Middle Fork John Day River at Ritter water level

Name: Middle Fork John Day River at Ritter 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, Middle Fork John Day River, Oregon, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Water level

1.75ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 05:45 AM PDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 23.3 cfs
Water temperature: 46 °F

History

7 days

Water level

What this means

At 1.75 ft, the Middle Fork John Day River at Ritter is far below normal for mid-October.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.75 ft and 1.78 ft.

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

Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 9.13 ftFebruary 1, 1963

What the stage means on the water

Low water means more dragging on shallow riffles and slower floats. Fish crowd into the deeper runs, and warm, low water stresses them, so play and release them quickly.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	9.13 ft	February 1, 1963
2	8.39 ft	January 30, 1965

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:17 AM Sunset 06:08 PM Daylight 10 hr, 51 min First quarter 50%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
North Fork John Day River at MonumentRiver gauge, North Fork John Day River	2.36 ft	Below flood stage	±0	15 mi
Mf John Day River above Camp Creek, near GalenaRiver gauge, Mf John Day River	15.5 cfs	Very low	±0	22 mi
John Day River near John DayRiver gauge, John Day River	3.54 ft	Below flood stage	±0	34 mi
Willow Creek above Willow Creek Lake, near HeppnerRiver gauge, Willow Creek	0.8 cfs	Low	−0.1 cfs	36 mi
Willow Creek Lake at HeppnerLake, Willow Creek Lake	2,047.35 ft	No reference yet	±0	37 mi
Willow Creek at HeppnerRiver gauge, Willow Creek	0.8 cfs	Low	±0	38 mi
Willow Creek at Morgan Street, at HeppnerRiver gauge, Willow Creek	1.8 cfs	Low	−0.1 cfs	39 mi
John Day River at Blue Mountain Hot Springs near Prairie CityRiver gauge, John Day River	23.7 cfs	Very low	±0	46 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 Middle Fork John Day River at Ritter today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 05:45 AM PDT, the water level was 1.75 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Middle Fork John Day River at Ritter rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Middle Fork John Day River at Ritter normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Middle Fork John Day River at Ritter?

The highest level on record is 9.13 ft on February 1, 1963.

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:14044000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 44.88876, -119.14137 (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	1.75 ft	2026-10-18 12:45	Provisional
Flow	23.3 cfs	2026-10-18 12:45	Provisional
Water temperature	46 °F	2026-10-18 12:45	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Middle Fork John Day River at Ritter (usgs:14044000). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/oregon/middle-fork-john-day-river-at-ritter

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