Willow Creek above Willow Creek Lake, near Heppner water level

Name: Willow Creek above Willow Creek Lake, near Heppner 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, Willow Creek, Oregon, United States

Directions

Low for mid-October

Water level

4.38ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 11:00 AM PDT (31 min ago)

Flow: 1.0 cfs
Water temperature: 48 °F

History

7 days

Water level

What this means

Low water at Willow Creek above Willow Creek Lake, near Heppner: the gauge reads 4.38 ft, below normal for mid-October.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 4.35 ft – 4.38 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 48 °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 07:21 AM Sunset 06:06 PM Daylight 10 hr, 44 min Waxing gibbous 70%

Map

Other gauges on Willow Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Willow Creek at HeppnerRiver gauge, Willow Creek	0.8 cfs	Low	±0	1.8 mi
Willow Creek at Morgan Street, at HeppnerRiver gauge, Willow Creek	1.9 cfs	Low	±0	2.6 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Willow Creek Lake at HeppnerLake, Willow Creek Lake	2,047.36 ft	No reference yet	+0.01 ft	1.5 mi
Middle Fork John Day River at RitterRiver gauge, Middle Fork John Day River	24.5 cfs	Very low	+0.6 cfs	36 mi
North Fork John Day River at MonumentRiver gauge, North Fork John Day River	2.35 ft	Below flood stage	±0	37 mi
McKay ReservoirReservoir	1,247.25 ft	Normal		39 mi
Cold Springs ReservoirReservoir	581.08 ft	Normal		40 mi
Umatilla River near UmatillaRiver gauge, Umatilla River	148 cfs	Normal	+7.0 cfs	40 mi
Umatilla River at W Reservation Bndy near PendletonRiver gauge, Umatilla River	50.9 cfs	Low	±0	44 mi
John Day River at Service CreekRiver gauge, John Day River	1.97 ft	Below flood stage	±0	45 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 Willow Creek above Willow Creek Lake, near Heppner today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 11:00 AM PDT, the water level was 4.38 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Willow Creek above Willow Creek Lake, near Heppner rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Willow Creek above Willow Creek Lake, near Heppner normal?

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:14034470 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 45.34068, -119.51585 (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	4.38 ft	2026-10-20 18:00	Provisional
Flow	1.0 cfs	2026-10-20 18:00	Provisional
Water temperature	48 °F	2026-10-20 18:00	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Willow Creek above Willow Creek Lake, near Heppner (usgs:14034470). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/oregon/willow-creek-above-willow-creek-lake-near-heppner

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