Cowlitz River river
Total streamflow across the Cowlitz River was last observed at 14,980 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 29,712 acre-ft of water today; about 66% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 22,856 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2025-12-19 when daily discharge volume was observed at 108,900 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Cowlitz River At Castle Rock reporting a streamflow rate of 6,380 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Cowlitz River, with a gauge stage of 34.53 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 streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Cowlitz River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Cowlitz 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Cowlitz River At Packwood
WA
USGS 14226500
|
1,760 | 2.21 | 12.8 | 62% | 149 | 42,100 | 1,053 |
|
Cowlitz River At Randle
WA
USGS 14231000
|
2,530 | 6.47 | 11.5 | 60% | 228 | 35,900 | 872 |
|
Cowlitz River Below Mayfield Dam
WA
USGS 14238000
|
4,600 | 11.28 | -0.4 | 71% | 2,050 | 68,400 | 231 |
|
Cowlitz River At Castle Rock
WA
USGS 14243000
|
6,380 | 34.53 | -2.3 | 70% | 2,270 | 139,000 | 35 |
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
Cowlitz River
The Cowlitz River is a 105-mile-long river in southwestern Washington, originating from the glaciers of Mount Rainier National Park. Historically, the river was used for fishing and transportation by indigenous peoples. Today, it is a major source of hydroelectric power, with several major dams and reservoirs along its course, including Mayfield Dam and Riffe Lake. These dams have greatly affected the river's hydrology and the surrounding agricultural land by controlling flooding and providing irrigation. The Cowlitz River is also a popular recreational destination, with opportunities for fishing, boating, and hiking in the surrounding forests and mountains. The river is home to several species of salmon and steelhead, and efforts are being made to restore and protect their populations.
Track the Cowlitz 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 Cowlitz River
Where does the data for the Cowlitz 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.