Spokane River at Spokane water level

Name: Spokane River at Spokane 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, Spokane River, Washington, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Water level

17.83ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 17, 2026, 02:00 PM PDT (38 min ago)

Flow: 1,390 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 17.75 ft by Monday, October 26 at 11:00 PM. Issued Saturday, October 17 at 09:12 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The Spokane River at Spokane is running far below normal at 17.83 ft.

That puts it 0.53 ft below the median of 18.36 ft for mid-October, based on 25 years of readings. It is 9.17 ft below the flood stage of 27.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 17.88 ft (−0.05 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 17.75 ft by Monday, October 26 at 11:00 PM. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between 17.44 ft and 17.87 ft.

Compared with 25 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 18.36 ft0.53 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 17.91 ft – 18.93 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (25 years of records)
Same day last year: 17.88 ft−0.05 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 17.44 ft – 17.87 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 17.14 ft – 24.76 ft
Highest on record: 29.75 ftDecember 26, 1933
Lowest on record: 15.40 ftAugust 26, 1991
Forecast peak: 17.86 ftSaturday, October 17 at 11:00 AM

Floating and fishing near Spokane River at Spokane

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

Flood stage here is 27.00 ft, 9.17 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

30.00 ft: Significant flooding to homes and roads in Peaceful Valley is likely. Access to Upriver Drive and the Riverpoint area will be disrupted.
29.00 ft: Flooding of Peaceful Valley, Riverfront Park, and the Harbor Island area is likely. Sections of Centennial Trail will be inundated.
28.00 ft: Flooding in sections of Peaceful Valley is likely. Minor flooding along Upriver Drive and in the Riverpoint Industrial area is also possible.
28.00 ft: Flooding in sections of Peaceful Valley is likely. Minor flooding along Upriver Drive is also possible.
27.50 ft: Water will be over one lane of Upriver Drive between Stone and Regal Streets and encroach onto the shoulder of the road in other sections of Upriver Drive between Stone and Granite Streets.
27.00 ft: Significant stretches of the Centennial Trail between Mission Avenue and Greene Street will be inundated. Minor flooding will occur along the river's edge in Peaceful Valley Park and in the yards of homes at the east end of Water Street. The River may back up through storm drains onto Main Street near its intersection with Elm Street in Peaceful Valley. Minor flooding of low lying areas along the Spokane River Valley will occur.
25.40 ft: Sections of the Centennial Trail along Upriver Drive, between Mission Avenue and Greene Street, will be covered in water. Water will be at the trail's edge in several locations along this same stretch.
17.83 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	29.75 ft	December 26, 1933
2	29.09 ft	May 19, 1997
3	28.94 ft	January 20, 1974
4	28.73 ft	March 22, 2017
5	28.41 ft	May 23, 2008
6	28.35 ft	May 31, 1948
7	28.04 ft	February 12, 1996
8	27.95 ft	April 27, 1956
9	27.90 ft	February 23, 1982
10	27.72 ft	April 29, 2012

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

17 Sat 66° 36° – Wind 12 mph

18 Sun 61° 37° – Wind 5 mph

19 Mon 61° 43° – Wind 3 mph

20 Tue 64° 50° – Wind 4 mph

21 Wed 66° 47° – Wind 4 mph

22 Thu 65° 52° 0.03 in Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 62° 46° – Wind 3 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:12 AM Sunset 05:59 PM Daylight 10 hr, 47 min First quarter 43%

Map

Other gauges on the Spokane River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Spokane River below Blackwell near Coeur D AleneRiver gauge, Spokane River	1,120 cfs	Very low	+350 cfs	30 mi
Spokane River near Post FallsRiver gauge, Spokane River	1,140 cfs	Low	−10.0 cfs	22 mi
Spokane River below N Greene St at SpokaneRiver gauge, Spokane River	1,340 cfs	Very low	±0	4.2 mi
Spokane River below Nine Mile Dam at SpokaneRiver gauge, Spokane River	1,620 cfs	Low	+40.0 cfs	9 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Hangman Creek at SpokaneRiver gauge, Hangman Creek	1.00 ft	Very low	+0.01 ft	0.5 mi
Little Spokane River near DartfordRiver gauge, Little Spokane River	4.97 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	9 mi
Little Spokane River at DartfordRiver gauge, Little Spokane River	2.27 ft	Very low	+0.01 ft	9 mi
Chamokane Creek below Falls near Long LakeRiver gauge, Chamokane Creek	7.21 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	24 mi
Coeur D Alene River near HarrisonRiver gauge, Coeur D Alene River	23.32 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	36 mi
Hangman Creek at State Line Road near TekoaRiver gauge, Hangman Creek	1.0 cfs	Normal	±0	37 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Spokane River at Spokane compare with last year?

It is 0.05 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 17.88 ft.

What is flood stage for the Spokane River at Spokane?

The official flood stage is 27.00 ft. The level is currently 9.17 ft below it.

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

The median for mid-October is 18.36 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 17.91 ft and 18.93 ft, based on 25 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 Spokane River at Spokane today?

On Oct 17, 2026, 02:00 PM PDT, the water level was 17.83 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Spokane River at Spokane rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Up 0.04 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Spokane River at Spokane normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 25 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:12422500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 47.65934, -117.44910 (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

Parameter	Last value	Time (UTC)	Quality
Water level	17.83 ft	2026-10-17 21:00	Provisional
Flow	1,390 cfs	2026-10-17 21:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Spokane River at Spokane (usgs:12422500). Accessed October 17, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/washington/spokane-river-at-spokane

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