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Nisqually River near National water level

River gauge, Nisqually River, Washington, United States

Directions

Right now

Normal for mid-October

Water level

4.08ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
160 cfs
3 4 5

History

History
246ftOct 13Oct 14Oct 16Oct 18Oct 19246ftOct 13Oct 16Oct 19
246ftSep 20Sep 27Oct 4Oct 12Oct 19246ftSep 20Oct 4Oct 19
35810ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 202635810ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
35810ftJanMarMayJulSepNov202635810ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

The gauge at Nisqually River near National reads 4.08 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 3.96 ft, based on 40 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.12 ft above typical. On the same day last year the reading was 5.09 ft, a difference of −1.01 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 4.03 ft and 4.74 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Compared with 40 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
3.96 ft0.12 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
2.18 ft – 5.45 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (40 years of records)
Same day last year
5.09 ft−1.01 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
4.03 ft – 4.74 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
4.03 ft – 10.25 ft

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 58° 45° – Wind 6 mph
20 Tue 66° 41° – Wind 6 mph
21 Wed 69° 52° – Wind 6 mph
22 Thu 59° 40° 0.03 in, 24% Wind 8 mph
23 Fri 52° 38° – Wind 5 mph
24 Sat 59° 37° – Wind 7 mph
25 Sun 50° 40° 0.18 in, 48% Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:32 AM Sunset 06:16 PM Daylight 10 hr, 43 min First quarter 61%

Map

Other gauges on the Nisqually River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Nisqually River at La Grande DamRiver gauge, Nisqually River 36.6 cfs No reference yet ±0 12 mi
Nisqually River at La GrandeRiver gauge, Nisqually River 4.23 ft Normal ±0 13 mi
Nisqually River at McKennaRiver gauge, Nisqually River 1.52 ft Normal ±0 26 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Mineral Creek near MineralRiver gauge, Mineral Creek 18.9 cfs Very low ±0 2.9 mi
Puyallup River near ElectronRiver gauge, Puyallup River 3.18 ft Low −0.03 ft 11 mi
Mashel River near La GrandeRiver gauge, Mashel River 1.81 ft Very low −0.01 ft 13 mi
Ohop Creek near EatonvilleRiver gauge, Ohop Creek 1.56 ft Low −0.03 ft 13 mi
Cowlitz River at RandleRiver gauge, Cowlitz River 3.69 ft Normal ±0 16 mi
Carbon River near FairfaxRiver gauge, Carbon River 5.54 ft Very low −0.07 ft 19 mi
Cowlitz River near KosmosRiver gauge, Cowlitz River 456 cfs Very low +3.0 cfs 20 mi
Puyallup River near OrtingRiver gauge, Puyallup River 5.97 ft Very high −0.05 ft 21 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Nisqually River near National higher than last year?

No, it is 1.01 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 5.09 ft.

What is a normal level for the Nisqually River near National in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.96 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.18 ft and 5.45 ft, based on 40 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 near National today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 11:00 AM PDT, the water level was 4.08 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Nisqually River near National rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Up 0.05 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Nisqually River near National normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 40 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:12082500 (Agency page)
Coordinates
46.75261, -122.08372 (WGS84)
Vertical datum
NGVD29
Update interval
every 15 minutes
Licence
Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 4.08 ft 2026-10-19 18:00 Provisional
Flow 160 cfs 2026-10-19 18:00 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Nisqually River near National (usgs:12082500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/washington/nisqually-river-near-national

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.