowers the pool for flood storage, power, or water supply — and recover after rain and snowmelt. The history chart above shows the recent trend.
What are the record high and low levels for Paonia Reservoir?
The recent record high and low elevations are shown in the stats on this page, computed from the available published history for Paonia Reservoir.
Other lakes near Paonia Reservoir
- Ridgway ReservoirCO
- Lemon ReservoirCO
- Vallecito ReservoirCO
- Cherry Creek ReservoirCO
- Blue Mesa ReservoirCO
- Chatfield ReservoirCO
See current levels for all 7 Colorado lakes and reservoirs →
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