Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area

State Park in Salida, CO

Hours:

Park: Open 24 hours a day, year-round

Visitor Center: Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Sunday.
Closures

Entrance Fees:

Daily Vehicle Pass: $10
Individual Daily Pass: $4

Animals Permitted:

Leashed Dogs
Service Animals
Horses

Park Address:

307 West Sackett Ave.
Salida, CO 81201-1654
United States

Contact:

719-539-7289

[email protected]

Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area

State Park in Salida, CO

Hours:

Park: Open 24 hours a day, year-round

Visitor Center: Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Sunday.
Closures

Entrance Fees:

Daily Vehicle Pass: $10
Individual Daily Pass: $4

Animals Permitted:

Leashed Dogs
Service Animals
Horses

Park Address:

307 West Sackett Ave.
Salida, CO 81201-1654
United States

Contact:

719-539-7289

[email protected]

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Waterflow Readings

High Water Advisories

Rapid	Advisory in Effect	High Water Advisement	High Water Equipment Advisement
Numbers	No	It is recommended that the Numbers (Section 1E) not be run when the river is flowing over 2400 cfs at the Numbers/Below Granite gage as read at 7:00 am for full day or morning trips and at 12:00 noon for afternoon Numbers trips.	Helmets must be worn at all water levels. Wetsuits/dry suits are optional at all water levels depending upon weather and water conditions and advised when water levels are above 900 cfs as measured at the Numbers/Below Granite gage.
Pine Creek Rapid	No	It is recommended that Pine Creek Rapid (within Section 1D) not be run when the river is flowing over 1250 cfs at the Numbers/Below Granite gauge as read at 7:00 a.m. for full day or morning trips.	Helmets must be worn at all water levels. Wetsuits/dry suits are optional at all water levels depending upon weather and water conditions and advised when water levels are above 900 cfs as measured at the Numbers/Below Granite gauge.
Royal Gorge	No	It is recommended that the Royal Gorge (Section 5) not be run at flows over 3200 cfs at the Parkdale gauge as read at 7:00 a.m. for full day or morning trips and at 12:00 noon for afternoon Royal Gorge trips.	Helmets must be worn at all water levels. Wetsuits/drysuits are optional at all water levels depending upon weather and water conditions and advised when water levels are above 2800 cfs as measured at the Parkdale gauge.

Colors of Water

View the Colors of Water report on the Arkansas Basin Water Operations Dashboard.

Announcements

Date	Announcement	Details
November 19, 2024	Water Order FAP25-02 Amended	Mount Elbert Powerplant GENERAL We will begin the winter water program operations on November 15, 2024. We will increase the release from Twin Lakes for winter operations. CSU will not store their 3 cfs right in Turquoise. Sugarloaf Dam Friday, November 15, 2024 at 00:00 Hrs. Continue the 3 cfs native release to Lake Fork Creek. Twin Lakes Dam Tuesday, November 12, 2024 at 09:00 Hrs. Increase the release from Twin Lakes by 40 cfs of project water. Wednesday, November 13, 2024 at 09:00 Hrs. Increase the release from Twin Lakes by 45 cfs of project water. Thursday, November 14, 2024 at 09:00 Hrs. Increase the release from Twin Lakes by 45 cfs of project water. Friday, November 15, 2024 at 00:00 Hrs. Convert the 15 cfs native release to project. Store all native inflows to Twin Lakes for Twin Lakes Canal Company. Maintain these flows until further notice.
November 12, 2024	Water Order FAP 25-02	Mount Elbert Powerplant GENERAL We will begin the winter water program operations on November 15, 2024. We will increase the release from Twin Lakes for winter operations. Sugarloaf Dam Friday, November 15, 2024 at 00:00 Hrs. Convert the release down Lake Fork Creek to project water. Begin storing 3 cfs of native inflow for Colorado Springs. Twin Lakes Dam Tuesday, November 12, 2024 at 09:00 Hrs. Increase the release from Twin Lakes by 40 cfs of project water. Wednesday, November 13, 2024 at 09:00 Hrs. Increase the release from Twin Lakes by 45 cfs of project water. Thursday, November 14, 2024 at 09:00 Hrs. Increase the release from Twin Lakes by 45 cfs of project water. Friday, November 15, 2024 at 00:00 Hrs. Convert the 15 cfs native release to project. Store all native inflows to Twin Lakes for Twin Lakes Canal Company. Maintain these flows until further notice.
October 15, 2024	Water Order FAP 25-01	Mount Elbert Powerplant General Unit 1 has returned to service. Turquoise Lake will be drafted for spring imports. Sugarloaf Dam Tuesday, October 15, 2024 0900 Hrs. Release 150 cfs from Sugarloaf Dam to Mt. Elbert Conduit. Maintain until further notice.
October 7, 2024	Increase in Twin Release	From USBR: We are going to decrease the release from Twin Lakes by 27 cfs today at 0900 hrs. After the gate operation, we’ll be releasing 15 cfs - about 2 cfs account and the rest native."
October 3, 2024	Decrease in Twin Release	From USBR: We are going to decrease the release from Twin Lakes by 25 cfs today at 0930 hrs. After the gate operation, we’ll be releasing 47 cfs- about 2 cfs of account and the rest native.

Waterflow Levels

The information below depicts the Flow Program Target and the flow of the Arkansas River as measured in cubic feet per second (cfs) at the Wellsville Gauge near Salida, CO. This page also tracks, in acre feet (af), the amount of water released as part of the summer component of the Voluntary Flow Program. For reference, a flow of 1 cfs for 24 hours is 1.98 af.

Waterflow Summary

Program Water

1000

Flow Program Releases

793

Estimated Program Water Remaining

207

Waterflow Gauge Locations

Gauge	Value	Water Flow Data
Wellsville	889 cfs	View Dashboard