Nehalem River near Vernonia water level

Name: Nehalem River near Vernonia 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, Nehalem River, Oregon, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.74ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 02:20 PM PDT (26 min ago)

Flow: 5.4 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to rise to 3.86 ft by Sunday, October 25 at 11:00 PM. Issued Sunday, October 18 at 08:50 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Nehalem River near Vernonia, where the gauge shows 3.74 ft.

It is 8.26 ft below the flood stage of 12.00 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 3.86 ft by Sunday, October 25 at 11:00 PM. The 30-day range is 3.71 ft – 3.77 ft.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 19.10 ftDecember 3, 2007
Forecast peak: 3.86 ftSunday, October 25 at 11:00 PM

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 12.00 ft.

What happens at each level

18.00 ft: expect widespread major flooding in and near Vernonia, several feet deep in some low-lying parts of town. Flooding at this level is comparable to the floods of February 1996 and December 2007. The areas of the city most susceptible to flooding include the central part near Bridge Street between Madison and Adams Avenues, along with east side of town near Alder, Cherry, and Elm Streets and Pebble Creek Road. Flooding is also likely south of Vernonia near the intersection of Highway 47 and Timber Road.
16.50 ft: expect major flooding in Vernonia, especially in the central part of town near Bridge Street and Madison, Jefferson, and Adams Avenues, along with the east part of town near Alder, Cherry, and Elm Streets. Also expect flooding south of town near the intersection of Hwy 47 and Sheely Creek Road. Flooding at this level is 1 to 2 feet below the depths experienced in February 1996 and December 2007.
15.00 ft: expect significant flooding of the lower areas of Vernonia, with some flooding of buildings beginning at this level. Flooding at this level is 2 to 3 feet below the highest levels in the February 1996 and December 2007 floods.
13.50 ft: expect minor flooding of lower areas in and near Vernonia. Some roads near the river may be flooded. High flows on Rock Creek may increase the extent of flooding.
12.00 ft: expect minor flooding of low-lying areas in and near Vernonia.
3.74 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	19.10 ft	December 3, 2007
2	14.60 ft	December 9, 2015
3	13.42 ft	November 20, 2012
4	12.50 ft	November 25, 2016
5	12.40 ft	December 7, 2015
6	11.57 ft	January 7, 2002
7	11.49 ft	January 30, 2006
8	11.48 ft	March 15, 2012
9	11.09 ft	January 8, 2009
10	11.01 ft	March 30, 2012

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:34 AM Sunset 06:23 PM Daylight 10 hr, 49 min First quarter 53%

Map

Other gauges on the Nehalem River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Nehalem River at JewellRiver gauge, Nehalem River	2.61 ft	No reference yet	+0.01 ft	13 mi
Nehalem River near FossRiver gauge, Nehalem River	1.56 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	24 mi
Nehalem River at NehalemTidal gauge, Nehalem River	5.23 ft	No reference yet	−0.60 ft	30 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Ef Dairy Creek above Murtaugh Creek near Meacham CornerRiver gauge, Ef Dairy Creek	7.4 cfs	Very low	+0.3 cfs	13 mi
Henry Hagg Lake and ScogginsReservoir	262.19 ft	Low		23 mi
Tualatin River near DilleyRiver gauge, Tualatin River	11.08 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	24 mi
Tualatin River at Highway 219 near HillsboroRiver gauge, Tualatin River	122 cfs	Normal	+4.0 cfs	25 mi
Columbia River at Port Westward, near QuincyTidal gauge, Columbia River	136,000 cfs	Normal	−18,000.0 cfs	26 mi
Wapato Creek at Sw Gaston Road, at GastonRiver gauge, Wapato Creek	2.0 cfs	Normal	±0	26 mi
Wapato Canal at Pump House, at GastonCanal gauge, Wapato Canal	3.27 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	26 mi
Columbia Slough at PortlandTidal gauge, Columbia Slough	187 cfs	Very high	−145.0 cfs	28 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Nehalem River near Vernonia?

The official flood stage is 12.00 ft. The level is currently 8.26 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 Nehalem River near Vernonia today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 02:20 PM PDT, the water level was 3.74 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Nehalem River near Vernonia rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Nehalem River near Vernonia normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Nehalem River near Vernonia?

The highest level on record is 19.10 ft on December 3, 2007.

Is Nehalem River near Vernonia expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to rise to 3.86 ft by Sunday, October 25 at 11:00 PM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:14299800 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 45.80706, -123.28317 (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	3.74 ft	2026-10-18 21:20	Provisional
Flow	5.4 cfs	2026-10-18 21:20	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Nehalem River near Vernonia (usgs:14299800). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/oregon/nehalem-river-near-vernonia

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