Nisqually River river
Total streamflow across the Nisqually River was last observed at 2,538 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 5,034 acre-ft of water today; about 78% of normal. Average streamflow for this time of year is 3,243 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2020-02-06 when daily discharge volume was observed at 42,400 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Nisqually River At Mckenna reporting a streamflow rate of 994 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Nisqually River Near National with a gauge stage of 4.95 ft. This river is monitored from 4 different streamgauging stations along the Nisqually River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 1,436 ft, the Nisqually River Near National.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Nisqually River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Nisqually 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Nisqually River Near National
WA
USGS 12082500
|
559 | 4.95 | 3.3 | 58% | 103 | 21,800 | 1,436 |
|
Nisqually River At La Grande Dam
WA
USGS 12086000
|
37 | 0.21 | 0.0 | 100% | 31 | 10,100 | 910 |
|
Nisqually River At La Grande
WA
USGS 12086500
|
859 | 4.34 | -12.1 | 62% | 495 | 39,500 | 488 |
|
Nisqually River At Mckenna
WA
USGS 12089500
|
994 | 1.83 | -2.6 | 80% | 391 | 50,000 | 293 |
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
Nisqually River
The Nisqually River runs 78 miles from the Nisqually Glacier on Mount Rainier to southern Puget Sound. The river was historically home to the Nisqually tribe, and was an important source of food and transportation. Today, the river and its watershed are managed by the Nisqually Indian Tribe, Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, and local governments. The hydrology of the river is influenced by seasonal snowmelt and precipitation. There are two major reservoirs on the river, Alder Dam and LaGrande Dam, which are used for hydroelectric power generation and water supply. The river is also used for recreational activities such as fishing, kayaking, and rafting. Agricultural uses include pastureland and crops such as berries and vegetables. Efforts to restore and protect the river and its habitats are ongoing.
Recreation along the Nisqually River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Paddle runs
- Headwaters At The Terminus Of The Ingraham Glacier To Ends 1/4 Mile North Of Box Canyon
- Headwaters On The Southeast Flank Of Mount Rainier At An Elevation Of 5500 Ft To Confluence With Chinook Creek
- Begins 1/4 Mile North Of Box Canyon To Ends 1/4 Mile South Of Box Canyon
- Begins 1/4 Mile South Of Box Canyon To Southern Boundary Of Mount Rainier National Park
- Headwaters In The Mystic Lake Basin On The North Side Of Mount Rainier To Northern Boundary Of Mount Rainier National Park
- Confluence With Chinook Creek To Southern Boundary Of Mount Rainier National Park
Track the Nisqually 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 Nisqually River
Where does the data for the Nisqually 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.