Chehalis River

Last Updated: May 3, 2026

Total streamflow across the Chehalis River was last observed at 3,547 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 7,035 acre-ft of water today; about 68% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 5,219 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2022-01-08 when daily discharge volume was observed at 112,610 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Chehalis River At Porter reporting a streamflow rate of 1,660 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Chehalis River Near Doty with a gauge stage of 307.01 ft. This river is monitored from 4 different streamgauging stations along the Chehalis River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 324 ft, the Chehalis River Near Doty.

The Chehalis River is a 126-mile long river that flows through western Washington State.


15-Day Long Term Forecast


River Details

Last Updated 2026-05-03
Discharge Volume 7,035 ACRE-FT
Streamflow 3,547.0 cfs
Past 24 Hours: -195.0 cfs (-5.21%)
Percent of Normal 67.97%
Maximum 112,610.0 cfs
2022-01-08
Seasonal Avg 5,219 cfs
       
River Streamflow Levels
Streamgauge Streamflow Gauge Stage 24hr Change (%) % Normal Minimum (cfs) Maximum (cfs) Air Temp Elevation
Chehalis River Near Doty
USGS 12020000
224 cfs 307.01 ft -3.45
Chehalis River Near Adna
USGS 12021800
822 cfs 194.15 ft -2.61
Chehalis River Near Grand Mound
USGS 12027500
841 cfs 130.39 ft -7.17
Chehalis River At Porter
USGS 12031000
1660 cfs 33.02 ft -5.68
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile

The Chehalis River ( shə-HAY-lis)
is a river in Washington in the United States. It originates in several forks in southwestern Washington, flows east, then north, then west, in a large curve, before emptying into Grays Harbor, an estuary of the Pacific Ocean.
It was once much larger during the Ice Age when the tongue of the glacial ice sheet covering the Puget Sound terminated near Olympia and glacial runoff formed a large torrest of meltwater. This carved a large oversized valley that is much larger than the current river could have produced. The river's mouth was out near current Westport until rising sea levels at the end of the ice age flooded the broad Chehalis Valley to for a ria, known today as Grays Harbor.