Methow River at Winthrop water level

Name: Methow River at Winthrop 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, Methow River, Washington, United States

Directions

Low for mid-October

Water level

9.83ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 17, 2026, 12:15 PM PDT (29 min ago)

Flow: 209 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

At 9.83 ft, the Methow River at Winthrop is below normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 9.93 ft, based on 28 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.10 ft below typical. On the same day last year the reading was 9.79 ft, a difference of +0.04 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 9.74 ft and 9.85 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.

Compared with 28 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 9.93 ft0.10 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 9.83 ft – 10.45 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (28 years of records)
Same day last year: 9.79 ft+0.04 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 9.74 ft – 9.85 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 9.74 ft – 15.57 ft
Highest on record: 19.26 ftMay 19, 2006

What the stage means on the water

Low water means more dragging on shallow riffles and slower floats. Fish crowd into the deeper runs, and warm, low water stresses them, so play and release them quickly.

What happens at each level

21.90 ft: Gage height that approximately corresponds to the FEMA one percent chance flood elevation at this location. Potential flooding of properties along McLean Street and along Riverside Avenue from Center Street to Perry Street.
9.83 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	19.26 ft	May 19, 2006
2	19.22 ft	June 17, 1999
3	18.91 ft	May 19, 2008
4	18.76 ft	May 5, 2023
5	18.71 ft	May 31, 2017
6	18.53 ft	May 9, 2018
7	18.02 ft	June 8, 2011
8	17.98 ft	May 16, 1997
9	17.89 ft	April 22, 2016
10	17.33 ft	May 30, 1995

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

17 Sat 63° 43° – Wind 16 mph

18 Sun 60° 38° – Wind 8 mph

19 Mon 58° 43° – Wind 6 mph

20 Tue 63° 45° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 64° 44° – Wind 6 mph

22 Thu 66° 44° – Wind 8 mph

23 Fri 62° 40° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:24 AM Sunset 06:09 PM Daylight 10 hr, 45 min First quarter 43%

Map

Other gauges on the Methow River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Methow River above Goat Creek near MazamaRiver gauge, Methow River	11.62 ft	Low	±0	12 mi
Methow River at TwispRiver gauge, Methow River	268 cfs	Low	±0	8 mi
Methow River near PaterosRiver gauge, Methow River	1.59 ft	Low	±0	29 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Chewuch River at WinthropRiver gauge, Chewuch River	2.63 ft	Very low	±0	0.5 mi
Twisp River near TwispRiver gauge, Twisp River	6.89 ft	Low	±0	7 mi
West Fork Salmon Creek near ConconullyRiver gauge, West Fork Salmon Creek	6.2 cfs	Low	±0	19 mi
Conconully ReservoirReservoir	2,249.79 ft	Very low		20 mi
North Fork Salmon Creek near ConconullyRiver gauge, North Fork Salmon Creek	3.8 cfs	Low	±0	20 mi
Conconully Lake and Salmon LakeLake	2,298.29 ft	Very low		21 mi
Andrews Creek near MazamaRiver gauge, Andrews Creek	2.7 cfs	Very low	−0.1 cfs	24 mi
Lake Chelan at Purple Point at StehekinLake, Lake Chelan	1,095.01 ft	Highest on record	−0.23 ft	25 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Methow River at Winthrop higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.04 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 9.79 ft.

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

The median for mid-October is 9.93 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 9.83 ft and 10.45 ft, based on 28 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 Methow River at Winthrop today?

On Oct 17, 2026, 12:15 PM PDT, the water level was 9.83 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Methow River at Winthrop rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Methow River at Winthrop normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 28 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Methow River at Winthrop?

The highest level on record is 19.26 ft on May 19, 2006.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:12448500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 48.47348, -120.17731 (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	9.83 ft	2026-10-17 19:15	Provisional
Flow	209 cfs	2026-10-17 19:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Methow River at Winthrop (usgs:12448500). Accessed October 17, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/washington/methow-river-at-winthrop

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