Red Flag Warning
2025-12-17T18:00:00-07:00

* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 241, 242, 243, 245 and 246. * TIMING...Until 6 PM MST this evening. * WINDS...West 15 to 30 mph with gusts up to 60 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 16 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.


Cowlitz River River Levels

Last Updated: December 17, 2025

The Cowlitz River is a 105-mile-long river in southwestern Washington, originating from the glaciers of Mount Rainier National Park.


Summary

Total streamflow across the Cowlitz River was last observed at 87,580 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 173,713 acre-ft of water today; about 288% of normal. River levels are high. Average streamflow for this time of year is 30,358 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2025-12-11 when daily discharge volume was observed at 100,500 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Cowlitz River At Castle Rock reporting a streamflow rate of 37,200 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Cowlitz River, with a gauge stage of 42.68 ft at this location. This river is monitored from 4 different streamgauging stations along the Cowlitz River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 1,053 ft, the Cowlitz River At Packwood.

River Details

Last Updated 2025-12-17
Discharge Volume 173,713 ACRE-FT
Streamflow 87,580.0 cfs
+1150.0 cfs (+1.33%)
Percent of Normal 288.49%
Maximum 100,500.0 cfs
2025-12-11
Seasonal Avg 30,358 cfs
       
River Streamflow Levels
Streamgauge Streamflow Gauge Stage 24hr Change (%) % Normal Minimum (cfs) Maximum (cfs) Air Temp Elevation
Cowlitz River At Packwood
USGS 14226500
9280 cfs 5.81 ft 56.49
Cowlitz River At Randle
USGS 14231000
12500 cfs 14.39 ft -7.41
Cowlitz River Below Mayfield Dam
USGS 14238000
28600 cfs 18.88 ft -0.35
Cowlitz River At Castle Rock
USGS 14243000
37200 cfs 42.68 ft -2.87
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile

The Cowlitz River is a river in the state of Washington in the United States, a tributary of the Columbia River. Its tributaries drain a large region including the slopes of Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, and Mount St. Helens.
The Cowlitz has a 2,586-square-mile (6,698 km2) drainage basin, located between the Cascade Range in eastern Lewis County, Washington and the cities of Kelso and Longview. The river is roughly 105 miles (169 km) long, not counting tributaries.
Major tributaries of the Cowlitz River include the Cispus River and the Toutle River, which was overtaken by volcanic mudflows (lahars) during the May 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.
When the smelt spawn in the Cowlitz River, the gulls go into a feeding frenzy that lasts for weeks. Kelso, Washington is known as the "Smelt Capital of the World".