South Nahanni River above Virginia Falls water level

Name: South Nahanni River above Virginia Falls water level (Environment and Climate Change Canada – Water Survey of Canada)
Creator: Environment and Climate Change Canada – Water Survey of Canada
License: https://open.canada.ca/en/open-government-licence-canada

River gauge, South Nahanni River, Northwest Territories, Canada

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

2.20m Down 0.05 m over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 02:30 PM PDT (47 min ago)

Flow: 128 m³/s

History

7 days 30 days

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at South Nahanni River above Virginia Falls, where the gauge shows 2.20 m.

That puts it 0.07 m above the median of 2.13 m for mid-October, based on 15 years of readings.

It is still going down, by 0.05 m over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 2.19 m – 2.59 m.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Compared with 15 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 2.13 m0.07 m above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.97 m – 2.28 m8 years in 10 fall in this range (15 years of records)
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.19 m – 2.59 m
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.26 m – 2.56 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 South Nahanni River

The South Nahanni River is a major tributary of the Liard River, located roughly 500 km (310 mi) west of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories of Canada. It is the centerpiece of Nahanni National Park Reserve, which adjoins the Nááts'ihch'oh National Park Reserve. It flows from the Mackenzie Mountains in the west, through the Selwyn Mountains, growing as it heads east over the majestic Virginia Falls, and finally empties into the Liard River. The Nahanni has a unique geological history. It was formed when the area was a broad flat plain, forming a winding course typical of flatland rivers. As the mountains lifted, the river cut four deep canyons into the rock, maintaining its eccentric course.

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 6° -5° 1.6 mm, 92% Wind 8 km/h

21 Wed 6° -4° – Wind 14 km/h

22 Thu 2° -8° – Wind 2 km/h

23 Fri 0° -9° – Wind 2 km/h

24 Sat -2° -12° – Wind 2 km/h

25 Sun -1° -12° – Wind 2 km/h

26 Mon -2° -11° – Wind 3 km/h

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 08:21 AM Sunset 05:57 PM Daylight 9 hr, 36 min Waxing gibbous 72%

Map

Other gauges on the South Nahanni River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
South Nahanni River near Liard River ConfluenceRiver gauge, South Nahanni River	91.37 m	No reference yet	±0	144 km

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Flat River near the MouthRiver gauge, Flat River	1.04 m	Low	±0	24 km
Prairie Creek at Cadillac Mine - Site TwoRiver gauge, Prairie Creek	0.98 m	Very low	−0.01 m	53 km

Questions and answers

What is a normal level for the South Nahanni River above Virginia Falls in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.13 m. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.97 m and 2.28 m, based on 15 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 2.20 m on the gauge does not mean the water is that deep.

What is the water level of South Nahanni River above Virginia Falls today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 02:30 PM PDT, the water level was 2.20 m. Down 0.05 m over the last 24 hours.

Is South Nahanni River above Virginia Falls rising or falling?

Down 0.05 m over the last 24 hours. Down 0.07 m over the last 7 days.

Is the level of South Nahanni River above Virginia Falls normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 15 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:10EB001 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 61.63611, -125.79703 (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	2.20 m	2026-10-20 21:30	Provisional
Flow	128 m³/s	2026-10-20 21:30	Provisional

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How to cite

Environment and Climate Change Canada – Water Survey of Canada: South Nahanni River above Virginia Falls (eccc:10EB001). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/canada/northwest-territories/south-nahanni-river-above-virginia-falls

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