{"api":"The Waterline Data API","version":"v1","docs":"https://the-waterline.com/api","data_as_of":"2026-11-09","data_as_of_label":"Nov 9, 2026","data_pulled_at":"2026-11-11T01:08:34.977Z","generated_at":"2026-11-11T08:16:52.220Z","attribution":"Credit The Waterline (the-waterline.com) with a visible link to the page the figure came from; every record carries its page_url.","id":"history/blue-mesa-reservoir","section":"history","section_label":"History","title":"Blue Mesa Reservoir water level history","subtitle":"Year-end, low and high water surface at Blue Mesa Dam since 1965, from Reclamation's record","description":"Blue Mesa Reservoir water level by year since 1965: year-end, low and high from Reclamation's record. Latest 7,421.1 ft on Nov 9, 2026.","page_url":"https://the-waterline.com/history/blue-mesa-reservoir","headline":"7,421.1 ft above sea level","unit":"feet above sea level","data_through":"2026-11-09","frequency":"Daily","status":"current","source":"US Bureau of Reclamation RISE (Upper Colorado Hydrologic Database)","provenance":{"source":"US Bureau of Reclamation RISE (Upper Colorado Hydrologic Database)","series":"Daily water surface elevation, summarized by calendar year","geography":"Blue Mesa Reservoir","unit":"feet above sea level","period":"Year-end reading, plus each year's lowest and highest reading","lastObservation":"Nov 9, 2026","frequency":"Daily"},"citation":"Blue Mesa Reservoir water level history: latest reading 7,421.1 ft above sea level as of Nov 9, 2026, from the US Bureau of Reclamation's daily record. The Waterline. https://the-waterline.com/history/blue-mesa-reservoir","series":[{"label":"Water level at year end (latest reading for the current year)","unit":"feet above sea level","points":[{"date":"1965-12-31","value":7342.6},{"date":"1966-12-31","value":7437.87},{"date":"1967-12-31","value":7451.62},{"date":"1968-12-31","value":7480.84},{"date":"1969-12-31","value":7498.92},{"date":"1970-12-31","value":7498.35},{"date":"1971-12-31","value":7469.35},{"date":"1972-12-31","value":7467.07},{"date":"1973-12-31","value":7492.24},{"date":"1974-12-31","value":7475.92},{"date":"1975-12-31","value":7483.77},{"date":"1976-12-31","value":7476.18},{"date":"1977-12-31","value":7435.07},{"date":"1978-12-31","value":7491.69},{"date":"1979-12-31","value":7489.83},{"date":"1980-12-31","value":7487},{"date":"1981-12-31","value":7454.91},{"date":"1982-12-31","value":7493.32},{"date":"1983-12-31","value":7491.57},{"date":"1984-12-31","value":7500.61},{"date":"1985-12-31","value":7488.23},{"date":"1986-12-31","value":7489.42},{"date":"1987-12-31","value":7485.59},{"date":"1988-12-31","value":7473.37},{"date":"1989-12-31","value":7487.71},{"date":"1990-12-31","value":7498.28},{"date":"1991-12-31","value":7488.71},{"date":"1992-12-31","value":7489.98},{"date":"1993-12-31","value":7491.76},{"date":"1994-12-31","value":7489.77},{"date":"1995-12-31","value":7490.65},{"date":"1996-12-31","value":7492.6},{"date":"1997-12-31","value":7489.62},{"date":"1998-12-31","value":7489.56},{"date":"1999-12-31","value":7491},{"date":"2000-12-31","value":7479.81},{"date":"2001-12-31","value":7485.16},{"date":"2002-12-31","value":7444.59},{"date":"2003-12-31","value":7460.86},{"date":"2004-12-31","value":7478.08},{"date":"2005-12-31","value":7489.99},{"date":"2006-12-31","value":7490.78},{"date":"2007-12-31","value":7489.9},{"date":"2008-12-31","value":7490.25},{"date":"2009-12-31","value":7489.73},{"date":"2010-12-31","value":7486.84},{"date":"2011-12-31","value":7489.07},{"date":"2012-12-31","value":7452.65},{"date":"2013-12-31","value":7461.56},{"date":"2014-12-31","value":7489.11},{"date":"2015-12-31","value":7495.46},{"date":"2016-12-31","value":7491.43},{"date":"2017-12-31","value":7491.44},{"date":"2018-12-31","value":7437.82},{"date":"2019-12-31","value":7490.79},{"date":"2020-12-31","value":7464.73},{"date":"2021-12-31","value":7434.4},{"date":"2022-12-31","value":7446.44},{"date":"2023-12-31","value":7490.05},{"date":"2024-12-31","value":7483.05},{"date":"2025-12-31","value":7467.02},{"date":"2026-11-09","value":7421.1}]}],"tables":[{"caption":"Blue Mesa Reservoir's water surface in feet above sea level, by calendar year, newest first. End of year is the Dec 31 reading; Change is the move from the previous Dec 31. The current year shows its latest reading.","columns":["Year","End of year","Change","Low for the year","High for the year"],"rows":[["2026 (through Nov 9)","7,421.1 ft","-45.92 ft","7,411.73 ft (Oct 19)","7,468.56 ft (Jan 20)"],["2025","7,467.02 ft","-16.03 ft","7,464.01 ft (Oct 19)","7,490.79 ft (Jun 23)"],["2024","7,483.05 ft","-7 ft","7,475.98 ft (Jun 4)","7,499.75 ft (Jul 9)"],["2023","7,490.05 ft","+43.61 ft","7,446.4 ft (Jan 3)","7,512.47 ft (Jun 25)"],["2022","7,446.44 ft","+12.04 ft","7,434.5 ft (Jan 1)","7,463.81 ft (Jul 5)"],["2021","7,434.4 ft","-30.33 ft","7,429.49 ft (Nov 1)","7,465.9 ft (Mar 17)"],["2020","7,464.73 ft","-26.06 ft","7,463.44 ft (Nov 5)","7,492.87 ft (Jun 19)"],["2019","7,490.79 ft","+52.97 ft","7,437.18 ft (Mar 10)","7,519.15 ft (Jul 25)"],["2018","7,437.82 ft","-53.62 ft","7,437.42 ft (Dec 14)","7,491.25 ft (Jan 1)"],["2017","7,491.44 ft","+0.01 ft","7,485.71 ft (Mar 17)","7,518.59 ft (Aug 9)"],["2016","7,491.43 ft","-4.03 ft","7,486.82 ft (Mar 8)","7,515.98 ft (Jul 7)"],["2015","7,495.46 ft","+6.35 ft","7,485.32 ft (Feb 4)","7,519.33 ft (Jun 20)"],["2014","7,489.11 ft","+27.55 ft","7,461.6 ft (Jan 1)","7,505.06 ft (Jun 6)"],["2013","7,461.56 ft","+8.91 ft","7,452.55 ft (Jan 23)","7,472.32 ft (Jun 20)"],["2012","7,452.65 ft","-36.42 ft","7,451.99 ft (Nov 13)","7,488.9 ft (Jan 1)"],["2011","7,489.07 ft","+2.23 ft","7,474.43 ft (May 7)","7,519.22 ft (Jul 16)"],["2010","7,486.84 ft","-2.89 ft","7,484.26 ft (Apr 10)","7,508.86 ft (Jun 27)"],["2009","7,489.73 ft","-0.52 ft","7,484.35 ft (Apr 8)","7,519.15 ft (Jun 26)"],["2008","7,490.25 ft","+0.35 ft","7,465.68 ft (May 5)","7,511.87 ft (Jul 31)"],["2007","7,489.9 ft","-0.88 ft","7,477.59 ft (Mar 12)","7,514.66 ft (Jul 2)"],["2006","7,490.78 ft","+0.79 ft","7,487.58 ft (Apr 7)","7,517.71 ft (Jun 17)"],["2005","7,489.99 ft","+11.91 ft","7,457.5 ft (May 16)","7,498.98 ft (Jul 13)"],["2004","7,478.08 ft","+17.22 ft","7,460.89 ft (Jan 1)","7,497.3 ft (Jul 3)"],["2003","7,460.86 ft","+16.27 ft","7,444.62 ft (Jan 2)","7,481.19 ft (Jun 25)"],["2002","7,444.59 ft","-40.57 ft","7,440.64 ft (Oct 22)","7,485.06 ft (Jan 1)"],["2001","7,485.16 ft","+5.35 ft","7,472.64 ft (Apr 27)","7,501.88 ft (Jul 1)"],["2000","7,479.81 ft","-11.19 ft","7,479.81 ft (Dec 31)","7,509.07 ft (Jun 17)"],["1999","7,491 ft","+1.44 ft","7,483.98 ft (Apr 29)","7,519.21 ft (Jul 31)"],["1998","7,489.56 ft","-0.06 ft","7,470.44 ft (Apr 22)","7,504.84 ft (Aug 4)"],["1997","7,489.62 ft","-2.98 ft","7,447.48 ft (Apr 17)","7,517.95 ft (Jul 1)"],["1996","7,492.6 ft","+1.95 ft","7,476.25 ft (Apr 6)","7,518.89 ft (Jun 17)"],["1995","7,490.65 ft","+0.88 ft","7,469.37 ft (May 15)","7,518.79 ft (Jul 12)"],["1994","7,489.77 ft","-1.99 ft","7,487.03 ft (Apr 14)","7,511.26 ft (Jun 27)"],["1993","7,491.76 ft","+1.78 ft","7,466.18 ft (Apr 26)","7,517.69 ft (Jul 22)"],["1992","7,489.98 ft","+1.27 ft","7,481.41 ft (Mar 30)","7,504.63 ft (Jul 2)"],["1991","7,488.71 ft","-9.57 ft","7,488.71 ft (Dec 31)","7,518.93 ft (Jun 20)"],["1990","7,498.28 ft","+10.57 ft","7,485 ft (Apr 30)","7,503.1 ft (Jul 17)"],["1989","7,487.71 ft","+14.34 ft","7,473.4 ft (Jan 1)","7,501.72 ft (Jun 30)"],["1988","7,473.37 ft","-12.22 ft","7,460.43 ft (May 12)","7,485.33 ft (Jan 1)"],["1987","7,485.59 ft","-3.83 ft","7,448.2 ft (Apr 9)","7,516.23 ft (Jul 2)"],["1986","7,489.42 ft","+1.19 ft","7,455.73 ft (Mar 27)","7,519.24 ft (Jul 10)"],["1985","7,488.23 ft","-12.38 ft","7,453.97 ft (Apr 7)","7,515.84 ft (Jul 24)"],["1984","7,500.61 ft","+9.04 ft","7,427.71 ft (Apr 16)","7,518.56 ft (Aug 27)"],["1983","7,491.57 ft","-1.75 ft","7,468.76 ft (Apr 23)","7,518.97 ft (Jul 10)"],["1982","7,493.32 ft","+38.41 ft","7,430.17 ft (Apr 9)","7,509.25 ft (Sep 30)"],["1981","7,454.91 ft","-32.09 ft","7,454.82 ft (Dec 29)","7,486.73 ft (Jan 1)"],["1980","7,487 ft","-2.83 ft","7,453.85 ft (Apr 17)","7,518.83 ft (Jul 20)"],["1979","7,489.83 ft","-1.86 ft","7,442.17 ft (Apr 18)","7,518.5 ft (Jul 28)"],["1978","7,491.69 ft","+56.62 ft","7,434.81 ft (Mar 2)","7,518.68 ft (Jul 20)"],["1977","7,435.07 ft","-41.11 ft","7,430.5 ft (Oct 30)","7,476.01 ft (Jan 1)"],["1976","7,476.18 ft","-7.59 ft","7,467.97 ft (Apr 2)","7,498.05 ft (Jul 8)"],["1975","7,483.77 ft","+7.85 ft","7,432.27 ft (May 14)","7,508.2 ft (Aug 21)"],["1974","7,475.92 ft","-16.32 ft","7,441.48 ft (Apr 5)","7,497.47 ft (Jul 6)"],["1973","7,492.24 ft","+25.17 ft","7,448.39 ft (Apr 26)","7,519.38 ft (Jul 22)"],["1972","7,467.07 ft","-2.28 ft","7,450.23 ft (Apr 5)","7,485.07 ft (Jul 4)"],["1971","7,469.35 ft","-29 ft","7,439.96 ft (Apr 30)","7,498.01 ft (Jan 1)"],["1970","7,498.35 ft","-0.57 ft","7,465 ft (Apr 8)","7,519.64 ft (Jul 8)"],["1969","7,498.92 ft","+18.08 ft","7,454.44 ft (Apr 19)","7,509.63 ft (Nov 2)"],["1968","7,480.84 ft","+29.22 ft","7,432.85 ft (Apr 30)","7,502.95 ft (Aug 30)"],["1967","7,451.62 ft","+13.75 ft","7,437.9 ft (Jan 1)","7,474.11 ft (Jul 20)"],["1966","7,437.87 ft","+95.27 ft","7,361.4 ft (Jan 31)","7,437.87 ft (Dec 31)"],["1965 (from Nov 30)","7,342.6 ft","","7,303.9 ft (Nov 30)","7,342.6 ft (Dec 31)"]]},{"caption":"Milestones in the record","columns":["Milestone","Level"],"rows":[["Record begins","7,303.9 ft (Nov 30, 1965), while the reservoir was filling"],["First reached full pool","July 1970 (high 7,519.64 ft on Jul 8, 1970)"],["Record high","7,519.64 ft (Jul 8, 1970)"],["Last month at full pool","July 1970"],["Lowest since first reaching full pool","7,411.73 ft (Oct 19, 2026)"],["Top of the inactive pool","7,393 ft"],["Top of dead storage","7,358 ft"],["Latest reading","7,421.1 ft (Nov 9, 2026)"]]}]}