South Fork Skykomish River at Skykomish water level

Name: South Fork Skykomish River at Skykomish 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, South Fork Skykomish River, Washington, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

17.09ft Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 01:45 AM PDT (27 min ago)

Flow: 196 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at South Fork Skykomish River at Skykomish, where the gauge shows 17.09 ft.

It is 10.41 ft below the flood stage of 27.50 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.05 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 17.08 ft – 17.14 ft.

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

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 29.91 ftNovember 17, 2015

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 27.50 ft.

What happens at each level

30.00 ft: Widespread flooding expected from Timberlane Village to Baring, including areas typically protecteed by levees. Some access to U.S. 2 blocked. Flooding from isolated levee overtopping upstream of Skykomish could inundate roads and block roads, interrupting access in or out of town.
29.00 ft: Widespread flooding expected from Timberlane Village to Baring, including areas typically protecteed by levees. West Riverside Drive flooded.
27.50 ft: Riverbank erosion and flood debris problems are likely. Flooding likely to occur in low-lying areas from Timberlane Village to Baring, including Skylandia at 195th.
26.00 ft: Flood waters will inundate low lying areas along the river from Timberlane Village to Baring.
17.09 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	29.91 ft	November 17, 2015
2	29.59 ft	December 11, 2025
3	26.19 ft	February 1, 2020
4	25.90 ft	November 23, 2017
5	25.51 ft	February 15, 2016

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:31 AM Sunset 06:11 PM Daylight 10 hr, 40 min First quarter 57%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
South Fork Tolt River near IndexRiver gauge, South Fork Tolt River	0.76 ft	Low	−0.09 ft	11 mi
Phelps Creek below Unnamed Tributary near IndexRiver gauge, Phelps Creek	5.85 ft	Low	+0.02 ft	11 mi
South Fork Tolt River near CarnationRiver gauge, South Fork Tolt River	1.87 ft	Very low	+0.01 ft	16 mi
Skykomish River near Gold BarRiver gauge, Skykomish River	4.42 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	17 mi
Nf Snoqualmie River near Snoqualmie FallsRiver gauge, Nf Snoqualmie River	2.21 ft	Low	−0.17 ft	18 mi
Nf Tolt River above Yellow Creek near CarnationRiver gauge, Nf Tolt River	48.1 cfs	Low	−20.9 cfs	18 mi
Sf Tolt River below Regulating Basin near CarnationRiver gauge, Sf Tolt River	3.12 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	20 mi
South Fork Sultan River near SultanRiver gauge, South Fork Sultan River	8.52 ft	Normal	−0.17 ft	20 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the South Fork Skykomish River at Skykomish?

The official flood stage is 27.50 ft. The level is currently 10.41 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 South Fork Skykomish River at Skykomish today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 01:45 AM PDT, the water level was 17.09 ft. Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is South Fork Skykomish River at Skykomish rising or falling?

Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of South Fork Skykomish River at Skykomish normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at South Fork Skykomish River at Skykomish?

The highest level on record is 29.91 ft on November 17, 2015.

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:12131500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 47.71104, -121.36073 (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	17.09 ft	2026-10-19 08:45	Provisional
Flow	196 cfs	2026-10-19 08:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: South Fork Skykomish River at Skykomish (usgs:12131500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/washington/south-fork-skykomish-river-at-skykomish

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