Merced R A Happy Isles Bridge near Yosemite water level

Name: Merced R A Happy Isles Bridge near Yosemite 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, Merced R A Happy Isles Bridge, California, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

0.56ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 12:30 AM PDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 3.4 cfs
Water temperature: 49 °F

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to rise to 1.08 ft by Friday, October 23 at 03:00 AM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 07:20 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The gauge at Merced R A Happy Isles Bridge near Yosemite reads 0.56 ft, a normal level.

It is 6.94 ft below the flood stage of 7.50 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 1.08 ft by Friday, October 23 at 03:00 AM. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 0.56 ft and 0.57 ft.

The sensor also reports a water temperature of 49 °F.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 13.27 ftJanuary 2, 1997
Forecast peak: 1.08 ftFriday, October 23 at 03:00 AM

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 7.50 ft, still 6.94 ft away.

What happens at each level

13.27 ft: Flood of Record: 1/2/97. $178 million in damage to Yosemite Valley.
10.00 ft: Northside Drive at Wosky Pond, Southside Drive at Chapel Meadow, El Capitan crossover, and Sentinel crossover are impassable to vehicles.
8.20 ft: Swinging Bridge overtops. Water on road at Northside Drive, Southsie Drive, El Capitan crossover, and Sentinel crossover.
7.50 ft: Flood Stage. Housekeeping camp and Yosemite Valley backpacker campground begin to flood.
7.00 ft: North Pines and Lower Pines campgrounds begin flooding.
0.56 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: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	13.27 ft	January 2, 1997
2	12.73 ft	December 23, 1955
3	11.55 ft	November 18, 1950
4	8.42 ft	May 21, 2023

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 74° 50° – Wind 10 mph

20 Tue 73° 54° 0.02 in Wind 9 mph

21 Wed 67° 47° 0.21 in, 73% Wind 13 mph

22 Thu 55° 44° 0.15 in, 94% Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 67° 42° – Wind 9 mph

24 Sat 73° 49° – Wind 9 mph

25 Sun 77° 54° – Wind 9 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:13 AM Sunset 06:14 PM Daylight 11 hr, 1 min Waxing gibbous 76%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Merced R A Pohono Bridge near YosemiteRiver gauge, Merced R A Pohono Bridge	0.94 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	5.9 mi
Tuolumne R A Grand Canyon of Tuolumne above Hetch HetchyRiver gauge, Tuolumne R A Grand Canyon of Tuolumne	6.9 cfs	Low	±0	14 mi
Tuolumne River near Hetch HetchyRiver gauge, Tuolumne River	55.9 cfs	Normal	±0	19 mi
Tuolumne River above Early Intake near MatherRiver gauge, Tuolumne River	48.5 cfs	Normal	−1.2 cfs	24 mi
Eleanor Creek near Hetch HetchyRiver gauge, Eleanor Creek	10.8 cfs	Normal	±0	24 mi
Tuolumne River below Early Intake near MatherRiver gauge, Tuolumne River	48.5 cfs	Normal	−2.0 cfs	25 mi
Cherry Creek near Early IntakeRiver gauge, Cherry Creek	15.2 cfs	Normal	+0.4 cfs	25 mi
Cherry Creek below Dion R Holm Ph near MatherRiver gauge, Cherry Creek	18.0 cfs	Very low	±0	25 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Merced R A Happy Isles Bridge near Yosemite?

The official flood stage is 7.50 ft. The level is currently 6.94 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 Merced R A Happy Isles Bridge near Yosemite today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 12:30 AM PDT, the water level was 0.56 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Merced R A Happy Isles Bridge near Yosemite rising or falling?

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

Is the level of Merced R A Happy Isles Bridge near Yosemite normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Merced R A Happy Isles Bridge near Yosemite?

The highest level on record is 13.27 ft on January 2, 1997.

Is Merced R A Happy Isles Bridge near Yosemite expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to rise to 1.08 ft by Friday, October 23 at 03:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:11264500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 37.73130, -119.55902 (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	0.56 ft	2026-10-21 07:30	Provisional
Flow	3.4 cfs	2026-10-21 07:30	Provisional
Water temperature	49 °F	2026-10-21 07:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Merced R A Happy Isles Bridge near Yosemite (usgs:11264500). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/california/merced-r-a-happy-isles-bridge-near-yosemite

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