McKenzie River below Trail Branch Dam near Belknap Springs water level

Name: McKenzie River below Trail Branch Dam near Belknap Springs 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

6.09ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 04:30 PM PDT (24 min ago)

Flow: 530 cfs
Water temperature: 46 °F

History

7 days

Water level

What this means

Low water at McKenzie River below Trail Branch Dam near Belknap Springs: the gauge reads 6.09 ft, far below normal for mid-October.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 6.09 ft – 6.18 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 5 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

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

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:30 AM Sunset 06:17 PM Daylight 10 hr, 47 min Waxing gibbous 72%

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	−2.0 cfs	7 mi
McKenzie River below Payne Creek, near Belknap SpringsRiver gauge, McKenzie River	190 cfs	Normal	±0	1.4 mi
McKenzie River above South Fork, near RainbowRiver gauge, McKenzie River	8.02 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	12 mi
McKenzie River near VidaRiver gauge, McKenzie River	0.87 ft	Below flood stage	±0	23 mi
McKenzie River below Leaburg Dam, near LeaburgRiver gauge, McKenzie River	1,700 cfs	Normal	+30.0 cfs	30 mi
McKenzie River near WaltervilleRiver gauge, McKenzie River	1.76 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	38 mi
McKenzie River near CoburgRiver gauge, McKenzie River	1,800 cfs	Low	+70.0 cfs	51 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Smith River above Trail Bridge Reservoir near Belknap SpringsRiver gauge, Smith River	4.2 cfs	Very low	±0	1.5 mi
Smith River above Smith R Reservoir, near Belknap SprngsRiver gauge, Smith River	2.8 cfs	Very low	±0	4.6 mi
Lookout Creek near Blue RiverRiver gauge, Lookout Creek	7.7 cfs	Very low	±0	11 mi
Blue River below Tidbits Creek, near Blue RiverRiver gauge, Blue River	1.74 ft	Low	+0.01 ft	11 mi
South Fork McKenzie River near RainbowRiver gauge, South Fork McKenzie River	346 cfs	Low	±0	13 mi
Cougar Dam Tailwater near RainbowRiver gauge, Cougar Dam Tailwater	1,251.62 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	13 mi
Nf Quartz Creek near Blue RiverRiver gauge, Nf Quartz Creek	1.0 cfs	Low	±0	14 mi

Questions and answers

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 below Trail Branch Dam near Belknap Springs today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 04:30 PM PDT, the water level was 6.09 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is McKenzie River below Trail Branch Dam near Belknap Springs rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of McKenzie River below Trail Branch Dam near Belknap Springs normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 5 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.

Where does this data come from?

The values come directly from the U.S. Geological Survey, the official operator of this gauge, and are in the public domain. We do not estimate or model live values.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:14158850 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 44.26790, -122.04978 (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	6.09 ft	2026-10-20 23:30	Provisional
Flow	530 cfs	2026-10-20 23:30	Provisional
Water temperature	46 °F	2026-10-20 23:30	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: McKenzie River below Trail Branch Dam near Belknap Springs (usgs:14158850). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/oregon/mckenzie-river-below-trail-branch-dam-near-belknap-springs

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