Skookumchuck River near Bucoda water level

Name: Skookumchuck River near Bucoda 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, Skookumchuck River, Washington, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

203.69ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 02:45 PM PDT (31 min ago)

Flow: 124 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 203.65 ft by Monday, October 26 at 05:00 AM. Issued Sunday, October 18 at 08:47 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Skookumchuck River near Bucoda, where the gauge shows 203.69 ft.

It is 7.81 ft below the flood stage of 211.50 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 203.65 ft by Monday, October 26 at 05:00 AM. The 30-day range is 203.61 ft – 203.70 ft.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 216.02 ftFebruary 8, 1996
Forecast peak: 203.69 ftSunday, October 18 at 11:00 AM

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 211.50 ft.

What happens at each level

215.80 ft: the Skookumchuck River in Thurston County will cause severe near record flooding in the Bucoda area...with deep and swift flood waters inundating residential and business areas and numerous roads.Flooding will occur all along the river including headwaters...tributaries...and other streams within and near the Skookumchuck River Basin.
215.00 ft: the Skookumchuck River in Thurston County will cause major flooding in the Bucoda area...with deep and swift flood waters inundating residential and business areas and numerous roads. Flooding will occur all along the river including headwaters...tributaries...and other streams within and near the Skookumchuck River Basin.
213.00 ft: the Skookumchuck River in Thurston County will flood several residential and business areas around Bucoda. Flood waters will cover many roads.
211.50 ft: the Skookumchuck River in Thurston County will flood a few roads and low pasture lands near Bucoda.
203.69 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: 12 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	216.02 ft	February 8, 1996
2	215.99 ft	January 7, 2022
3	214.10 ft	March 2, 2022
4	214.00 ft	January 3, 2021
5	213.23 ft	January 13, 2021
6	212.92 ft	December 9, 2025
7	212.89 ft	January 8, 2020
8	211.97 ft	February 23, 2021
9	17.72 ft	January 8, 2009
10	17.33 ft	January 10, 1990

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

18 Sun 60° 37° – Wind 10 mph

19 Mon 62° 43° – Wind 6 mph

20 Tue 64° 41° – Wind 11 mph

21 Wed 69° 40° – Wind 4 mph

22 Thu 62° 40° – Wind 9 mph

23 Fri 59° 38° – Wind 5 mph

24 Sat 60° 37° – Wind 4 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:34 AM Sunset 06:21 PM Daylight 10 hr, 46 min First quarter 53%

Map

Other gauges on the Skookumchuck River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Skookumchuck River near VailRiver gauge, Skookumchuck River	16.0 cfs	Very low	+0.4 cfs	16 mi
Skookumchuck River below Bldy Run Creek near CentraliaRiver gauge, Skookumchuck River	325.99 ft	Highest on record	±0	9 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Chehalis River near Grand MoundRiver gauge, Chehalis River	128.86 ft	High	−0.03 ft	5.3 mi
Chehalis River near RochesterRiver gauge, Chehalis River	103.90 ft	Very low	−0.02 ft	10 mi
Nf Newaukum River above Bear Creek near ForestRiver gauge, Nf Newaukum River	404.83 ft	High	+0.01 ft	10 mi
Newaukum River near ChehalisRiver gauge, Newaukum River	192.50 ft	Below flood stage	+0.13 ft	11 mi
Chehalis River near AdnaRiver gauge, Chehalis River	192.86 ft	High	−0.01 ft	13 mi
Deschutes River near RainierRiver gauge, Deschutes River	3.04 ft	Very low	±0	13 mi
Deschutes River at East St Bridge at TumwaterRiver gauge, Deschutes River	24.49 ft	Low	+0.01 ft	17 mi
South Fork Newaukum River near OnalaskaRiver gauge, South Fork Newaukum River	533.57 ft	High	±0	18 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Skookumchuck River near Bucoda?

The official flood stage is 211.50 ft. The level is currently 7.81 ft below it.

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 Skookumchuck River near Bucoda today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 02:45 PM PDT, the water level was 203.69 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Skookumchuck River near Bucoda rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Skookumchuck River near Bucoda normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Skookumchuck River near Bucoda?

The highest level on record is 216.02 ft on February 8, 1996.

Is Skookumchuck River near Bucoda expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 203.65 ft by Monday, October 26 at 05:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:12026400 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 46.77205, -122.92430 (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	203.69 ft	2026-10-18 21:45	Provisional
Flow	124 cfs	2026-10-18 21:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Skookumchuck River near Bucoda (usgs:12026400). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/washington/skookumchuck-river-near-bucoda

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