Canada
United States
Belgium
France
Ireland
Netherlands
United Kingdom
Austria
Czechia
Germany
Poland
Slovenia
Switzerland
Italy
Spain
Türkiye
Denmark
Finland
Norway
SwedenSkykomish River near Gold Bar water level
River gauge, Skykomish River, Washington, United States
Right now
Normal for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 537 cfs
- Water temperature
- 52 °F
History
20252026
The forecast expects the river to fall to 4.18 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 11:00 AM. Issued Sunday, October 18 at 08:39 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
The gauge at Skykomish River near Gold Bar reads 4.45 ft, a normal level for mid-October.
The median for mid-October is 5.39 ft, based on 39 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.94 ft below typical. It is 10.55 ft below the flood stage of 15.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 4.48 ft, a difference of −0.03 ft.
The water is rising: up 0.10 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 4.18 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 11:00 AM. There is still 10.55 ft of room before flood stage.
The water temperature at the gauge is 52 °F.
Compared with 39 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 5.39 ft0.94 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 3.35 ft – 9.29 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (39 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 4.48 ft−0.03 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 4.13 ft – 5.77 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 4.12 ft – 20.40 ft
- Highest on record
- 24.51 ftNovember 6, 2006
- Forecast peak
- 4.41 ftWednesday, October 28 at 05:00 AM
What the stage means on the water
A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.
The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 15.00 ft, still 10.55 ft away.
What happens at each level
- 22.00 ft
- the Skykomish River will cause severe...near record flooding from Index downstream to Monroe. The river will flood many homes...cover much of the farmland...close most roads and overtop most dikes. Flooding will occur all along the river including headwaters...tributaries...and other streams within and near the Skykomish River Basin. A stage of 22 feet on the Skykomish River corresponds to a Phase 4 in the Snohomish County flood program.
- 21.00 ft
- the Skykomish River will cause major flooding from near Index downstream through Sultan to the Snoqualmie River confluence. Deep and swift flood waters will inundate roads...residential areas...and farm land. Extensive bank erosion is likely. Flooding will occur all along the river including headwaters...tributaries...and other streams within and near the Skykomish River Basin. A stage of 21 feet on the Skykomish River corresponds to a Phase 4 in the Snohomish County flood program.
- 19.00 ft
- the Skykomish River will cause major flooding from near Index downstream through Sultan to the Snoqualmie. Flood waters will inundate portions of downtown Sultan...most roads and the Tualco Valley area near Monroe. Flooding will occur all along the river including headwaters...tributaries...and other streams within and near the Skykomish River Basin. A stage of 19 feet on the Skykomish River corresponds to a Phase 4 in the Snohomish County flood program.
- 17.00 ft
- the Skykomish River will cause flooding from near Index downstream through Sultan to the Snoqualmie. Flood waters will cover numerous roads...including Ben Howard Rd...Index-Galena Rd and Tualco Loop Rd. Flooding in the town of Sultan will begin. A stage of 17 feet on the Skykomish River corresponds to a Phase 3 in the Snohomish County flood program.
- 16.00 ft
- the Skykomish River will cause minor flooding of low pasture lands and some roads along the river...including Ben Howard road...Index-Galena Rd and Tualco Loop Rd. A stage of 16 feet on the Skykomish River corresponds to a Phase 3 in the Snohomish County flood program.
- 15.00 ft
- the Skykomish River will cause minor flooding of low pasture lands and low lying roads...including Index-Galena Rd and Tualco Loop Rd. A stage of 15 feet on the Skykomish River corresponds to a Phase 2 in the Snohomish County flood program.
- 4.45 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: 48 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24.51 ft | November 6, 2006 |
| 2 | 24.03 ft | December 11, 2025 |
| 3 | 22.49 ft | November 24, 1990 |
| 4 | 22.23 ft | November 17, 2015 |
| 5 | 21.34 ft | December 26, 1980 |
| 6 | 21.28 ft | December 21, 1933 |
| 7 | 21.01 ft | November 10, 1990 |
| 8 | 20.73 ft | October 20, 2003 |
| 9 | 20.70 ft | February 26, 1932 |
| 10 | 20.32 ft | December 9, 2025 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Fork Sultan River near SultanRiver gauge, South Fork Sultan River | 8.57 ft | Normal | −0.46 ft | 8 mi |
| Sultan River below Powerplant near SultanRiver gauge, Sultan River | 5.09 ft | Low | ±0 | 8 mi |
| Nf Tolt River above Yellow Creek near CarnationRiver gauge, Nf Tolt River | 54.2 cfs | Low | −27.0 cfs | 9 mi |
| South Fork Tolt River near IndexRiver gauge, South Fork Tolt River | 0.78 ft | Low | −0.05 ft | 10 mi |
| Phelps Creek below Unnamed Tributary near IndexRiver gauge, Phelps Creek | 5.88 ft | Low | +0.07 ft | 10 mi |
| Sultan River below Diversion Dam near SultanRiver gauge, Sultan River | 26.17 ft | Normal | +0.02 ft | 10 mi |
| South Fork Tolt River near CarnationRiver gauge, South Fork Tolt River | 1.87 ft | Very low | −0.01 ft | 10 mi |
| Sf Tolt River below Regulating Basin near CarnationRiver gauge, Sf Tolt River | 3.12 ft | Very low | −0.03 ft | 11 mi |
Questions and answers
Is the Skykomish River near Gold Bar higher than last year?
No, it is 0.03 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 4.48 ft.
What is flood stage for the Skykomish River near Gold Bar?
The official flood stage is 15.00 ft. The level is currently 10.55 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Skykomish River near Gold Bar in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 5.39 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3.35 ft and 9.29 ft, based on 39 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 Skykomish River near Gold Bar today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 03:30 PM PDT, the water level was 4.45 ft. Up 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Skykomish River near Gold Bar rising or falling?
Up 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.23 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Skykomish River near Gold Bar normal?
Normal for mid-October. Compared with 39 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:12134500(Agency page)- Coordinates
47.83733, -121.66678(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 | 4.45 ft | 2026-10-18 22:30 | Provisional |
| Flow | 537 cfs | 2026-10-18 22:30 | Provisional |
| Water temperature | 52 °F | 2026-10-18 22:30 | Provisional |
Download
Embed this gauge
Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.
How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Skykomish River near Gold Bar (usgs:12134500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/washington/skykomish-river-near-gold-bar
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