Gulkana River at Sourdough water level

Name: Gulkana River at Sourdough 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, Gulkana River, Alaska, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

6.18ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 09:15 PM AKDT (35 min ago)

Flow: 1,040 cfs
Water temperature: 35 °F

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 6.18 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 04:00 PM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 02:18 PM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The Gulkana River at Sourdough is at 6.18 ft, in the normal range.

It is 4.82 ft below the flood stage of 11.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 6.18 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 04:00 PM. In the last month it has stayed between 6.18 ft and 6.27 ft.

The sensor also reports a water temperature of 35 °F.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 16.03 ftMay 7, 1976
Forecast peak: 6.20 ftMonday, October 19 at 04:00 PM

Floating and fishing near Gulkana River at Sourdough

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 11.00 ft, 4.82 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

12.50 ft: Stage associated with flow (16900 cfs) having a recurrence interval of >50 years; major flooding would be expected on this and nearby streams
12.00 ft: Stage associated with flow (15200 cfs) having a recurrence interval of 20-40 years; moderate flooding would be expected on this and nearby streams
11.00 ft: Stage associated with a flow (11900 cfs) having a recurrence interval of ~10 years; minor flooding would be expected on this and nearby streams
9.50 ft: Bankfull -- stage associated with flow (7400 cfs) having a recurrence interval of ~2 years
6.18 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	16.03 ft	May 7, 1976
2	14.64 ft	May 5, 2009
3	14.62 ft	May 30, 2013
4	12.00 ft	October 10, 2006
5	11.26 ft	September 12, 1990
6	10.88 ft	May 4, 1989
7	10.75 ft	June 13, 2018
8	10.48 ft	August 26, 2006
9	10.29 ft	June 14, 2012
10	10.09 ft	June 24, 2020

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.08 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

18 Sun 35° 26° – Wind 5 mph

19 Mon 34° 29° 0.25 in, 99% Wind 13 mph

20 Tue 38° 28° 1.51 in, 93% Wind 10 mph

21 Wed 28° 21° 0.13 in, 78% Wind 8 mph

22 Thu 28° 7° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 18° -4° 0.00 in Wind 3 mph

24 Sat 37° 13° 0.14 in, 26% Wind 17 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 08:43 AM Sunset 06:12 PM Daylight 9 hr, 30 min First quarter 65%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Tazlina River near GlennallenRiver gauge, Tazlina River	1,111.83 ft	No reference yet	−0.02 ft	32 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Gulkana River at Sourdough?

The official flood stage is 11.00 ft. The level is currently 4.82 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 Gulkana River at Sourdough today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 09:15 PM AKDT, the water level was 6.18 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Gulkana River at Sourdough rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Gulkana River at Sourdough normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Gulkana River at Sourdough?

The highest level on record is 16.03 ft on May 7, 1976.

Is Gulkana River at Sourdough expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 6.18 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 04:00 PM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:15200280 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 62.52083, -145.53083 (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	6.18 ft	2026-10-20 05:15	Provisional
Flow	1,040 cfs	2026-10-20 05:15	Provisional
Water temperature	35 °F	2026-10-20 05:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Gulkana River at Sourdough (usgs:15200280). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/alaska/gulkana-river-at-sourdough

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