Lake Chena River near Fairbanks water level

Name: Lake Chena River near Fairbanks 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, Lake Chena River, Alaska, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

13.62ft Up 0.25 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 06:00 PM AKDT (43 min ago)

Flow: 476 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The Lake Chena River near Fairbanks is at 13.62 ft, in the normal range.

It is 11.38 ft below the flood stage of 25.00 ft.

It has risen 0.25 ft over the past 24 hours. There is still 11.38 ft of room before flood stage. In the last month it has stayed between 13.37 ft and 13.90 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: 31.90 ftAugust 13, 1967

Floating and fishing near Lake Chena River near Fairbanks

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

Flood stage here is 25.00 ft, 11.38 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	31.90 ft	August 13, 1967
2	26.59 ft	July 3, 2014
3	26.43 ft	July 29, 2003
4	26.33 ft	May 10, 1972
5	26.06 ft	May 13, 1975
6	25.71 ft	May 28, 1992
7	25.11 ft	June 27, 1989
8	25.00 ft	May 7, 1991
9	24.96 ft	June 27, 1994
10	24.88 ft	August 6, 1969

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 09:01 AM Sunset 06:07 PM Daylight 9 hr, 6 min Waxing gibbous 73%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Chena River below Moose C DamRiver gauge, Chena River	17.53 ft	Below flood stage	−0.11 ft	5.9 mi
Fish Creek below Solo Creek near ChatanikaLake, Fish Creek	25.02 ft	Normal	±0	9 mi
Chena River below Hunts Creek near Two RiversRiver gauge, Chena River	11.45 ft	Below flood stage	+0.03 ft	13 mi
Chena River at FairbanksRiver gauge, Chena River	2.13 ft	Below flood stage	−0.11 ft	14 mi
Tanana River at FairbanksRiver gauge, Tanana River	18.07 ft	No reference yet	−0.45 ft	19 mi
Chena River near Two RiversRiver gauge, Chena River	16.26 ft	Below flood stage	+0.12 ft	26 mi
Salcha River near SalchaketRiver gauge, Salcha River	6.83 ft	Below flood stage	−0.14 ft	30 mi
Tolovana River below Rosebud Creek near LivengoodRiver gauge, Tolovana River	12.84 ft	No reference yet	+0.31 ft	57 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Lake Chena River near Fairbanks?

The official flood stage is 25.00 ft. The level is currently 11.38 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 Lake Chena River near Fairbanks today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 06:00 PM AKDT, the water level was 13.62 ft. Up 0.25 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Lake Chena River near Fairbanks rising or falling?

Up 0.25 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.26 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Lake Chena River near Fairbanks normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Lake Chena River near Fairbanks?

The highest level on record is 31.90 ft on August 13, 1967.

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:15511000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 64.88568, -147.24968 (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	13.62 ft	2026-10-21 02:00	Provisional
Flow	476 cfs	2026-10-21 02:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Lake Chena River near Fairbanks (usgs:15511000). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/alaska/lake-chena-river-near-fairbanks

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