Pilchuck River near Snohomish water level

Name: Pilchuck River near Snohomish 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, Pilchuck River, Washington, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

9.94ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 02:45 AM PDT (37 min ago)

Flow: 56.6 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

The forecast expects the river to rise to 10.12 ft by Saturday, October 17 at 11:00 PM. Issued Saturday, October 17 at 01:49 PM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The Pilchuck River near Snohomish is at 9.94 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

That puts it 0.27 ft above the median of 9.67 ft for mid-October, based on 27 years of readings. It is 8.06 ft below the flood stage of 18.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 10.11 ft (−0.17 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 10.12 ft by Saturday, October 17 at 11:00 PM. In the last month it has stayed between 9.88 ft and 10.55 ft.

Compared with 27 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 9.67 ft0.27 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 8.73 ft – 11.28 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (27 years of records)
Same day last year: 10.11 ft−0.17 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 9.88 ft – 10.55 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 9.87 ft – 16.48 ft
Highest on record: 20.39 ftJanuary 8, 2009
Forecast peak: 10.12 ftSaturday, October 17 at 11:00 PM

Floating and fishing near Pilchuck River near Snohomish

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 18.00 ft, 8.06 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

22.00 ft: the Pilchuck River will cause record major flooding and will likely overtop levees. Flood waters will inundate residences and roads along the river from Menzel Lake Rd. upstream of Granite Falls down through the Lake Stevens area and Snohomish. This includes areas around Sexton Rd. and Orchard Ave in Snohomish...and 28th Place NE near Lake Stevens.
20.00 ft: the Pilchuck River will cause flooding of residences and roads along the river from menzel Lake Rd. upstream of Granite Falls down through the Lake Stevens area and Snohomish. This includes areas around Sexton Rd. and Orchard Ave in Snohomish...and 28th Place NE near Lake Stevens.
18.00 ft: the Pilchuck River spills out of its banks...flooding residences and roads in low lying areas along the river from Granite Falls downstream through the Lake Stevens area and Snohomish. This includes areas around Sexton Rd. and Orchard Ave in Snohomish.
9.94 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: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	20.39 ft	January 8, 2009
2	19.50 ft	January 5, 2015
3	19.20 ft	February 22, 2012
4	19.16 ft	December 16, 1999
5	19.14 ft	November 6, 2006
6	18.18 ft	February 8, 1996
7	17.90 ft	November 7, 2008
8	17.78 ft	October 22, 2019
9	17.71 ft	January 25, 1993
10	17.69 ft	December 20, 1994

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:33 AM Sunset 06:16 PM Daylight 10 hr, 43 min First quarter 48%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Snohomish River at SnohomishRiver gauge, Snohomish River	9.19 ft	Very low	+0.77 ft	2.0 mi
Snohomish River near MonroeRiver gauge, Snohomish River	0.37 ft	Very low	−0.11 ft	7 mi
Sultan River below Powerplant near SultanRiver gauge, Sultan River	5.10 ft	Low	−0.49 ft	12 mi
Mission Creek near TulalipRiver gauge, Mission Creek	55.29 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	12 mi
Sultan River below Diversion Dam near SultanRiver gauge, Sultan River	26.16 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	13 mi
Sf Stillaguamish River near Granite FallsRiver gauge, Sf Stillaguamish River	3.73 ft	Low	+0.35 ft	13 mi
Tulalip Creek near TulalipRiver gauge, Tulalip Creek	8.0 cfs	Normal	−0.3 cfs	14 mi
East Fork Tulalip Creek near Mouth near TulalipRiver gauge, East Fork Tulalip Creek	1.8 cfs	Very low	±0	15 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Pilchuck River near Snohomish compare with last year?

It is 0.17 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 10.11 ft.

What is flood stage for the Pilchuck River near Snohomish?

The official flood stage is 18.00 ft. The level is currently 8.06 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Pilchuck River near Snohomish in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 9.67 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 8.73 ft and 11.28 ft, based on 27 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 Pilchuck River near Snohomish today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 02:45 AM PDT, the water level was 9.94 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Pilchuck River near Snohomish rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.06 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Pilchuck River near Snohomish normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 27 years of daily readings for this time of year.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:12155300 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 47.93482, -122.07318 (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	9.94 ft	2026-10-18 09:45	Provisional
Flow	56.6 cfs	2026-10-18 09:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Pilchuck River near Snohomish (usgs:12155300). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/washington/pilchuck-river-near-snohomish

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