Elwha River at McDonald Branch near Port Angeles water level

Name: Elwha River at McDonald Branch near Port Angeles 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, Elwha River, Washington, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Water level

8.89ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 01:00 PM PDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 199 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 8.82 ft by Wednesday, October 28 at 11:00 PM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 08:03 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The Elwha River at McDonald Branch near Port Angeles is running far below normal at 8.89 ft.

The median for mid-October is 10.64 ft, based on 14 years of readings, so the river stage is 1.74 ft below typical. It is 11.11 ft below the flood stage of 20.00 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 8.82 ft by Wednesday, October 28 at 11:00 PM. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between 8.89 ft and 8.99 ft.

Compared with 14 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 10.64 ft1.74 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 9.92 ft – 12.99 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (14 years of records)
Highest on record: 24.65 ftDecember 3, 2007
Forecast peak: 8.94 ftSunday, October 25 at 05:00 PM

Floating and fishing near Elwha River at McDonald Branch near Port Angeles

Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.

Flood stage here is 20.00 ft, 11.11 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

23.00 ft: the Elwha River will cause major flooding. Deep and swift flood waters will inundate roads...farm lands...and residential areas. Erosion will likely damage river banks. Flooding will occur all along the river including headwaters...tributaries...and other streams within and near the Elwha River Basin.
21.50 ft: the Elwha River will flood roads...much of the pasture land along the river...and several residential areas. Erosion may damage river banks.
20.00 ft: the Elwha River will flood roads and pasture lands along the river...with flood waters encroaching on some residential areas.
18.00 ft: the Elwha River will locally spill over its banks.
8.89 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: 8 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	24.65 ft	December 3, 2007
2	24.20 ft	November 26, 1949
3	23.86 ft	October 17, 2003
4	23.85 ft	October 20, 2003
5	23.71 ft	November 23, 1990
6	23.26 ft	December 26, 1980
7	22.84 ft	January 7, 2002
8	22.80 ft	November 15, 2021
9	22.55 ft	January 18, 1986
10	22.31 ft	November 8, 1995

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:42 AM Sunset 06:18 PM Daylight 10 hr, 36 min Waxing gibbous 71%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Dungeness River near SequimRiver gauge, Dungeness River	2.14 ft	Very low	±0	21 mi
Big Quilcene River below Diversion near QuilceneRiver gauge, Big Quilcene River	26.1 cfs	Very low	−0.8 cfs	34 mi
Hoh River at Us Highway 101 near ForksRiver gauge, Hoh River	1.83 ft	Very low	−0.08 ft	35 mi
Duckabush River near BrinnonRiver gauge, Duckabush River	−0.02 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	37 mi
Bogachiel River near ForksRiver gauge, Bogachiel River	141 cfs	Low	−10.0 cfs	37 mi
Calawah River near ForksRiver gauge, Calawah River	2.71 ft	Low	−0.04 ft	38 mi
Hoko River near SekiuRiver gauge, Hoko River	1.05 ft	Low	−0.04 ft	39 mi
Nf Skokomish River below Staircase Rpds near HoodsportRiver gauge, Nf Skokomish River	2.78 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	39 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Elwha River at McDonald Branch near Port Angeles?

The official flood stage is 20.00 ft. The level is currently 11.11 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Elwha River at McDonald Branch near Port Angeles in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 10.64 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 9.92 ft and 12.99 ft, based on 14 years of records.

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 Elwha River at McDonald Branch near Port Angeles today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 01:00 PM PDT, the water level was 8.89 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Elwha River at McDonald Branch near Port Angeles rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Elwha River at McDonald Branch near Port Angeles normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 14 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Elwha River at McDonald Branch near Port Angeles?

The highest level on record is 24.65 ft on December 3, 2007.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:12045500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 48.05478, -123.58321 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NAVD88
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	8.89 ft	2026-10-20 20:00	Provisional
Flow	199 cfs	2026-10-20 20:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Elwha River at McDonald Branch near Port Angeles (usgs:12045500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/washington/elwha-river-at-mcdonald-branch-near-port-angeles

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