Hanalei River at Hwy 56 Bridge near Hanalei, Kauai water level

Name: Hanalei River at Hwy 56 Bridge near Hanalei, Kauai 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, Hanalei River, Hawaii, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

6.84ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 06:10 PM HST (1 hour ago)

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Hanalei River at Hwy 56 Bridge near Hanalei, Kauai reads 6.84 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 6.84 ft, based on 8 years of readings, and the gauge is right on it. It is 0.46 ft below the flood stage of 7.30 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 6.85 ft, a difference of −0.01 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 6.83 ft and 7.15 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Compared with 8 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 6.84 ft0.00 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 6.84 ft – 6.87 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (8 years of records)
Same day last year: 6.85 ft−0.01 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 6.83 ft – 7.15 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 6.83 ft – 8.51 ft

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 7.30 ft, still 0.46 ft away.

What happens at each level

7.30 ft: Kuhio Highway inundated. Flooding starts at the "bamboo patch" within 15 minutes of hitting 7.3 ft, then increasingly covers the highway toward the Hanalei Bridge to the east and Hanalei town to the west.
6.84 ft: Right now

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

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.60 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 80° 71° 0.45 in, 100% Wind 12 mph

18 Sun 78° 71° 0.61 in, 100% Wind 13 mph

19 Mon 79° 71° 0.48 in, 98% Wind 12 mph

20 Tue 80° 71° 0.18 in, 95% Wind 12 mph

21 Wed 79° 70° 0.33 in, 82% Wind 9 mph

22 Thu 80° 67° 0.13 in, 65% Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 82° 67° – Wind 5 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 06:37 AM Sunset 06:09 PM Daylight 11 hr, 32 min Waxing gibbous 74%

Map

Other gauges on the Hanalei River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Hanalei River near Hanalei, KauaiRiver gauge, Hanalei River	−0.12 ft	Below flood stage	−0.11 ft	2.2 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Halaulani Str at alt 400 ft near Kilauea, KauaiRiver gauge, Halaulani Str	0.82 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	4.3 mi
Ka Loko Reservoir near Kilauea, KauaiReservoir, Ka Loko Reservoir	19.75 ft	Very high	−0.02 ft	7 mi
Wainiha River near Hanalei, KauaiRiver gauge, Wainiha River	1.55 ft	Below flood stage	−0.16 ft	7 mi
Hanakapiai Stream above Hanakapiai Falls, KauaiRiver gauge, Hanakapiai Stream	1.51 ft	High	−0.34 ft	8 mi
Waialae Str at alt 3,820 ft near Waimea, KauaiRiver gauge, Waialae Str	1.14 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	10 mi
EB of NF Wailua River near Lihue, KauaiRiver gauge, EB of NF Wailua River	0.19 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	11 mi
Left Branch Opaekaa Str near Kapaa, KauaiRiver gauge, Left Branch Opaekaa Str	0.98 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	11 mi
Kawaikoi Stream near Waimea, KauaiRiver gauge, Kawaikoi Stream	2.62 ft	Below flood stage	−0.09 ft	11 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Hanalei River at Hwy 56 Bridge near Hanalei, Kauai higher than last year?

No, it is 0.01 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 6.85 ft.

What is flood stage for the Hanalei River at Hwy 56 Bridge near Hanalei, Kauai?

The official flood stage is 7.30 ft. The level is currently 0.46 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Hanalei River at Hwy 56 Bridge near Hanalei, Kauai in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 6.84 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 6.84 ft and 6.87 ft, based on 8 years of records.

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 Hanalei River at Hwy 56 Bridge near Hanalei, Kauai today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 06:10 PM HST, the water level was 6.84 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Hanalei River at Hwy 56 Bridge near Hanalei, Kauai rising or falling?

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

Is the level of Hanalei River at Hwy 56 Bridge near Hanalei, Kauai normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 8 years of daily readings for this time of year.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:16104200 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 22.21072, -159.47595 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: LMSL
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	6.84 ft	2026-10-21 04:10	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Hanalei River at Hwy 56 Bridge near Hanalei, Kauai (usgs:16104200). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/hawaii/hanalei-river-at-hwy-56-bridge-near-hanalei-kauai

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