Lewis River at Ariel water level
River gauge, Lewis River, Washington, United States
Right now
Very low for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 2,630 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
At 2.45 ft, the Lewis River at Ariel is far below normal for mid-October.
The median for mid-October is 2.62 ft, based on 23 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.17 ft below typical. On the same day last year the reading was 2.59 ft, a difference of −0.14 ft.
It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.56 ft and 2.47 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.
Compared with 23 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 2.62 ft0.17 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 2.46 ft – 3.71 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (23 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 2.59 ft−0.14 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 1.56 ft – 2.47 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 1.54 ft – 13.12 ft
- Highest on record
- 35.00 ftDecember 22, 1933
What the stage means on the water
Low water means more dragging on shallow riffles and slower floats. Fish crowd into the deeper runs, and warm, low water stresses them, so play and release them quickly.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 35.00 ft | December 22, 1933 |
| 2 | 27.38 ft | February 9, 1996 |
| 3 | 24.38 ft | December 2, 1977 |
| 4 | 22.63 ft | December 4, 1975 |
| 5 | 21.13 ft | January 15, 1974 |
| 6 | 19.93 ft | December 26, 1980 |
| 7 | 19.12 ft | December 13, 1966 |
| 8 | 17.49 ft | December 22, 1964 |
| 9 | 16.96 ft | January 23, 1970 |
| 10 | 16.85 ft | January 10, 1990 |
Weather at the gauge
No rain in the last 3 days.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the Lewis River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis River above Muddy River near CougarRiver gauge, Lewis River | 164 cfs | Very low | +3.0 cfs | 29 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Merwin near ChelatchieLake, Lake Merwin | 230.00 ft | Low | ±0 | 9 mi |
| East Fork Lewis River near HeissonRiver gauge, East Fork Lewis River | 10.03 ft | Very low | −0.01 ft | 9 mi |
| Speelyai Creek near CougarRiver gauge, Speelyai Creek | 1.4 cfs | Very low | +0.2 cfs | 11 mi |
| Canyon Creek near AmboyRiver gauge, Canyon Creek | 24.7 cfs | Low | +0.7 cfs | 12 mi |
| Yale Reservoir near CougarReservoir, Yale Reservoir | 472.00 ft | Low | ±0 | 13 mi |
| Swift Reservoir 3.2 Mi East of Dam near CougarReservoir, Swift Reservoir 3.2 Mi East of Dam | 959.00 ft | Normal | −1.00 ft | 22 mi |
| Columbia River at VancouverTidal gauge, Columbia River | 2.10 ft | Normal | +0.71 ft | 23 mi |
| Columbia Slough at PortlandTidal gauge, Columbia Slough | 239 cfs | Very high | +577 cfs | 24 mi |
Questions and answers
Is the Lewis River at Ariel higher than last year?
No, it is 0.14 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.59 ft.
What is a normal level for the Lewis River at Ariel in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 2.62 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.46 ft and 3.71 ft, based on 23 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 Lewis River at Ariel today?
On Oct 17, 2026, 01:00 PM PDT, the water level was 2.45 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Lewis River at Ariel rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Up 0.82 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Lewis River at Ariel normal?
Very low for mid-October. Compared with 23 years of daily readings for this time of year.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Lewis River at Ariel?
The highest level on record is 35.00 ft on December 22, 1933.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:14220500(Agency page)- Coordinates
45.95174, -122.56397(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 | 2.45 ft | 2026-10-17 20:00 | Provisional |
| Flow | 2,630 cfs | 2026-10-17 20:00 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Lewis River at Ariel (usgs:14220500). Accessed October 17, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/washington/lewis-river-at-ariel
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