Methow River river
Total streamflow across the Methow River was last observed at 9,230 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 18,307 acre-ft of water today; about 41% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 22,287 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2023-05-06 when daily discharge volume was observed at 64,920 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Methow River Near Pateros reporting a streamflow rate of 3,770 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Methow River Above Goat Creek Near Mazama with a gauge stage of 15.93 ft. This river is monitored from 4 different streamgauging stations along the Methow River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 2,053 ft, the Methow River Above Goat Creek Near Mazama.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Methow River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Methow 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Methow River Above Goat Creek Near Mazama
WA
USGS 12447383
|
1,400 | 15.93 | -5.4 | 42% | 0 | 9,440 | 2,053 |
|
Methow River At Winthrop
WA
USGS 12448500
|
2,740 | 12.91 | 8.7 | 47% | 155 | 24,400 | 1,756 |
|
Methow River At Twisp
WA
USGS 12449500
|
3,520 | 1.92 | 11.0 | 55% | 159 | 40,800 | 1,575 |
|
Methow River Near Pateros
WA
USGS 12449950
|
3,770 | 4.92 | 6.5 | 54% | 235 | 28,800 | 916 |
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
Methow River
The Methow River is a tributary of the Columbia River and runs for approximately 80 miles through Washington State. The river was used by the Native American tribes for fishing and irrigation, and later by settlers for agriculture and mining. Today, the river is used primarily for recreational purposes such as fishing, kayaking, and rafting. The river is fed by snowmelt and has a hydrology that varies throughout the year. There are two major dams on the Methow River, the Methow Dam and the Alta Dam, which provide hydroelectric power to the region. The river is also important for agriculture, with farmers using water from the river to irrigate their crops. Overall, the Methow River is an important natural resource for the region, providing both recreational opportunities and essential water resources for agriculture.
Track the Methow 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 Methow River
Where does the data for the Methow 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.