Skagit River Flow
As of 2026-08-02, the Skagit River is flowing at a combined 21,450 cfs across 4 USGS streamgauges — 68% of normal for this time of year, versus a seasonal average of 31,636 cfs.
Total streamflow across the Skagit River was last observed at 21,450 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 42,546 acre-ft of water today; about 68% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 31,636 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2021-11-16 when daily discharge volume was observed at 283,900 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Skagit River Near Mount Vernon reporting a streamflow rate of 7,830 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Skagit River At Newhalem with a gauge stage of 83.67 ft. This river is monitored from 4 different streamgauging stations along the Skagit River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 492 ft, the Skagit River At Newhalem.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Skagit River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Skagit 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Skagit River At Newhalem
WA
USGS 12178000
|
3,260 | 83.67 | 0.3 | 98% | 1,680 | 30,700 | 492 |
|
Skagit River At Marblemount
WA
USGS 12181000
|
3,440 | 3.47 | 0.9 | 81% | 1,480 | 67,300 | 312 |
|
Skagit River Near Concrete
WA
USGS 12194000
|
6,920 | 15.38 | -2.5 | 71% | 4,430 | 125,000 | 148 |
|
Skagit River Near Mount Vernon
WA
USGS 12200500
|
7,830 | 11.23 | -1.9 | 75% | 5,630 | 133,000 | 16 |
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
Skagit River
The Skagit River is a 150-mile-long river located in northwest Washington state. It has a rich history dating back to the indigenous people who resided in the area and relied on the river for sustenance. The river's hydrology is characterized by glacial meltwater from the surrounding mountains, resulting in high flow rates in the spring and low flow rates in the summer. The Skagit River supports various recreational activities such as fishing, kayaking, and rafting. The river also plays a crucial role in the region's agriculture, providing irrigation water for crops such as potatoes, berries, and tulips. The Skagit River is home to several reservoirs and dams, including the Ross, Diablo, and Gorge dams, which provide hydroelectric power and regulate river flows for irrigation and flood control purposes.
Recreation along the Skagit River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Paddle runs
- Confluence Of Canyon And Granite Creeks To Ross Lake National Recreation Area Boundary
- Ross Lake National Recreation Area Boundary To Slack Water Of Ross Lake
- Point On Range Line To Ruby Creek
- Pasayten Wilderness Boundary To Point On Range Line Between Sec 12, R14e And Sec 17, R16e
- Headwaters To Upper Goodell Campground (Rm 0.5)
- Begins Below Gorge Powerhouse To Ross Lake National Recreation Area Boundary
Track the Skagit 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 Skagit River
How is the Skagit River flowing right now?
As of 2026-08-02, the Skagit River is flowing at a combined 21,450 cfs across its USGS streamgauges, about 68% of normal for this date. The live per-gauge breakdown and 24-hour trend are shown above.
Is the Skagit River running high or low right now?
Check the percent-of-normal figure on this page: above 100% means the river is running higher than its seasonal average for the date, below 100% means lower. The per-gauge table shows which reaches are highest and lowest.
Where does the data for the Skagit 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.