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SwedenWillamette River at Salem water level
River gauge, Willamette River, Oregon, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 6,700 cfs
History
The forecast expects the river to fall to 5.23 ft by Sunday, October 18 at 11:00 AM. Issued Sunday, October 18 at 09:07 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
The Willamette River at Salem is at 5.24 ft, in the normal range.
It is 22.76 ft below the flood stage of 28.00 ft.
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 5.23 ft by Sunday, October 18 at 11:00 AM. In the last month it has stayed between 5.23 ft and 5.35 ft.
Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Highest on record
- 47.00 ftDecember 4, 1861
- Lowest on record
- 3.50 ftAugust 27, 1940
- Forecast peak
- 5.33 ftTuesday, October 27 at 11:00 AM
Floating and fishing near Willamette River at Salem
Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.
Flood stage here is 28.00 ft, 22.76 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.
What happens at each level
- 37.00 ft
- Keizer begins to flood. Also expect major widespread flooding from Santiam confluence to Oregon City.
- 35.00 ft
- numerous roads and structures are flooded. The Willamette River also backs up water from tributary streams and creeks, which in turn produces flooding of residential neighborhoods along these creeks in Salem and Keizer.
- 32.00 ft
- expect widespread flooding. Numerous roads and structures in the Salem/Keizer vicinity are flooded. The Willow Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant is likely flooded at this level.
- 30.00 ft
- expect widespread flooding of lowland agricultural areas and rural and secondary roads. Also expect flooding along some creeks which drain into the Willamette in and near Salem due to backwater from the Willamette. The Willow Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant is threatened with flood water above this level.
- 28.00 ft
- widespread lowland flooding begins along the banks of the Willamette and islands on the mid Willamette, such as Browns, Minto, and Windsor islands. Numerous secondary roads begin flooding at this point.
- 26.00 ft
- expect flooding of numerous roads along the Willamette in the Salem area. Homes on Browns Island begin flooding at this level.
- 23.00 ft
- minor flooding occurs on Grand Island and other islands in the mid Willamette River. Access roads to these islands are also likely flooded at this point.
- 20.00 ft
- access roads to the islands on the Willamette River near Salem begin to flood.
- 18.00 ft
- numerous sloughs are filled, and a few secondary roads begin to flood at this point.
- 15.00 ft
- the Wheatland and Buena Vista ferries will likely cease operation due to safety concerns.
- 5.24 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 47.00 ft | December 4, 1861 |
| 2 | 47.00 ft | December 4, 1891 |
| 3 | 45.10 ft | February 5, 1890 |
| 4 | 43.30 ft | January 16, 1880 |
| 5 | 37.78 ft | December 23, 1964 |
| 6 | 35.09 ft | February 8, 1996 |
| 7 | 32.32 ft | January 17, 1974 |
| 8 | 31.50 ft | January 15, 1901 |
| 9 | 31.30 ft | February 6, 1907 |
| 10 | 30.23 ft | January 22, 1972 |
Weather at the gauge
No rain in the last 3 days.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the Willamette River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willamette River at EugeneRiver gauge, Willamette River | 9.75 ft | Low | ±0 | 62 mi |
| Willamette River at HarrisburgRiver gauge, Willamette River | 1.58 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 47 mi |
| Willamette River at CorvallisRiver gauge, Willamette River | 10.13 ft | Below flood stage | +0.11 ft | 28 mi |
| Willamette River at AlbanyRiver gauge, Willamette River | 3.06 ft | Below flood stage | +0.09 ft | 21 mi |
| Willamette River at NewbergRiver gauge, Willamette River | 6,930 cfs | Very low | +40.0 cfs | 24 mi |
| Willamette River above Falls, at Oregon CityRiver gauge, Willamette River | 55.96 ft | Normal | −0.03 ft | 35 mi |
| Willamette River below Falls, at Oregon CityTidal gauge, Willamette River | 2.71 ft | Very low | −1.55 ft | 35 mi |
| Willamette River at PortlandTidal gauge, Willamette River | 1.33 ft | Below flood stage | −1.36 ft | 44 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luckiamute River near SuverRiver gauge, Luckiamute River | 1.93 ft | Below flood stage | −0.12 ft | 15 mi |
| Santiam River at JeffersonRiver gauge, Santiam River | 2.85 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 16 mi |
| North Santiam River at Greens Bridge, near JeffersonRiver gauge, North Santiam River | 1,170 cfs | Very low | −40.0 cfs | 17 mi |
| Butte Creek at MonitorRiver gauge, Butte Creek | 4.97 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 18 mi |
| Pudding River near WoodburnRiver gauge, Pudding River | 4.51 ft | Below flood stage | −0.02 ft | 18 mi |
| South Yamhill River at McMinnvilleRiver gauge, South Yamhill River | 9.34 ft | Below flood stage | +0.02 ft | 19 mi |
| Thomas Creek near ScioRiver gauge, Thomas Creek | 3.83 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 21 mi |
| Calapooia River at AlbanyRiver gauge, Calapooia River | 18.9 cfs | Very low | ±0 | 23 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the Willamette River at Salem?
The official flood stage is 28.00 ft. The level is currently 22.76 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 Willamette River at Salem today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 10:30 AM PDT, the water level was 5.24 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Willamette River at Salem rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Willamette River at Salem normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Willamette River at Salem?
The highest level on record is 47.00 ft on December 4, 1861. The lowest is 3.50 ft on August 27, 1940.
Is Willamette River at Salem expected to rise?
The forecast expects the river to fall to 5.23 ft by Sunday, October 18 at 11:00 AM.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:14191000(Agency page)- Coordinates
44.94429, -123.04287(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 | 5.24 ft | 2026-10-18 17:30 | Provisional |
| Flow | 6,700 cfs | 2026-10-18 17:30 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Willamette River at Salem (usgs:14191000). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/oregon/willamette-river-at-salem
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