← All rivers · New Mexico rafting flows
🌊 Rio Chama · Class II–IIIIs Rio Chama Wilderness running?
Flow now
4,360 cfs
→ steady vs. 24 hours ago
Reading from Nov 4, 3:00 PM MT. Site data as of Nov 4, 2026, 4:04 PM MT.
Status
Too high
Off season (commercial)
Off season (commercial)
Runnable range: 200–3,000 cfs
Last 7 days (cfs), Mountain time. Low 1,570 cfs, high 6,450 cfs.
| Status | Too high Off season (commercial) |
|---|---|
| River | Rio Chama |
| Section | El Vado Dam to Abiquiu Reservoir |
| Class | II–III |
| Nearest town | Abiquiu, New Mexico |
| Runnable range | 200 cfs to 3,000 cfs Low 200 cfs · medium from 500 cfs · high from 1,500 cfs · max 3,000 cfs Source: American Whitewater, on the same gauge shown here. Checked 2026-11-04. |
| Commercial season | May–Sep (typical outfitter season) Off season (commercial) |
| Gauge | RIO CHAMA ABOVE ABIQUIU RESERVOIR, NM (USGS 08286500) |
| Dam release | Yes, flow is set by dam releases. |
| Permits | BLM permit required (lottery for weekend release dates). |
| Note | Flow is set by El Vado Dam releases. Gauge is at the bottom of the run, above Abiquiu Reservoir. |
| More info | American Whitewater river page |
Flows are informational, not a safety call. Gauge readings can be delayed, provisional, or wrong, and a gauge may be miles from the run. Rivers change fast. Check with a local outfitter or the managing agency (BLM, USFS, NPS, dam operator) before you go.
🛶 Raft guide jobs near here
No open raft guide listings in New Mexico on our tracker right now. Most outfitters hire January to April.
More rafting runs in New Mexico
- Rio Grande Racecourse · Running · 2,330 cfs
- Taos Box · Running · 2,330 cfs
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