West Fork Carson River at Woodfords water level
River gauge, West Fork Carson River, California, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 15.5 cfs
History
The forecast expects the river to rise to 9.86 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 11:00 PM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 06:45 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
The gauge at West Fork Carson River at Woodfords reads 9.58 ft, a normal level.
It is 3.92 ft below the flood stage of 13.50 ft.
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 9.86 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 11:00 PM. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 9.58 ft and 9.62 ft.
Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Highest on record
- 14.42 ftApril 7, 2018
- Forecast peak
- 9.86 ftWednesday, October 21 at 11:00 PM
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 13.50 ft, still 3.92 ft away.
What happens at each level
- 15.50 ft
- Disastrous, record flooding along entire reach of West Fork Carson River in both Alpine County, California, and Douglas County, Nevada. Extensive damage to homes, businesses, schools, roads, bridges, and irrigation systems. Communications, power, and transportation systems severely disrupted. Many highways, roads, and bridges impassable. Roughly Similar peak level to January 1997 event.
- 15.00 ft
- Major Flooding. Substantial damage to homes, businesses, schools, and property in south Carson Valley from Centerville to Genoa. Many local roads flood including Centerville, Mottsville, and Muller Lanes. Interruption of power, communications, and water systems. Major flooding also in Alpine County, California, near Woodfords and Paynesville. CA Highways 89 and 88, and NV Highway 88 flood. Downstream Hwy 395 floods.
- 14.50 ft
- Moderate flooding in southwest Carson Valley between Centerville and Genoa, with some damage to homes and businesses. Many local roads flooded in this area. Minor to moderate flooding in Alpine County, California, near Woodfords and Paynesville. Lane or road closures on Highway 395 north of Stephanie Way likely if combined with flood flows on the East Fork. Similar peak level to December 2005 event.
- 14.00 ft
- Minor flooding in the southwestern Carson Valley between Centerville and Genoa,impacting agricultural areas, local roads, and outbuildings. Impacts will be more significant if heavy rain and/or snowmelt cause significant rises in small creeks draining the east side of the Carson Range below Woodfords. Possible lane closures on Highway 395 north of Stephanie Way if combined with flood flows on the East Fork. Similar peak level to January 2017 event and May 2017 peak snowmelt.
- 13.50 ft
- Minor flooding begins in lowest areas along the West Fork of the Carson River in southwest Carson Valley including agricultural areas, local roads and outbuildings. Residents along the river should prepare for more serious flooding if there are additional rises expected due to snowmelt and/or rainfall runoff. Impacts will be more significant if heavy rain and/or snowmelt causes significant rises in small creeks draining the east side of the Carson Range below Woodfords. Similar to peak of Feb 2017 event.
- 12.50 ft
- Monitoring Stage. No flooding occurs. However, residents along the West Fork Carson River should be prepared for flooding if there are additional rises expected due to snowmelt and/or rainfall runoff.
- 9.58 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 | 14.42 ft | April 7, 2018 |
| 2 | 14.41 ft | December 31, 2005 |
| 3 | 14.29 ft | May 5, 2017 |
| 4 | 14.22 ft | January 9, 2017 |
| 5 | 14.20 ft | May 18, 2005 |
| 6 | 14.11 ft | May 19, 2023 |
| 7 | 13.70 ft | February 9, 2017 |
| 8 | 13.63 ft | October 25, 2021 |
| 9 | 13.63 ft | May 1, 2023 |
| 10 | 13.59 ft | June 7, 2019 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Fork Carson River below Markleeville Creek near MarkleevilleRiver gauge, East Fork Carson River | 2.18 ft | Below flood stage | +0.01 ft | 5.3 mi |
| East Fork Carson River near GardnervilleRiver gauge, East Fork Carson River | 9.47 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 9 mi |
| Leviathan Creek above Aspen Creek near MarkleevilleRiver gauge, Leviathan Creek | 0.1 cfs | Low | ±0 | 10 mi |
| 4L Creek near MarkleevilleRiver gauge, 4L Creek | 0.0 cfs | Normal | ±0 | 10 mi |
| Bryant Creek below Mountaineer Creek near MarkleevilleRiver gauge, Bryant Creek | 1.5 cfs | Normal | ±0 | 10 mi |
| Leviathan Creek above Mountaineer Creek near MarkleevilleRiver gauge, Leviathan Creek | 0.3 cfs | Normal | ±0 | 10 mi |
| Leviathan Creek above Mine near MarkleevilleRiver gauge, Leviathan Creek | 0.1 cfs | Low | ±0 | 11 mi |
| Aspen Creek above Leviathan Mine near MarkleevilleRiver gauge, Aspen Creek | 0.2 cfs | Normal | ±0 | 11 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the West Fork Carson River at Woodfords?
The official flood stage is 13.50 ft. The level is currently 3.92 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 West Fork Carson River at Woodfords today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 06:15 AM PDT, the water level was 9.58 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is West Fork Carson River at Woodfords rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of West Fork Carson River at Woodfords normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at West Fork Carson River at Woodfords?
The highest level on record is 14.42 ft on April 7, 2018.
Is West Fork Carson River at Woodfords expected to rise?
The forecast expects the river to rise to 9.86 ft by Wednesday, October 21 at 11:00 PM.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:10310000(Agency page)- Coordinates
38.76963, -119.83379(WGS84)- Vertical datum
- NGVD29
- 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 | 9.58 ft | 2026-10-20 13:15 | Provisional |
| Flow | 15.5 cfs | 2026-10-20 13:15 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: West Fork Carson River at Woodfords (usgs:10310000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/california/west-fork-carson-river-at-woodfords
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