McKenzie River above South Fork, near Rainbow water level

Name: McKenzie River above South Fork, near Rainbow 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, McKenzie River, Oregon, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Water level

8.02ft Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 02:45 AM PDT (49 min ago)

Water temperature: 46 °F

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

Low water at McKenzie River above South Fork, near Rainbow: the gauge reads 8.02 ft, far below normal for mid-October.

That puts it 0.28 ft below the median of 8.30 ft for mid-October, based on 9 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 8.29 ft (−0.27 ft).

It is still going down, by 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 8.02 ft – 8.10 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that. The sensor also reports a water temperature of 46 °F.

Compared with 9 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 8.30 ft0.28 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 8.13 ft – 8.61 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (9 years of records)
Same day last year: 8.29 ft−0.27 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 8.02 ft – 8.10 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 8.03 ft – 13.42 ft

Paddling and fishing conditions

At low levels, plan for shorter paddling trips and expect to walk your boat through a few shoals.

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 65° 46° – Wind 6 mph

20 Tue 80° 51° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 83° 52° – Wind 9 mph

22 Thu 68° 43° – Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 60° 40° – Wind 5 mph

24 Sat 76° 40° – Wind 5 mph

25 Sun 79° 49° – Wind 5 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:31 AM Sunset 06:18 PM Daylight 10 hr, 47 min First quarter 67%

Map

Other gauges on the McKenzie River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
McKenzie River at Outlet of Clear LakeRiver gauge, McKenzie River	115 cfs	Very low	+9.0 cfs	19 mi
McKenzie River below Payne Creek, near Belknap SpringsRiver gauge, McKenzie River	190 cfs	Normal	±0	14 mi
McKenzie River below Trail Branch Dam near Belknap SpringsRiver gauge, McKenzie River	542 cfs	Low	±0	12 mi
McKenzie River near VidaRiver gauge, McKenzie River	0.88 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	11 mi
McKenzie River below Leaburg Dam, near LeaburgRiver gauge, McKenzie River	1,680 cfs	Normal	−30.0 cfs	19 mi
McKenzie River near WaltervilleRiver gauge, McKenzie River	1.76 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	26 mi
McKenzie River near CoburgRiver gauge, McKenzie River	1,690 cfs	Low	−50.0 cfs	39 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
South Fork McKenzie River near RainbowRiver gauge, South Fork McKenzie River	346 cfs	Low	+19.0 cfs	2.1 mi
Cougar Dam Tailwater near RainbowRiver gauge, Cougar Dam Tailwater	1,251.62 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	2.6 mi
Lookout Creek near Blue RiverRiver gauge, Lookout Creek	7.7 cfs	Very low	±0	3.0 mi
Nf Quartz Creek near Blue RiverRiver gauge, Nf Quartz Creek	1.0 cfs	Low	±0	3.1 mi
Blue River below Tidbits Creek, near Blue RiverRiver gauge, Blue River	1.75 ft	Low	+0.01 ft	3.6 mi
Blue River at Blue RiverRiver gauge, Blue River	184 cfs	Low	±0	3.8 mi
South Fork McKenzie River above Cougar Lake near RainbowRiver gauge, South Fork McKenzie River	175 cfs	Very low	±0	8 mi
Smith River above Trail Bridge Reservoir near Belknap SpringsRiver gauge, Smith River	4.1 cfs	Very low	±0	13 mi

Questions and answers

How does the McKenzie River above South Fork, near Rainbow compare with last year?

It is 0.27 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 8.29 ft.

What is a normal level for the McKenzie River above South Fork, near Rainbow in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 8.30 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 8.13 ft and 8.61 ft, based on 9 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 McKenzie River above South Fork, near Rainbow today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 02:45 AM PDT, the water level was 8.02 ft. Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is McKenzie River above South Fork, near Rainbow rising or falling?

Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of McKenzie River above South Fork, near Rainbow normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 9 years of daily readings for this time of year.

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:14159110 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 44.16633, -122.25651 (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	8.02 ft	2026-10-20 09:45	Provisional
Water temperature	46 °F	2026-10-20 10:20	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: McKenzie River above South Fork, near Rainbow (usgs:14159110). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/oregon/mckenzie-river-above-south-fork-near-rainbow

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