# List of drainage basins in Colorado

This is a list of drainage basins in the U.S. State of Colorado.
Colorado encompasses the headwaters of several important rivers. The state is divided into two major hydrographic regions by the Continental Divide of the Americas. East of the Continental Divide, surface waters flow to the Gulf of Mexico, either via the Rio Grande or via one of several rivers (the South Platte River, the North Platte River, the Republican River, the Arkansas River, the Cimarron River, or the Canadian River) which eventually feed the Mississippi River along the way. West of the Continental Divide, surface waters flow via the Green River, the upper Colorado River (formerly the Grand River), or the San Juan River into the Colorado River and on to the Gulf of California.
Colorado also has three significant endorheic basins: the San Luis Closed Basin in the San Luis Valley, and the Bear Creek Basin and the White Woman Basin spanning the Colorado-Kansas border north and south of the Arkansas River.

## List of major drainage basins

Major Drainage Basins of the State of Colorado :
| Basin | Outlet | Total Area | In-State Area | % In-State |
| Colorado River | Gulf of California | 001703,132 km$^2$ 271,481 mi$^2$ | 001100,195 km$^2$ 38,686 mi$^2$ | A06414.2% |
| Arkansas River | Mississippi River | 002478,501 km$^2$ 184,750 mi$^2$ | 00270,022 km$^2$ 27,036 mi$^2$ | A06314.6% |
| Rio Grande (Rio Bravo del Norte) | Gulf of Mexico | 003457,275 km$^2$ 176,555 mi$^2$ | 00912,070 km$^2$ 4,660 mi$^2$ | A0722.6% |
| Canadian River | Arkansas River | 004122,701 km$^2$ 47,375 mi$^2$ | 073154 km$^2$ 59 mi$^2$ | A0730.1% |
| Green River | Colorado River | 005115,903 km$^2$ 44,750 mi$^2$ | 00527,340 km$^2$ 10,556 mi$^2$ | A05923.6% |
| North Platte River | Platte River | 00680,755 km$^2$ 31,180 mi$^2$ | 0185,129 km$^2$ 1,980 mi$^2$ | A0686.4% |
| upper Colorado River (Grand River) | Colorado River | 00767,993 km$^2$ 26,252 mi$^2$ | 00357,680 km$^2$ 22,270 mi$^2$ | A03884.8% |
| San Juan River | Colorado River | 00864,560 km$^2$ 24,927 mi$^2$ | 00815,175 km$^2$ 5,859 mi$^2$ | A06023.5% |
| South Platte River | Platte River | 00962,738 km$^2$ 24,223 mi$^2$ | 00448,948 km$^2$ 18,899 mi$^2$ | A04078.0% |
| Smoky Hill River | Kansas River | 01051,783 km$^2$ 19,994 mi$^2$ | 0402,493 km$^2$ 963 mi$^2$ | A0704.8% |
| Cimarron River | Arkansas River | 01144,890 km$^2$ 17,332 mi$^2$ | 0165,481 km$^2$ 2,116 mi$^2$ | A06612.2% |
| Yampa River | Green River | 01221,506 km$^2$ 8,304 mi$^2$ | 00715,289 km$^2$ 5,903 mi$^2$ | A04371.1% |
| Gunnison River | upper Colorado River (Grand River) | 01320,851 km$^2$ 8,051 mi$^2$ | 00620,851 km$^2$ 8,051 mi$^2$ | A001100% |
| North Fork Republican River | Republican River | 01413,172 km$^2$ 5,086 mi$^2$ | 01011,522 km$^2$ 4,449 mi$^2$ | A03787.5% |
| White River | Green River | 01512,989 km$^2$ 5,015 mi$^2$ | 0129,796 km$^2$ 3,782 mi$^2$ | A04275.4% |
| Dolores River | upper Colorado River (Grand River) | 01611,998 km$^2$ 4,633 mi$^2$ | 01110,619 km$^2$ 4,100 mi$^2$ | A03688.5% |
| Laramie River | North Platte River | 01711,961 km$^2$ 4,618 mi$^2$ | 061989 km$^2$ 382 mi$^2$ | A0678.3% |
| Little Snake River | Yampa River | 01810,629 km$^2$ 4,104 mi$^2$ | 0224,412 km$^2$ 1,704 mi$^2$ | A05241.5% |
| Purgatoire River | Arkansas River | 0198,923 km$^2$ 3,445 mi$^2$ | 0138,601 km$^2$ 3,321 mi$^2$ | A03196.4% |
| Lodgepole Creek | South Platte River | 0208,374 km$^2$ 3,233 mi$^2$ | 069496 km$^2$ 191 mi$^2$ | A0695.9% |
| Rio Chama | Rio Grande | 0218,204 km$^2$ 3,168 mi$^2$ | 071238 km$^2$ 92 mi$^2$ | A0712.9% |
| San Luis Closed Basin | endorheic basin | 0227,638 km$^2$ 2,949 mi$^2$ | 0147,638 km$^2$ 2,949 mi$^2$ | A002100% |
| Frenchman Creek | Republican River | 0237,398 km$^2$ 2,856 mi$^2$ | 0362,539 km$^2$ 980 mi$^2$ | A05334.3% |
| South Fork Republican River | Republican River | 0247,195 km$^2$ 2,778 mi$^2$ | 0175,454 km$^2$ 2,106 mi$^2$ | A04175.8% |
| San Luis Creek | San Luis Closed Basin | 0257,000 km$^2$ 2,703 mi$^2$ | 0157,000 km$^2$ 2,703 mi$^2$ | A003100% |
| Cache la Poudre River | South Platte River | 0264,959 km$^2$ 1,915 mi$^2$ | 0214,587 km$^2$ 1,771 mi$^2$ | A03492.5% |
| Bear Creek Basin | endorheic basin | 0274,896 km$^2$ 1,890 mi$^2$ | 0372,521 km$^2$ 973 mi$^2$ | A04851.5% |
| Huerfano River | Arkansas River | 0284,840 km$^2$ 1,869 mi$^2$ | 0194,840 km$^2$ 1,869 mi$^2$ | A004100% |
| Big Sandy Creek | Arkansas River | 0294,825 km$^2$ 1,863 mi$^2$ | 0204,825 km$^2$ 1,863 mi$^2$ | A005100% |
| Bear Creek | Bear Creek Basin | 0304,500 km$^2$ 1,737 mi$^2$ | 0392,500 km$^2$ 965 mi$^2$ | A04755.6% |
| North Fork Cimarron River | Cimarron River | 0314,462 km$^2$ 1,723 mi$^2$ | 0432,225 km$^2$ 859 mi$^2$ | A04949.9% |
| Arikaree River | North Fork Republican River | 0324,429 km$^2$ 1,710 mi$^2$ | 0234,265 km$^2$ 1,647 mi$^2$ | A03296.3% |
| San Miguel River | Dolores River | 0334,060 km$^2$ 1,567 mi$^2$ | 0244,060 km$^2$ 1,567 mi$^2$ | A006100% |
| Stinking Water Creek | Frenchman Creek | 0343,862 km$^2$ 1,491 mi$^2$ | 063966 km$^2$ 373 mi$^2$ | A05825.0% |
| Roaring Fork River | upper Colorado River (Grand River) | 0353,766 km$^2$ 1,454 mi$^2$ | 0253,766 km$^2$ 1,454 mi$^2$ | A007100% |
| Crow Creek | South Platte River | 0363,717 km$^2$ 1,435 mi$^2$ | 0442,201 km$^2$ 850 mi$^2$ | A04659.2% |
| Horse Creek | Arkansas River | 0373,680 km$^2$ 1,421 mi$^2$ | 0263,680 km$^2$ 1,421 mi$^2$ | A008100% |
| Ladder Creek | Smoky Hill River | 0383,645 km$^2$ 1,407 mi$^2$ | 067663 km$^2$ 256 mi$^2$ | A06218.2% |
| Bijou Creek | South Platte River | 0393,612 km$^2$ 1,395 mi$^2$ | 0273,612 km$^2$ 1,395 mi$^2$ | A009100% |
| White Woman Basin | endorheic basin | 0403,577 km$^2$ 1,381 mi$^2$ | 065908 km$^2$ 351 mi$^2$ | A05725.4% |
| Rush Creek | Arkansas River | 0413,570 km$^2$ 1,378 mi$^2$ | 0283,570 km$^2$ 1,378 mi$^2$ | A010100% |
| Animas River | San Juan River | 0423,562 km$^2$ 1,375 mi$^2$ | 0302,971 km$^2$ 1,147 mi$^2$ | A03983.4% |
| Saguache Creek | San Luis Creek | 0433,482 km$^2$ 1,345 mi$^2$ | 0293,482 km$^2$ 1,345 mi$^2$ | A011100% |
| Montezuma Creek | San Juan River | 0443,044 km$^2$ 1,175 mi$^2$ | 062983 km$^2$ 380 mi$^2$ | A05432.3% |
| White Woman Creek | White Woman Basin | 0453,000 km$^2$ 1,158 mi$^2$ | 066800 km$^2$ 309 mi$^2$ | A05626.7% |
| Beaver Creek | South Platte River | 0462,939 km$^2$ 1,135 mi$^2$ | 0312,939 km$^2$ 1,135 mi$^2$ | A012100% |
| Uncompahgre River | Gunnison River | 0472,921 km$^2$ 1,128 mi$^2$ | 0322,921 km$^2$ 1,128 mi$^2$ | A013100% |
| Tomichi Creek | Gunnison River | 0482,874 km$^2$ 1,109 mi$^2$ | 0332,874 km$^2$ 1,109 mi$^2$ | A014100% |
| Apishapa River | Arkansas River | 0492,798 km$^2$ 1,080 mi$^2$ | 0342,798 km$^2$ 1,080 mi$^2$ | A015100% |
| Saint Vrain Creek | South Platte River | 0502,572 km$^2$ 993 mi$^2$ | 0352,572 km$^2$ 993 mi$^2$ | A016100% |
| Eagle River | upper Colorado River (Grand River) | 0512,515 km$^2$ 971 mi$^2$ | 0382,515 km$^2$ 971 mi$^2$ | A017100% |
| Vermillion Creek | Green River | 0522,500 km$^2$ 965 mi$^2$ | 0591,155 km$^2$ 446 mi$^2$ | A05146.2% |
| North Fork Gunnison River | Gunnison River | 0532,492 km$^2$ 962 mi$^2$ | 0412,492 km$^2$ 962 mi$^2$ | A018100% |
| Fountain Creek | Arkansas River | 0542,418 km$^2$ 933 mi$^2$ | 0422,418 km$^2$ 933 mi$^2$ | A019100% |
| Big Thompson River | South Platte River | 0552,149 km$^2$ 830 mi$^2$ | 0452,149 km$^2$ 830 mi$^2$ | A020100% |
| Two Butte Creek | Arkansas River | 0562,107 km$^2$ 814 mi$^2$ | 0462,107 km$^2$ 814 mi$^2$ | A021100% |
| Mancos River | San Juan River | 0572,099 km$^2$ 810 mi$^2$ | 0471,973 km$^2$ 762 mi$^2$ | A03394.0% |
| Conejos River | Rio Grande | 0582,078 km$^2$ 802 mi$^2$ | 0561,471 km$^2$ 568 mi$^2$ | A04470.8% |
| North Fork Smoky Hill River | Smoky Hill River | 0591,965 km$^2$ 759 mi$^2$ | 064947 km$^2$ 366 mi$^2$ | A05048.2% |
| Sidney Draw | South Platte River | 0601,949 km$^2$ 753 mi$^2$ | 070368 km$^2$ 142 mi$^2$ | A06118.9% |
| South Fork Beaver Creek | Beaver Creek | 0611,939 km$^2$ 749 mi$^2$ | 068522 km$^2$ 201 mi$^2$ | A05526.9% |
| Sand Arroyo Creek | North Fork Cimarron River | 0621,938 km$^2$ 748 mi$^2$ | 0571,314 km$^2$ 507 mi$^2$ | A04567.8% |
| Chico Creek | Arkansas River | 0631,934 km$^2$ 747 mi$^2$ | 0481,934 km$^2$ 747 mi$^2$ | A022100% |
| Kiowa Creek | South Platte River | 0641,888 km$^2$ 729 mi$^2$ | 0491,888 km$^2$ 729 mi$^2$ | A023100% |
| Pawnee Creek | South Platte River | 0651,875 km$^2$ 724 mi$^2$ | 0501,875 km$^2$ 724 mi$^2$ | A024100% |
| McElmo Creek | San Juan River | 0661,842 km$^2$ 711 mi$^2$ | 0531,654 km$^2$ 639 mi$^2$ | A03589.8% |
| Blue River | upper Colorado River (Grand River) | 0671,770 km$^2$ 683 mi$^2$ | 0511,770 km$^2$ 683 mi$^2$ | A025100% |
| Piedra River | San Juan River | 0681,770 km$^2$ 683 mi$^2$ | 0521,770 km$^2$ 683 mi$^2$ | A026100% |
| Piceance Creek | White River | 0691,630 km$^2$ 629 mi$^2$ | 0541,630 km$^2$ 629 mi$^2$ | A027100% |
| Little Beaver Creek | Beaver Creek | 0701,602 km$^2$ 619 mi$^2$ | 072210 km$^2$ 81 mi$^2$ | A06513.1% |
| Clear Creek | South Platte River | 0711,497 km$^2$ 578 mi$^2$ | 0551,497 km$^2$ 578 mi$^2$ | A028100% |
| Taylor River | Gunnison River | 0721,258 km$^2$ 486 mi$^2$ | 0581,258 km$^2$ 486 mi$^2$ | A029100% |
| Boulder Creek | Saint Vrain Creek | 0731,160 km$^2$ 448 mi$^2$ | 0601,160 km$^2$ 448 mi$^2$ | A030100% |
| Cherry Creek | South Platte River | 0731,050 km$^2$ 405 mi$^2$ | 0601,050 km$^2$ 405 mi$^2$ | A030100% |