Red Flag Warning
2025-12-20T00:00:00-07:00

...THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR IN AND IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE FOOTHILLS, BETWEEN 5500 AND 9000 FEET, FOR BOULDER AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES ON FRIDAY... Strong west winds, sustained 45-55 mph with gusts upwards of 85- 105 mph, are expected in the foothills of Larimer, Boulder and Jefferson Counties beginning early Friday morning. Relative humidity values are expected to drop into the low teens, possibly upper single digits. While Red Flag conditions, critical fire weather, are expected across a larger area in northern Colorado, the most extreme conditions are expected to be along Highway 93 from Jefferson County into Boulder County and along US-36 north of Boulder to the Larimer County line and westward. There will be a high potential for fast moving wildfires, should any new starts occur. Winds toward I-25 and eastward will be slower to develop, and also speeds will be considerably lighter. That said, gusts of 25- 40 mph are still expected to combine with very low humidity and cured grasses to support critical fire weather conditions. Such conditions may be a longer duration than usual, with potential for low humidity to extend well into the evening hours. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 238, 240, 241, 242 and 243. * TIMING...From 10 AM this morning to midnight MST tonight. * WINDS...West 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 60 mph possible west of I-25, and gusts to 40 mph possible along and east of I- 25. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 12 percent. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread. Avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark and start a wildfire.


Clackamas River River Levels

Last Updated: December 19, 2025

The Clackamas River is a 83-mile long tributary of the Willamette River in northwestern Oregon.


Summary

Total streamflow across the Clackamas River was last observed at 154,200 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 305,852 acre-ft of water today; about 727% of normal. River levels are high. Average streamflow for this time of year is 21,216 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 At Estacada reporting a streamflow rate of 60,400 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Clackamas River Near Oregon City with a gauge stage of 43.5 ft. 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 Details

Last Updated 2025-12-19
Discharge Volume 305,852 ACRE-FT
Streamflow 154,200.0 cfs
+134460.0 cfs (+681.16%)
Percent of Normal 726.81%
Maximum 154,200.0 cfs
2025-12-19
Seasonal Avg 21,216 cfs
       
River Streamflow Levels
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Streamgauge Streamflow Gauge Stage 24hr Change (%) % Normal Minimum (cfs) Maximum (cfs) Air Temp Elevation
Clackamas River Above Three Lynx Creek
USGS 14209500 		33900 cfs 15.27 ft 769.23
Clackamas River At Estacada
USGS 14210000 		60400 cfs 26.12 ft 817.93
Clackamas River Near Oregon City
USGS 14211010 		59900 cfs 43.5 ft 546.87
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
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Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile

The Clackamas River is an approximately 83-mile (134 km) tributary of the Willamette River in northwestern Oregon, in the United States. Draining an area of about 940 square miles (2,435 km2), the Clackamas flows through mostly forested and rugged mountainous terrain in its upper reaches, and passes agricultural and urban areas in its lower third.
The river rises in eastern Marion County, about 55 miles (89 km) east-southeast of Salem. The headwaters are on the slopes of Olallie Butte in the Mount Hood National Forest, about 10 miles (16 km) north of Mount Jefferson, at an elevation of 4,909 feet (1,496 m) in the Cascade Range. The Clackamas flows briefly north and then flows northwest through the mountains, passing through North Fork Reservoir and Estacada. It then emerges from the mountains southeast of Portland. It joins the Willamette near Oregon City and forms the boundary between Oregon City and Gladstone.
The Clackamas provides hydroelectric power and drinking water for some of the Portland metropolitan area, and it supports runs of Coho salmon, spring and fall Chinook salmon, and summer and winter steelhead. The river's old-growth forests, its habitat for several species of birds, its healthy fish runs, and the recreational opportunities that it provides—such as fishing and whitewater rafting—led to the designation of more than half of the length of the river into the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System (NWSRS). This environment also allowed Native Americans to settle in the river's basin as early as 10,000 years ago.
Regulation of the river began in 1905 with the Cazadero Dam. In 1912, the River Mill Dam intercepted wood and coarse sediment. Later dams at North Fork, Oak Grove, Stone Creek, and Timothy Lake also intercepted wood sediment on the lower river.

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