Kenai River below Skilak Lake Outlet near Sterling water level

Name: Kenai River below Skilak Lake Outlet near Sterling 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, Kenai River, Alaska, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

7.73ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 08:30 PM AKDT (40 min ago)

Flow: 3,470 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Kenai River below Skilak Lake Outlet near Sterling, where the gauge shows 7.73 ft.

It is 5.27 ft below the flood stage of 13.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 7.72 ft – 7.88 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: 15.56 ftSeptember 26, 2012

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 13.00 ft.

What happens at each level

15.00 ft: Water inundates the Kenai Keys neighborhood.
11.40 ft: High water level -- Class II whitewater below Skilak Lake
10.40 ft: Medium water level -- Class I whitewater below Skilak Lake
8.40 ft: Low water level -- Class I whitewater below Skilak Lake
7.73 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	15.56 ft	September 26, 2012
2	15.16 ft	September 13, 2023
3	15.02 ft	August 14, 2009
4	14.03 ft	August 18, 2014
5	13.95 ft	November 27, 2002
6	13.48 ft	September 27, 2013
7	13.27 ft	October 10, 2003
8	13.21 ft	September 2, 2001
9	13.20 ft	August 24, 2022
10	13.10 ft	September 22, 2018

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 08:59 AM Sunset 06:36 PM Daylight 9 hr, 37 min Waxing gibbous 74%

Map

Other gauges on the Kenai River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Kenai River at Cooper LandingRiver gauge, Kenai River	7.95 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	27 mi
Kenai River at SoldotnaRiver gauge, Kenai River	6.92 ft	Below flood stage	±0	16 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Cooper Creek at Mouth near Cooper LandingRiver gauge, Cooper Creek	10.05 ft	Below flood stage	±0	24 mi
Kasilof River near KasilofRiver gauge, Kasilof River	38.29 ft	No reference yet	−0.02 ft	25 mi
Sixmile Creek near HopeRiver gauge, Sixmile Creek	9.13 ft	Below flood stage	+0.03 ft	47 mi
Lowell Creek at SewardRiver gauge, Lowell Creek	44.2 cfs	Normal	−4.1 cfs	47 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Kenai River below Skilak Lake Outlet near Sterling?

The official flood stage is 13.00 ft. The level is currently 5.27 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 Kenai River below Skilak Lake Outlet near Sterling today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 08:30 PM AKDT, the water level was 7.73 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Kenai River below Skilak Lake Outlet near Sterling rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.08 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Kenai River below Skilak Lake Outlet near Sterling normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Kenai River below Skilak Lake Outlet near Sterling?

The highest level on record is 15.56 ft on September 26, 2012.

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:15266110 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 60.46608, -150.60107 (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	7.73 ft	2026-10-21 04:30	Provisional
Flow	3,470 cfs	2026-10-21 04:30	Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.

<iframe src="https://nivelmap.com/embed/6439?lang=en" width="360" height="230" style="border:0;max-width:100%" loading="lazy" title="Kenai River below Skilak Lake Outlet near Sterling water level"></iframe>

How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Kenai River below Skilak Lake Outlet near Sterling (usgs:15266110). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/alaska/kenai-river-below-skilak-lake-outlet-near-sterling

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