River Report

Chehalis River river

4 streamgauges 80% of normal Last updated 2026-05-22
Aggregate flow
2,795cfs
% of normal
80%
Daily volume
5,544AF
Seasonal avg
3,512cfs

Total streamflow across the Chehalis River was last observed at 2,795 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 5,544 acre-ft of water today; about 80% of normal. Average streamflow for this time of year is 3,512 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 1,160 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Chehalis River Near Doty with a gauge stage of 306.84 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.

Max discharge

Chehalis River At Porter

1,160cfs
Highest stage

Chehalis River Near Doty

306.84ft
Highest-elevation gauge

Chehalis River Near Doty

324ft
Aggregate trend

River streamflow levels

Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Chehalis River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.

Total streamflow

Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily

Per-gauge breakdown

Every streamgauge along the Chehalis River

All 4 USGS gauges Snoflo tracks for this river, with current flow, stage, recent change, percent of normal, and the gauge's all-time min / max. Click any header to sort. Cells are heatmapped relative to the column min/max -- darker blue = higher.

Streamgauge Streamflow (cfs) Gauge stage (ft) 24h Δ (%) % Normal Min (cfs) Max (cfs) Elevation (ft)
Chehalis River Near Doty WA
USGS 12020000
177 306.84 -5.9 86% 15 63,100 324
Chehalis River Near Adna WA
USGS 12021800
673 193.86 -3.6 139% 26 33,600 195
Chehalis River Near Grand Mound WA
USGS 12027500
595 129.96 -9.7 52% 53 79,100 134
Chehalis River At Porter WA
USGS 12031000
1,160 32.22 -7.2 63% 201 86,500 28
Annual peaks

Maximum streamflow discharge by year

The single highest aggregate discharge recorded each year. Spotting the multi-year trend reveals droughts vs. wet cycles long before the headline daily flow does.

Annual peak discharge

From the river's full record · one point per water year

Profile

Streamflow elevation profile

Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by current streamflow (x-axis) vs elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-to-bottom traces the river from headwaters down to its mouth -- you can see flow accumulate as elevation drops.

Elevation vs streamflow

One point per monitored gauge · bubble size = gauge stage

About this river

Chehalis River

The Chehalis River is a 126-mile long river that flows through western Washington State. It has two main tributaries, the East Fork Chehalis and the West Fork Chehalis. The river was an important resource for Native American tribes such as the Chehalis and Chinook for centuries before European settlers arrived. Today, the Chehalis River is used for a variety of recreational activities such as fishing, kayaking, and camping. It is also used for agricultural purposes, with farms and pastureland located along its banks. The river is home to several reservoirs and dams, including the Mossyrock and Mayfield Dams, which provide hydroelectric power and flood control for surrounding communities. Despite these measures, the Chehalis River is prone to flooding during heavy rain events.

Around the river

Recreation along the Chehalis River

Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.

Track the Chehalis River in the Snoflo app

Set per-gauge push alerts (e.g. "alert me when flow at the Russian R Nr Healdsburg crosses 5,000 cfs"), and Snoflo's iOS app pushes the moment USGS reports the crossing.

FAQ

About the Chehalis River

Where does the data for the Chehalis River come from?

Streamflow and gauge stage data are sourced from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information System. The aggregate flow shown at the top of the page is computed by Snoflo as the sum of all monitored gauges along the river.

How is "percent of normal" calculated?

Today's aggregate streamflow is compared to the historical average aggregate streamflow on this calendar day across the river's full record. 100% means right on average; values above 100% indicate above-normal flow (wet year); values below indicate below-normal (dry year or drought).

Why are some gauges showing very different flows?

Gauges along a river measure flow at different points: headwater gauges read what's coming off the snowpack or mountain runoff; downstream gauges integrate everything upstream, including tributary inputs. Wide spreads usually mean a tributary is contributing significantly between gauges.

What's the elevation profile chart showing?

Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by streamflow (x-axis) and elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-down traces the river from headwaters to mouth -- you can see flow build as elevation drops.

Can I get alerts when a specific gauge crosses a threshold?

Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app on a per-gauge basis. Open any individual streamgauge from the table above and favorite it to set a discharge threshold.