Nooksack River at Ferndale water level

Name: Nooksack River at Ferndale 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, Nooksack River, Washington, United States

Directions

Low for mid-October

Water level

3.69ft Up 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 17, 2026, 02:30 PM PDT (35 min ago)

Flow: 560 cfs
Water temperature: 54 °F

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 rise to 4.66 ft by Tuesday, October 27 at 05:00 AM. Issued Saturday, October 17 at 08:21 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

At 3.69 ft, the Nooksack River at Ferndale is below normal for mid-October.

That puts it 0.91 ft below the median of 4.60 ft for mid-October, based on 34 years of readings. It is 14.31 ft below the flood stage of 18.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 3.40 ft (+0.29 ft).

The water is rising: up 0.06 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 4.66 ft by Tuesday, October 27 at 05:00 AM. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 3.56 ft and 7.66 ft.

The sensor also reports a water temperature of 54 °F.

Compared with 34 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 4.60 ft0.91 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 3.09 ft – 8.24 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (34 years of records)
Same day last year: 3.40 ft+0.29 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 3.56 ft – 7.66 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 3.40 ft – 20.46 ft
Highest on record: 31.23 ftFebruary 10, 1951
Forecast peak: 4.66 ftTuesday, October 27 at 05:00 AM

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.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 18.00 ft, still 14.31 ft away.

What happens at each level

23.00 ft: the Nooksack River will cause major near record flooding from near Ferndale downstream to the mouth, overtopping levees on both sides of the river and flooding roadways on the Lummi Peninsula including Hexton Way. Deep and swift flood waters will inundate residential areas...farm lands...and roads. In addition...flood waters could overflow and flood the Sumas drainage. Flooding will occur all along the river including headwaters...tributaries...and other streams within and near the Nooksack River Basin.
22.00 ft: the Nooksack River will overflow levees and banks along the east bank of the river from Hovander Park downstream to Marietta, causing widespread flooding from near Ferndale downstream to the mouth...with swift waters in residential areas and over farmlands and roads. Erosion may damage some river banks. Flooding within the City of Ferndale affects Main Street in the vicinity of the Whatcom Transportation Authority Station.
20.50 ft: the Nooksack River will overflow levees and banks along the east bank of the river from Hovander Park downstream to Marietta, causing widespread flooding from near Ferndale downstream to the mouth...with swift waters in residential areas and over farm lands and roads. Erosion may damage some river banks.
20.00 ft: the river will flood additional areas within the City of Ferndale including low-lying residential areas and roads including Washington Street, Portal Way and Second Avenue.
18.00 ft: the river begins overtopping its banks within the City of Ferndale flooding low-lying areas within the City and low pasture lands along the river from near Ferndale downstream to the mouth.
17.00 ft: the Nooksack River will overtop levees along Bertrand Creek and near Marine Drive, causing shallow flooding of low pasture lands along the river and additional roadways within the floodplain including Slater Road.
16.00 ft: the river begins spilling over its banks into low pasture lands flooding some roadways that are not protected by levees including Marine Drive and Ferndale Road.
3.69 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: 18 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	31.23 ft	February 10, 1951
2	30.60 ft	December 30, 1917
3	30.40 ft	February 27, 1932
4	30.20 ft	January 25, 1935
5	28.60 ft	October 26, 1945
6	28.15 ft	December 12, 1921
7	27.23 ft	November 4, 1955
8	26.38 ft	January 16, 1961
9	26.21 ft	April 30, 1959
10	25.55 ft	November 27, 1949

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

17 Sat 61° 49° 0.10 in, 78% Wind 14 mph

18 Sun 57° 40° – Wind 6 mph

19 Mon 58° 43° – Wind 4 mph

20 Tue 60° 39° – Wind 5 mph

21 Wed 62° 41° – Wind 4 mph

22 Thu 58° 43° – Wind 4 mph

23 Fri 58° 38° – Wind 4 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:34 AM Sunset 06:18 PM Daylight 10 hr, 44 min First quarter 44%

Map

Other gauges on the Nooksack River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Nooksack River at North CedarvilleRiver gauge, Nooksack River	137.92 ft	Very low	+0.06 ft	13 mi
Nooksack River at EversonRiver gauge, Nooksack River	72.08 ft	Low	+0.11 ft	12 mi
Nooksack River near LyndenRiver gauge, Nooksack River	35.59 ft	No reference yet	+0.06 ft	7 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Squalicum Creek near Mouth at BellinghamRiver gauge, Squalicum Creek	2.2 cfs	Normal	+0.9 cfs	7 mi
Fishtrap Creek at Front Street at LyndenRiver gauge, Fishtrap Creek	2.90 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	8 mi
Euclid Creek at Euclid Ave at BellinghamRiver gauge, Euclid Creek	3.53 ft	Low	+0.02 ft	11 mi
Chuckanut Creek near BellinghamRiver gauge, Chuckanut Creek	14.03 ft	Low	+0.01 ft	11 mi
Bertrand Creek at International BoundaryRiver gauge, Bertrand Creek	0.94 m	Normal	+0.01 m	18 km
Unnamed Tributary to Bertrand Creek near H St near LyndenRiver gauge, Unnamed Tributary to Bertrand Creek	1.40 ft	Normal	−0.25 ft	11 mi
Anderson Creek at Smith Road near GoshenRiver gauge, Anderson Creek	7.33 ft	Very high	+0.01 ft	11 mi
Pepin Creek at International BoundaryRiver gauge, Pepin Creek	1.19 m	Low	+0.02 m	20 km

Questions and answers

How does the Nooksack River at Ferndale compare with last year?

It is 0.29 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.40 ft.

What is flood stage for the Nooksack River at Ferndale?

The official flood stage is 18.00 ft. The level is currently 14.31 ft below it.

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

The median for mid-October is 4.60 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.09 ft and 8.24 ft, based on 34 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 Nooksack River at Ferndale today?

On Oct 17, 2026, 02:30 PM PDT, the water level was 3.69 ft. Up 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Nooksack River at Ferndale rising or falling?

Up 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.45 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Nooksack River at Ferndale normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 34 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:12213100 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 48.84479, -122.58931 (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	3.69 ft	2026-10-17 21:30	Provisional
Flow	560 cfs	2026-10-17 21:30	Provisional
Water temperature	54 °F	2026-10-17 21:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Nooksack River at Ferndale (usgs:12213100). Accessed October 17, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/washington/nooksack-river-at-ferndale

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