Clackamas River Flow
As of 2026-08-02, the Clackamas River is flowing at a combined 1,927 cfs across 3 USGS streamgauges — 88% of normal for this time of year, versus a seasonal average of 2,201 cfs.
Total streamflow across the Clackamas River was last observed at 1,927 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 3,822 acre-ft of water today; about 88% of normal. Average streamflow for this time of year is 2,201 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2025-12-19 when daily discharge volume was observed at 154,200 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Clackamas River Near Oregon City reporting a streamflow rate of 675 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Clackamas River, with a gauge stage of 22.88 ft at this location. This river is monitored from 3 different streamgauging stations along the Clackamas River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 1,148 ft, the Clackamas River Above Three Lynx Creek.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Clackamas River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Clackamas River
All 3 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Clackamas River Above Three Lynx Creek
OR
USGS 14209500
|
609 | 0.38 | 4.5 | 89% | 516 | 33,900 | 1,148 |
|
Clackamas River At Estacada
OR
USGS 14210000
|
643 | 10.83 | -0.9 | 74% | 550 | 60,400 | 305 |
|
Clackamas River Near Oregon City
OR
USGS 14211010
|
675 | 22.88 | -2.6 | 74% | 596 | 59,900 | 25 |
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
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
Clackamas River
The Clackamas River is a 83-mile long tributary of the Willamette River in northwestern Oregon. It has a rich history, including use by indigenous tribes for fishing and transportation, and later by European settlers for logging and mining. The river is known for its hydrology, with an average flow of 1,100 cubic feet per second and several significant dams and reservoirs. These include the River Mill Dam, which provides hydroelectric power, and the Timothy Lake reservoir, which is used for water storage and recreational activities. The Clackamas River is a popular destination for fishing, swimming, kayaking, and camping, and it also supports agricultural uses such as irrigation and livestock grazing. Conservation efforts are ongoing to protect the river's natural ecosystems and wildlife.
Recreation along the Clackamas River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Paddle runs
- Breitenbush Lake To Confluence With North Fork Breitenbush River
- Mt. Jefferson Wilderness Boundary To Confluence With Breitenbush River
- Russel Lake To Mt. Jefferson Wilderness Boundary
- Timothy Lake Dam To Slackwater Of Harriet Lake
- Opal Lake To Confluence With Battle Axe Creek
- Highway 22 To Confluence With Rainbow Creek
Track the Clackamas 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.
About the Clackamas River
How is the Clackamas River flowing right now?
As of 2026-08-02, the Clackamas River is flowing at a combined 1,927 cfs across its USGS streamgauges, about 88% of normal for this date. The live per-gauge breakdown and 24-hour trend are shown above.
Is the Clackamas River running high or low right now?
Check the percent-of-normal figure on this page: above 100% means the river is running higher than its seasonal average for the date, below 100% means lower. The per-gauge table shows which reaches are highest and lowest.
Where does the data for the Clackamas 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.