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River report

Methow River Flow Today

As of November 11, 2026 at 11:15 PM, the Methow River is flowing at 321 cfs near Pateros, WA — 56% of normal for the date and down 1% in 24 hours. 3 of 4 USGS gauges reported in the last 3 days; flows range from 209 to 321 cfs. ❤ Favorite

USGS gauges
4 3 reporting · upstream → down
Methow River At Winthrop: 56% of normalMethow River At Twisp: 50% of normalMethow River Near Pateros: 56% of normal
Typical gauge
56% of normal for the date
0%normal200%
Paddle runs
17 0 in range now
1 low
Updated
Nov 11, 11:15 PM
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Methow River map

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River briefing · Nov 12, 2026

Methow 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 Pateros, the Methow River is running 321 cfs — 56% of normal, down 1% since yesterday. Along the river, 3 of 3 reporting gauges are below normal (the typical gauge is at 56% of normal).

Paddlers: 0 of 1 runs on the Methow River with a live range are in range, 1 too low.

Headwaters to mouth

How the Methow 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

  1. Winthrop1,756 ft 209 cfs56%
  2. Twisp1,575 ft 268 cfs50%
  3. Pateros916 ft 321 cfs56%

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 Methow River streamgauge, placed by its own percent of normal. The line is the typical gauge (56%).

Typical gauge 56%
0%50%100% · normal150%200%+
Much below normal0Below normal3Near normal0Above normal0Much above normal0

Methow River flow report

4 gauges
Streamgage Streamflow % of normal 24h Gage height To flood stage Elevation
Methow River Above Goat Creek Near Mazama WA
Last reported Oct 3 · USGS 12447383
0 cfs · · 11.62 ft · 2,053 ft
Methow River At Winthrop WA
Nov 11, 11:15 PM · USGS 12448500
209 cfs 56% -1% 9.83 ft · 1,756 ft
Methow River At Twisp WA
Nov 11, 11:15 PM · USGS 12449500
268 cfs 50% -2% -0.99 ft · 1,575 ft
Methow River Near Pateros WA
Nov 11, 11:15 PM · USGS 12449950
321 cfs 56% -1% 1.60 ft 8.4 ft below 916 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.

Whitewater & paddle

Paddle runs on the Methow River

Each run is checked against its runnable range using the gauge it is keyed to (or the nearest gauge on this river).

RunStatusFlow nowRunnable rangeClass
Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness Boundary To Okanogan Nf Boundary
Gauge: Winthrop
Too low 209 cfs 1,000–2,000 cfs III+–IV
Boundary Of The North Cascades National Park To Ends 1/4 Mile Upstream Of The Confluence With The Stehekin River
Gauge: Mazama
No live range · 2,000–4,000 cfs ·
Confluence With Brush Creek To Private Land Boundary Near Lost River In Nw1/4 Of Sec 5, T36N, R19E
Gauge: Mazama
No live range · 47–605 cfs typical ·
Confluence With Rampart Creek To Pasayten Wilderness Boundary
Gauge: Mazama
No live range · 47–605 cfs typical III–IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries In Wenatchee National Forest To Confluence With Bridge Creek
Gauge: Mazama
No live range · 2,000–4,000 cfs III–IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With Bridge Creek
Gauge: Mazama
No live range · 47–605 cfs typical III–IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With Bridge Creek
Gauge: Mazama
No live range · 47–605 cfs typical III–IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With Bridge Creek
Gauge: Mazama
No live range · 47–605 cfs typical III–IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With Grizzly Creek
Gauge: Mazama
No live range · 47–605 cfs typical III–IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With Grizzly Creek
Gauge: Mazama
No live range · 47–605 cfs typical III–IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With Grizzly Creek
Gauge: Mazama
No live range · 47–605 cfs typical III–IV
Headwaters And Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With North Fork Bridge Creek
Gauge: Mazama
No live range · 47–605 cfs typical III–IV
Headwaters To Confluence With Thunder Creek
Gauge: Mazama
No live range · 100–1,403 cfs typical III–V
Pasayten Wilderness Boundary To Confluence With Methow River
Gauge: Mazama
No live range · 47–605 cfs typical III–IV
Pasayten Wilderness Boundary To Okanogan Nf Boundary
Gauge: Mazama
No live range · 1,000–2,000 cfs III–IV
Private Land Boundary To Okanogan Nf Boundary
Gauge: Mazama
No live range · 47–605 cfs typical III
Swamp Creek To Ruby Creek
Gauge: Mazama
No live range · 47–605 cfs typical III–IV
History

Methow River streamflow over time

Daily total flow across every monitored gauge on the river (this total last updated 2026-11-01; the live gauge readings above are current).

Maximum streamflow by year

About this river

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.

FAQ

About the Methow River

How is the Methow River flowing right now?

As of November 11, 2026, the Methow River is flowing at 321 cfs near Pateros, WA, about 56% of normal for the date. Across its 4 USGS gauges, current flows range from 209 to 321 cfs. Every gauge’s live reading is in the table above.

Is the Methow River running high or low?

The typical gauge on the Methow River is at 56% 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 Methow River?

The National Weather Service sets flood stages for Pateros (10.0 ft). The table shows how far each gauge is below its flood stage right now.

Is the Methow River runnable for paddling today?

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.

More river levels

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