Deschutes River Flow Today
As of October 22, 2026 at 12:45 AM, the Deschutes River is flowing at 4,500 cfs at Moody, OR — 93% of normal for the date. 5 of 5 USGS gauges reported in the last 3 days; flows range from 24 to 4,500 cfs. ❤ Favorite
Deschutes River map
See the Deschutes River on a live map
Every gauge, dam and paddle run on the river, one tap each:
- Gauges now — which reaches are high or low
- Dams & paddle runs — storage and what’s in range
- Rain — past 24 hrs and the 72-hr forecast, press play
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Deschutes River conditions today
Where the river is running versus normal, what’s rising or dropping, and what it means for a trip — built from the live USGS readings below.
At Moody, the Deschutes River is running 4,500 cfs — 93% of normal. Along the river, 3 of 5 reporting gauges are below normal (the typical gauge is at 84% of normal).
Highest against normal: Moody at 93%. Lowest: Rainier at 40%.
Paddlers: 2 of 4 runs on the Deschutes River with a live range are in range, 2 too low.
How the Deschutes River compares to normal
Every reporting gauge from the top of the river to the bottom: bar length is today’s flow, colour is percent of normal for the date.
Flow along the river, upstream to downstream
- Culver1,951 ft 771 cfs84%
- Madras1,396 ft 4,050 cfs92%
- Rainier363 ft 24 cfs40%
- Moody174 ft 4,500 cfs93%
- Tumwater97 ft 80 cfs54%
Bar length uses a square-root scale so small headwater flows stay visible next to big downstream ones. Colour: <50% 50–90 90–110 110–150 150%+ of normal.
Where every gauge sits
One dot per Deschutes River streamgauge, placed by its own percent of normal. The line is the typical gauge (84%).
Deschutes River flow report
| Streamgage | Streamflow | % of normal | 24h | Gage height | To flood stage | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Deschutes River Near Culver OR
Oct 22, 1:00 AM · USGS 14076500 |
771 cfs | 84% | -1% | 2.79 ft | · | 1,951 ft |
|
Deschutes River Near Madras OR
Oct 22, 12:30 AM · USGS 14092500 |
4,050 cfs | 92% | +1% | 2.86 ft | · | 1,396 ft |
|
Deschutes River Near Rainier WA
Oct 22, 12:45 AM · USGS 12079000 |
24 cfs | 40% | 0% | 3.04 ft | 8.0 ft below | 363 ft |
|
Deschutes River At Moody OR
Oct 22, 12:45 AM · USGS 14103000 |
4,500 cfs | 93% | +1% | 2.92 ft | 5.1 ft below | 174 ft |
|
Deschutes River At E St. Bridge At Tumwater WA
Oct 22, 12:45 AM · USGS 12080010 |
80 cfs | 54% | +3% | 24.47 ft | · | 97 ft |
USGS provisional data. Readings are in each gauge’s local time; gauges silent for more than 3 days are marked “Last reported”. Tap any gauge for its hydrograph, forecast and history.
Paddle runs on the Deschutes River
2 of 16 runs are in range right now. Each run is checked against its runnable range using the gauge it is keyed to (or the nearest gauge on this river).
| Run | Status | Flow now | Runnable range | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cline Falls State Park to Lower Bridge Gauge: Culver |
In range | 771 cfs | 700–2,000 cfs | III |
| Warm Springs to Sherars Falls Gauge: Madras |
In range | 4,050 cfs | 3,000–8,000 cfs | III TO III+ |
| Canyon Run (Lower Bridge to Billy Chinook Res.) Gauge: Culver |
Too low | 771 cfs | 900–2,500 cfs | IV– TO IV+ |
| Crooked River National Grassland Boundary To Confluence With Deschutes River Gauge: Culver |
Too low | 771 cfs | 900–2,500 cfs | II–IV |
| Bend to Tumalo State Park (Riverhouse Run) | No live range | · | 500–1,500 cfs | IV TO IV+ |
| Benham Falls to Dillon Falls | No live range | · | 800–3,000 cfs | V– TO V+ |
| Big River to Benham Falls | No live range | · | 700–3,000 cfs | I TO II |
| Dillon Falls to Mount Bachelor Village (Big Eddy) | No live range | · | 800–3,000 cfs | III TO V |
| Dillon Falls to Mount Bachelor Village (Big Eddy) | No live range | · | 800–3,000 cfs | III TO V |
| Little Lava Lake To Crane Prairie Reservoir | No live range | · | 462–1,360 cfs typical | III+ |
| Lower Deschutes (Sherars Falls to Columbia River) | No live range | · | 3,000–8,000 cfs | III TO III+ |
| Pringle Falls to Big River Campground | No live range | · | 500–3,500 cfs | I TO II– |
| Source To Confluence With Deschutes River | No live range | · | 53–784 cfs typical | III–IV |
| Springs Sec 30, T21S, R8E To Wickiup Reservoir | No live range | · | 57–60 cfs typical | II |
| Tumalo State Park to Cline Falls State Park | No live range | · | 700–2,000 cfs | III– TO III+ |
| Wickiup Dam to Pringle Falls Campground | No live range | · | 500–3,500 cfs | I |
Dams & reservoirs on the Deschutes River
Releases from these dams shape the flow downstream. Tap one for its daily level and history.
Deschutes River streamflow over time
Daily total flow across every monitored gauge on the river.
Maximum streamflow by year
Deschutes River
The Deschutes River is a major tributary to the Columbia River, running over 250 miles from its source in the Cascade Mountains to the Columbia River Gorge. The river has a rich history, with Indigenous peoples using the river for fishing and transportation for thousands of years. European explorers and settlers later used the river for transportation, trade, and agriculture.
Hydrologically, the river is fed by both snowmelt and springs, and is regulated by a number of dams, including the Pelton Round Butte Dam Complex. The complex includes the Round Butte Dam, which creates Lake Billy Chinook, a popular recreational area for boating, fishing, and camping.
The Deschutes River provides irrigation water for agriculture in the region, and also supports a thriving recreational industry, with activities such as whitewater rafting, fishing, and hiking. It is home to a number of fish species, including steelhead and salmon, which have faced challenges due to the construction of dams and other human impacts on the river.
About the Deschutes River
How is the Deschutes River flowing right now?
As of October 22, 2026, the Deschutes River is flowing at 4,500 cfs at Moody, OR, about 93% of normal for the date. Across its 5 USGS gauges, current flows range from 24 to 4,500 cfs. Every gauge’s live reading is in the table above.
Is the Deschutes River running high or low?
The typical gauge on the Deschutes River is at 84% of normal for the date. Above 100% means higher than the historical average for this calendar day; below 100% means lower. The profile above shows which reaches are high or low.
What is flood stage on the Deschutes River?
The National Weather Service sets flood stages for Rainier (11.0 ft), Moody (8.0 ft), . The table shows how far each gauge is below its flood stage right now.
Is the Deschutes River runnable for paddling today?
2 of 16 paddle runs are in range right now. Each run in the paddle table is checked against its runnable range using its gauge's live flow.
Where does the data come from?
Discharge and gage height are from the USGS National Water Information System; flood stages from the National Weather Service. The history chart sums every monitored gauge on the river.
Can I get alerts for a gauge?
Yes — open any gauge from the table, favorite it in the Snoflo app and set a flow threshold.