River Report

Nooksack River river

3 streamgauges 75% of normal Last updated 2026-05-22
Aggregate flow
6,550cfs
% of normal
75%
Daily volume
12,992AF
Seasonal avg
8,708cfs

Total streamflow across the Nooksack River was last observed at 6,550 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 12,992 acre-ft of water today; about 75% of normal. Average streamflow for this time of year is 8,708 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2021-11-16 when daily discharge volume was observed at 149,200 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Nooksack River At Everson reporting a streamflow rate of 2,720 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Nooksack River At North Cedarville with a gauge stage of 138.97 ft. This river is monitored from 3 different streamgauging stations along the Nooksack River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 146 ft, the Nooksack River At North Cedarville.

Max discharge

Nooksack River At Everson

2,720cfs
Highest stage

Nooksack River At North Cedarville

138.97ft
Highest-elevation gauge

Nooksack River At North Cedarville

146ft
Aggregate trend

River streamflow levels

Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Nooksack River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.

Total streamflow

Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily

Per-gauge breakdown

Every streamgauge along the Nooksack River

All 3 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)
Nooksack River At North Cedarville WA
USGS 12210700
2,080 138.97 5.6 44% 460 58,600 146
Nooksack River At Everson WA
USGS 12211200
2,720 74.00 5.8 67% 539 46,700 77
Nooksack River At Ferndale WA
USGS 12213100
2,040 5.40 1.5 45% 459 58,100 10
Annual peaks

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

Profile

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

About this river

Nooksack River

The Nooksack River is a 75-mile-long river in northwest Washington that flows through Whatcom County, eventually emptying into the Puget Sound. Historically, the river was used by local tribes for fishing and transportation. The river's hydrology is influenced by snow melt and rainfall, which can lead to flooding in the winter months. There are several reservoirs and dams along the river, including the Deming Dam and the Baker River Dam, which are used for hydroelectric power generation. The river is also used for recreational activities such as fishing, kayaking, and rafting, and supports agricultural uses such as irrigation for crops like blueberries and raspberries. The Nooksack River is an important natural resource for the region and is managed by various agencies to ensure its continued health and sustainability.

Around the river

Recreation along the Nooksack River

Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.

Track the Nooksack 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.

FAQ

About the Nooksack River

Where does the data for the Nooksack 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.