River Report

Sandy River river

4 streamgauges 71% of normal Last updated 2026-05-26
Aggregate flow
3,154cfs
% of normal
71%
Daily volume
6,256AF
Seasonal avg
4,427cfs

Total streamflow across the Sandy River was last observed at 3,154 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 6,256 acre-ft of water today; about 71% of normal. Average streamflow for this time of year is 4,427 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2025-12-19 when daily discharge volume was observed at 91,300 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Sandy River Near Mercer reporting a streamflow rate of 1,460 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Sandy River Near Marmot with a gauge stage of 690.34 ft. This river is monitored from 4 different streamgauging stations along the Sandy River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 735 ft, the Sandy River Near Marmot.

Max discharge

Sandy River Near Mercer

1,460cfs
Highest stage

Sandy River Near Marmot

690.34ft
Highest-elevation gauge

Sandy River Near Marmot

735ft
Aggregate trend

River streamflow levels

Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Sandy 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 Sandy 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)
Sandy River Near Marmot OR
USGS 14137000
614 690.34 1.0 48% 188 36,500 735
Sandy River Near Danville VA
USGS 02074500
70 1.45 105.9 87% 8 7,390 481
Sandy River Blw Bull Run River OR
USGS 14142500
1,080 8.82 1.9 65% 249 54,800 230
Sandy River Near Mercer ME
USGS 01048000
1,460 4.81 141.3 187% 34 35,500 190
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

Sandy River

The Sandy River is a 56-mile long river located in northern Oregon. The river was named after the sandbars that form at the mouth of the river. Historically, the river was used for fishing, logging, and transportation. Today, the river is used for hydroelectric power, irrigation, and recreational purposes. The river's hydrology is heavily influenced by snowmelt, and its flow is regulated by several dams and reservoirs, including the Bull Run Reservoir and the Sandy River Reservoir. These dams and reservoirs provide drinking water to the Portland metropolitan area. The river is a popular destination for fishing, camping, hiking, and river-rafting. The watershed of the Sandy River also supports agriculture and forestry in the region.

Track the Sandy 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 Sandy River

Where does the data for the Sandy 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.