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SwedenBow River near Cochrane water level
River gauge, Bow River, Alberta, Canada
Right now
Normal for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 54.1 m³/s
History
What this means
Water levels are unremarkable at Bow River near Cochrane, where the gauge shows 16.31 m.
The median for mid-October is 16.31 m, based on 13 years of readings, and the gauge is right on it.
It is still going down, by 0.02 m over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 16.29 m – 16.47 m.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.
Compared with 13 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 16.31 m0.00 m below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 16.17 m – 16.40 m8 years in 10 fall in this range (13 years of records)
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 16.29 m – 16.47 m
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 16.32 m – 16.47 m
Freshet, ice and paddling
Open-water season is the time for canoe trips and fishing, though rapids change character with every few centimetres of water.
Flood advisories come from the provincial river forecast centre.
About the Bow River
The headwaters of the Bow River in Alberta, Canada, start at the Bow Glacier and Bow Lake in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The glacial stream that feeds Bow Lake has a mean elevation of 2310 metres above sea level. From there, the river winds through the Alberta foothills onto the prairies, where it meets the Oldman River, the two then forming the South Saskatchewan River. These waters ultimately flow through the Nelson River into Hudson Bay.
Text and image from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA.
Weather at the gauge
No rain in the last 3 days.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the Bow River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bow River at CalgaryRiver gauge, Bow River | 0.84 m | Low | −0.10 m | 32 km |
| Bow River at BanffRiver gauge, Bow River | 2.01 m | Low | ±0 | 77 km |
| Bow River below Carseland DamRiver gauge, Bow River | 2.58 m | Normal | +0.01 m | 81 km |
| Bow River at Lake LouiseRiver gauge, Bow River | 1.13 m | Normal | ±0 | 123 km |
| Bow River below Bassano DamRiver gauge, Bow River | 1.38 m | Normal | −0.02 m | 143 km |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jumpingpound Creek at Township Road No. 252River gauge, Jumpingpound Creek | 2.42 m | Low | ±0 | 8.7 km |
| West Nose Creek at CalgaryRiver gauge, West Nose Creek | 5.40 m | Normal | ±0 | 23 km |
| Elbow River at Bragg CreekRiver gauge, Elbow River | 0.91 m | Low | ±0 | 26 km |
| Waiparous Creek near the MouthRiver gauge, Waiparous Creek | 0.74 m | Normal | ±0 | 29 km |
| Elbow River at Sarcee BridgeRiver gauge, Elbow River | 3.67 m | Normal | ±0 | 29 km |
| Elbow River below Glenmore DamRiver gauge, Elbow River | 0.62 m | Normal | +0.06 m | 32 km |
| Fish Creek near PriddisRiver gauge, Fish Creek | 2.22 m | Low | −0.01 m | 34 km |
| Ghost River above Waiparous CreekRiver gauge, Ghost River | 0.72 m | Low | ±0 | 34 km |
Questions and answers
What is a normal level for the Bow River near Cochrane in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 16.31 m. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 16.17 m and 16.40 m, based on 13 years of records.
Is the river level the same as the depth of the water?
No. The reading is measured from a fixed zero mark at the gauge, so 16.31 m on the gauge does not mean the water is that deep.
What is the water level of Bow River near Cochrane today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 07:15 AM MDT, the water level was 16.31 m. Down 0.02 m over the last 24 hours.
Is Bow River near Cochrane rising or falling?
Down 0.02 m over the last 24 hours. Down 0.11 m over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Bow River near Cochrane normal?
Normal for mid-October. Compared with 13 years of daily readings for this time of year.
How often is this data updated?
Environment and Climate Change Canada – Water Survey of Canada publishes a new reading every hour. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.
Where does this data come from?
The values come directly from Environment and Climate Change Canada – Water Survey of Canada, the official operator of this gauge, and are published under the Open Government Licence – Canada. We do not estimate or model live values.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- Environment and Climate Change Canada – Water Survey of Canada
- Station code
eccc:05BH005(Agency page)- Coordinates
51.17374, -114.46643(WGS84)- Vertical datum
- station datum (assumed datum)
- Update interval
- every hour
- Licence
- Open Government Licence – Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Published series
| Parameter | Last value | Time (UTC) | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water level | 16.31 m | 2026-10-18 13:15 | Provisional |
| Flow | 54.1 m³/s | 2026-10-18 13:15 | Provisional |
Download
Embed this gauge
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How to cite
Environment and Climate Change Canada – Water Survey of Canada: Bow River near Cochrane (eccc:05BH005). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/canada/alberta/bow-river-near-cochrane
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