Similkameen River near Nighthawk water level

Name: Similkameen River near Nighthawk 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, Similkameen River, Washington, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Water level

2.19ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 06:30 AM PDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 271 cfs
Water temperature: 50 °F

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 fall to 2.10 ft by Monday, October 26 at 11:00 PM. Issued Saturday, October 17 at 09:47 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The Similkameen River near Nighthawk is running far below normal at 2.19 ft.

The median for mid-October is 2.75 ft, based on 26 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.56 ft below typical. It is 11.81 ft below the flood stage of 14.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 2.08 ft, a difference of +0.11 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.10 ft by Monday, October 26 at 11:00 PM. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly.

The water temperature at the gauge is 50 °F.

Compared with 26 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 2.75 ft0.56 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 2.28 ft – 3.45 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (26 years of records)
Same day last year: 2.08 ft+0.11 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.03 ft – 2.26 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.03 ft – 9.53 ft
Highest on record: 17.97 ftJune 1, 1972
Lowest on record: 1.55 ftJanuary 31, 1988
Forecast peak: 2.19 ftSunday, October 18 at 05:00 AM

Floating and fishing near Similkameen River near Nighthawk

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

Flood stage here is 14.00 ft, 11.81 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

18.00 ft: Water will be into homes and trailers that are in the low areas close to the river. Some homes on Palmer Lake may experience flooding. This is equivalent to the 1972 flood. Loomis-Oroville Road around Palmer lake and Chopaka Road near the intersection with Loomis-Oroville Rd will be impassable.
15.00 ft: Water will be around the foundation of the home on Allemandi Road south of the Nighthawk Bridge. Widespread flooding of agricultural land and private property along the river valley. Portions of Loomis-Oroville Road around Palmer Lake will be inundated between Toats Coulee and Chopaka Road. Chopaka Road will be flooded.
14.40 ft: Minor flooding to properties on the southwest side Oroville to near the Oroville Golf Course and in pasture lands near Split Rock and Miners Flat Campground off of Loomis-Oroville Road.
14.25 ft: Water may begin to come over Loomis-Oroville road near Chopka Road on the south end of Palmer Lake. Minor flooding found in the Similkameen Valley off of Chopka Road.
13.00 ft: Water starts to back up into Palmer Lake and water will be a few inches deep over Chopaka Road. Low-lying pastures and agricultural land around Chopaka and Allemandi Roads will be flooded in the Similkameen Valley. Water will begin to encroach on farm land just downstream of the Nighthawk bridge.
2.19 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	17.97 ft	June 1, 1972
2	17.62 ft	May 30, 1948
3	15.52 ft	June 17, 1974
4	15.50 ft	May 11, 2018
5	15.47 ft	June 17, 1950
6	15.13 ft	June 13, 1955
7	14.96 ft	April 26, 1934
8	14.82 ft	May 18, 2018
9	14.76 ft	May 15, 1949
10	14.59 ft	May 17, 1997

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

18 Sun 64° 44° – Wind 7 mph

19 Mon 64° 49° – Wind 7 mph

20 Tue 63° 46° – Wind 9 mph

21 Wed 64° 45° – Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 64° 47° – Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 59° 40° – Wind 10 mph

24 Sat 53° 38° – Wind 6 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:24 AM Sunset 06:04 PM Daylight 10 hr, 40 min First quarter 50%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Inkaneep Creek near the MouthRiver gauge, Inkaneep Creek	1.19 m	Very low	±0	13 km
Osoyoos Lake near OrovilleLake, Osoyoos Lake	910.92 ft	High	+0.03 ft	8 mi
Ninemile Creek at Eastlake Road near OrovilleRiver gauge, Ninemile Creek	0.3 cfs	Normal	±0	9 mi
Okanagan River near OliverRiver gauge, Okanagan River	0.65 m	Low	±0	15 km
Okanogan River at OrovilleRiver gauge, Okanogan River	3.28 ft	Lowest on record	±0	10 mi
Antoine Creek at Us Highway 97 near EllisfordeRiver gauge, Antoine Creek	0.6 cfs	Low	±0	18 mi
Okanagan River below McIntyre DamRiver gauge, Okanagan River	1.20 m	Very low	+0.01 m	31 km
Vaseux Lake near the OutletLake, Vaseux Lake	7.88 m	High	±0	33 km

Questions and answers

Is the Similkameen River near Nighthawk higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.11 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.08 ft.

What is flood stage for the Similkameen River near Nighthawk?

The official flood stage is 14.00 ft. The level is currently 11.81 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Similkameen River near Nighthawk in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.75 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.28 ft and 3.45 ft, based on 26 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 Similkameen River near Nighthawk today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 06:30 AM PDT, the water level was 2.19 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Similkameen River near Nighthawk rising or falling?

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

Is the level of Similkameen River near Nighthawk normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 26 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:12442500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 48.98460, -119.61841 (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	2.19 ft	2026-10-18 13:30	Provisional
Flow	271 cfs	2026-10-18 13:30	Provisional
Water temperature	50 °F	2026-10-18 13:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Similkameen River near Nighthawk (usgs:12442500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/washington/similkameen-river-near-nighthawk

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