Chehalis River near Montesano water level

Name: Chehalis River near Montesano water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Chehalis River, Washington, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Water level

3.34ft Down 0.34 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 01:00 PM PDT (40 min ago)

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

The Chehalis River near Montesano is running far below normal at 3.34 ft.

That puts it 1.53 ft below the median of 4.87 ft for mid-October, based on 20 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 4.17 ft (−0.83 ft).

It has dropped 0.34 ft over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between −0.72 ft and 8.28 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.

Compared with 20 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 4.87 ft1.53 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 3.91 ft – 7.20 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (20 years of records)
Same day last year: 4.17 ft−0.83 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: −0.72 ft – 8.28 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 3.90 ft – 14.15 ft

Floating and fishing near Chehalis River near Montesano

Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

18 Sun 60° 38° – Wind 7 mph

19 Mon 61° 44° – Wind 5 mph

20 Tue 65° 40° – Wind 9 mph

21 Wed 69° 42° – Wind 5 mph

22 Thu 60° 45° – Wind 12 mph

23 Fri 60° 38° – Wind 5 mph

24 Sat 62° 39° – Wind 6 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:37 AM Sunset 06:23 PM Daylight 10 hr, 46 min First quarter 52%

Map

Other gauges on the Chehalis River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Chehalis River near DotyRiver gauge, Chehalis River	306.10 ft	High	−0.01 ft	28 mi
Chehalis River near AdnaRiver gauge, Chehalis River	192.86 ft	High	−0.01 ft	33 mi
Chehalis River at Wwtp at ChehalisRiver gauge, Chehalis River	152.03 ft	No reference yet	+0.01 ft	36 mi
Chehalis River near Grand MoundRiver gauge, Chehalis River	128.86 ft	High	−0.03 ft	30 mi
Chehalis River near RochesterRiver gauge, Chehalis River	103.91 ft	Very low	+0.01 ft	25 mi
Chehalis River at PorterRiver gauge, Chehalis River	30.59 ft	High	+0.01 ft	14 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Wynoochee River above Black Creek near MontesanoRiver gauge, Wynoochee River	27.07 ft	High	−0.01 ft	4.2 mi
Satsop River near SatsopRiver gauge, Satsop River	27.77 ft	High	+0.03 ft	5.8 mi
Willapa River near WillapaRiver gauge, Willapa River	2.89 ft	Below flood stage	±0	22 mi
Wynoochee River above Save Creek near AberdeenRiver gauge, Wynoochee River	4.78 ft	Low	+0.02 ft	23 mi
Humptulips River below Highway 101 near HumptulipsRiver gauge, Humptulips River	9.76 ft	Very low	−0.02 ft	25 mi
Elk Creek below Deer Creek near DotyRiver gauge, Elk Creek	19.4 cfs	Low	±0	27 mi
Big Creek near GrisdaleRiver gauge, Big Creek	1.67 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	29 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Chehalis River near Montesano compare with last year?

It is 0.83 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 4.17 ft.

What is a normal level for the Chehalis River near Montesano in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 4.87 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.91 ft and 7.20 ft, based on 20 years of records.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of Chehalis River near Montesano today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 01:00 PM PDT, the water level was 3.34 ft. Down 0.34 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Chehalis River near Montesano rising or falling?

Down 0.34 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 1.47 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Chehalis River near Montesano normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 20 years of daily readings for this time of year.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:12035100 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 46.96232, -123.60461 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NAVD88
Update interval: every 15 minutes
Licence: Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

Parameter	Last value	Time (UTC)	Quality
Water level	3.34 ft	2026-10-18 20:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Chehalis River near Montesano (usgs:12035100). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/washington/chehalis-river-near-montesano

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer