Nisqually River at McKenna water level

Name: Nisqually River at McKenna 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, Nisqually River, Washington, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

1.52ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 10:30 AM PDT (13 min ago)

Flow: 799 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.34 ft by Tuesday, October 27 at 11:00 AM. Issued Sunday, October 18 at 08:43 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The Nisqually River at McKenna is at 1.52 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 1.47 ft, based on 29 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.05 ft above typical. It is 8.48 ft below the flood stage of 10.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 1.28 ft, a difference of +0.24 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.34 ft by Tuesday, October 27 at 11:00 AM. In the last month it has stayed between 1.00 ft and 1.57 ft.

Compared with 29 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 1.47 ft0.05 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.30 ft – 2.58 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (29 years of records)
Same day last year: 1.28 ft+0.24 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 1.00 ft – 1.57 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 1.00 ft – 9.70 ft
Highest on record: 17.13 ftFebruary 8, 1996
Forecast peak: 1.53 ftSunday, October 18 at 11:00 AM

Floating and fishing near Nisqually River at McKenna

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 10.00 ft, 8.48 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

16.00 ft: the Nisqually River will cause severe near record flooding from La Grande downstream through McKenna to the mouth. Deep and swift flood waters will inundate roads...farms...and residential areas...including the nursing home in McKenna. Erosion will likely cause severe damage. Flooding will occur all along the river including headwaters...tributaries...and other streams within and near the Nisqually River Basin.
14.00 ft: the Nisqually River will cause major flooding from La Grande downstream through McKenna to the mouth. Deep and swift waters will flood roads...farms...and residential areas...including the nursing home in McKenna. Erosion may cause severe damage. Flooding will occur all along the river including headwaters...tributaries...and other streams within and near the Nisqually River Basin.
13.00 ft: the Nisqually River will flood from La Grande downstream through McKenna to the mouth. Swift waters will flood roads...farms...and some residential areas including the nursing home in McKenna. Erosion will likely damage properties along river banks.
12.00 ft: the Nisqually River will flood from La Grande downstream through McKenna to the mouth. Flood waters will flow over some roads and through farms and residential areas. Erosion may damage some properties. High tidal levels on Puget Sound will cause flooding along the lower reaches...threatening homes along Riverside Drive...Cononie Street and Conine Avenue.
10.00 ft: the Nisqually River will flood at the lower end near the mouth. High tide levels on Puget Sound may increase the amount of flooding. The Nisqually River will also spill over its banks between La Grande and McKenna.
1.52 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	17.13 ft	February 8, 1996
2	13.00 ft	January 29, 1965
3	12.48 ft	November 30, 1995
4	12.39 ft	December 26, 1980
5	12.38 ft	December 12, 1955
6	12.09 ft	February 7, 2020
7	11.78 ft	November 23, 1959
8	11.31 ft	January 10, 1990
9	11.30 ft	February 11, 1951
10	11.14 ft	April 5, 1991

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.10 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 60° 35° – Wind 7 mph

19 Mon 61° 39° – Wind 4 mph

20 Tue 64° 40° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 70° 41° – Wind 4 mph

22 Thu 63° 43° – Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 58° 39° – Wind 6 mph

24 Sat 62° 38° – Wind 5 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:33 AM Sunset 06:19 PM Daylight 10 hr, 46 min First quarter 51%

Map

Other gauges on the Nisqually River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Nisqually River near NationalRiver gauge, Nisqually River	4.07 ft	Normal	−0.09 ft	26 mi
Nisqually River at La Grande DamRiver gauge, Nisqually River	36.6 cfs	No reference yet	±0	14 mi
Nisqually River at La GrandeRiver gauge, Nisqually River	4.23 ft	High	±0	13 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Centralia Power Canal near McKennaCanal gauge, Centralia Power Canal	10.97 ft	Normal	±0	3.7 mi
Deschutes River near RainierRiver gauge, Deschutes River	3.03 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	8 mi
Skookumchuck River near VailRiver gauge, Skookumchuck River	16.0 cfs	Very low	+0.8 cfs	11 mi
Skookumchuck River below Bldy Run Creek near CentraliaRiver gauge, Skookumchuck River	325.99 ft	Highest on record	±0	13 mi
Mashel River near La GrandeRiver gauge, Mashel River	1.82 ft	Very low	+0.03 ft	13 mi
Ohop Creek near EatonvilleRiver gauge, Ohop Creek	1.60 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	14 mi
Clover Creek near TillicumRiver gauge, Clover Creek	13.50 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	15 mi
North Fork Clover Creek near ParklandRiver gauge, North Fork Clover Creek	0.0 cfs	Normal	±0	15 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Nisqually River at McKenna higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.24 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.28 ft.

What is flood stage for the Nisqually River at McKenna?

The official flood stage is 10.00 ft. The level is currently 8.48 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Nisqually River at McKenna in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.47 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.30 ft and 2.58 ft, based on 29 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 Nisqually River at McKenna today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 10:30 AM PDT, the water level was 1.52 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Nisqually River at McKenna rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Up 0.27 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Nisqually River at McKenna normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 29 years of daily readings for this time of year.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:12089500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 46.93340, -122.56093 (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	1.52 ft	2026-10-18 17:30	Provisional
Flow	799 cfs	2026-10-18 17:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Nisqually River at McKenna (usgs:12089500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/washington/nisqually-river-at-mckenna

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