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River report

Smith River Flow Today

As of October 2, 2026 at 3:00 AM, the Smith River is flowing at 354 cfs at Eden, NC — 88% of normal for the date and up 74% in 24 hours. 12 of 12 USGS gauges reported in the last 3 days; flows range from 2.9 to 354 cfs. ❤ Favorite

USGS gauges
12 12 reporting · upstream → down
Smith River Near Fort Logan Mount: 74% of normalSmith River Below Eagle Creek Near Fort Logan Mount: 87% of normalSmith River Near Eden Mount: 68% of normalSmith River Above Smith River Reservoir Near Belknap Sprgs: 67% of normalSmith River Above Trail Brdg Resv Near Belknap Springs: 73% of normalSmith River At Smith River Church Near Woolwine: 44% of normalSmith River Near Philpott: 100% of normalSmith River At Bassett: 89% of normalSmith River At Martinsville: 53% of normalSmith River At Eden: 88% of normalSmith River Near Bristol: 177% of normalSmith River Near Crescent City Ca: 80% of normal
Typical gauge
77% of normal for the date
0%normal200%
Paddle runs
3 0 in range now
3 low
Updated
Oct 2, 3:00 AM
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River briefing · Oct 2, 2026

Smith 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 Eden, the Smith River is running 354 cfs — 88% of normal, up 74% since yesterday. Along the river, 10 of 12 reporting gauges are below normal (the typical gauge is at 77% of normal).

In the last 24 hours the river is rising at Eden (+74%) and Martinsville (+15%); dropping at Bristol (-26%).

Highest against normal: Bristol at 177%. Lowest: Smith River Church Near Woolwine at 44%.

Paddlers: 0 of 3 runs on the Smith River with a live range are in range, 3 too low.

Headwaters to mouth

How the Smith 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. Fort Logan Mount4,402 ft 76 cfs74%
  2. Fort Logan Mount4,354 ft 111 cfs87%
  3. Eden Mount3,500 ft 94 cfs68%
  4. Belknap Sprgs2,611 ft 2.9 cfs67%
  5. Belknap Springs2,232 ft 4.2 cfs73%
  6. Smith River Church Near Woolwine1,240 ft 11 cfs44%
  7. Philpott846 ft 137 cfs100%
  8. Bassett770 ft 150 cfs89%
  9. Martinsville683 ft 160 cfs53%
  10. Eden548 ft 354 cfs88%
  11. Bristol472 ft 50 cfs177%
  12. Crescent City Ca96 ft 217 cfs80%

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 Smith River streamgauge, placed by its own percent of normal. The line is the typical gauge (77%).

Typical gauge 77%
0%50%100% · normal150%200%+
Much below normal1Below normal9Near normal1Above normal0Much above normal1

Smith River flow report

12 gauges
Streamgage Streamflow % of normal 24h Gage height To flood stage Elevation
Smith River Near Fort Logan Mount MT
Oct 2, 3:30 AM · USGS 06076690
76 cfs 74% 0% 2.86 ft · 4,402 ft
Smith River Below Eagle Creek Near Fort Logan Mount MT
Oct 2, 4:15 AM · USGS 06077200
111 cfs 87% 0% 3.09 ft · 4,354 ft
Smith River Near Eden Mount MT
Oct 2, 3:45 AM · USGS 06077500
94 cfs 68% -2% 2.74 ft · 3,500 ft
Smith River Above Smith River Reservoir Near Belknap Sprgs OR
Oct 2, 12:45 AM · USGS 14158790
2.9 cfs 67% -5% 5.01 ft · 2,611 ft
Smith River Above Trail Brdg Resv Near Belknap Springs OR
Oct 2, 1:00 AM · USGS 14158798
4.2 cfs 73% -13% 2196.08 ft · 2,232 ft
Smith River At Smith River Church Near Woolwine VA
Oct 2, 3:45 AM · USGS 02071530
11 cfs 44% -4% 2.11 ft 6.9 ft below 1,240 ft
Smith River Near Philpott VA
Oct 2, 3:55 AM · USGS 02072000
137 cfs 100% 0% 2.78 ft · 846 ft
Smith River At Bassett VA
Oct 2, 3:55 AM · USGS 02072500
150 cfs 89% 0% 1.77 ft · 770 ft
Smith River At Martinsville VA
Oct 2, 3:45 AM · USGS 02073000
160 cfs 53% +15% 1.78 ft 9.2 ft below 683 ft
Smith River At Eden NC
Oct 2, 3:00 AM · USGS 02074000
354 cfs 88% +74% 2.35 ft 9.7 ft below 548 ft
Smith River Near Bristol NH
Oct 2, 3:30 AM · USGS 01078000
50 cfs 177% -26% 2.23 ft 5.8 ft below 472 ft
Smith River Near Crescent City Ca CA
Oct 2, 12:45 AM · USGS 11532500
217 cfs 80% -2% 4.34 ft 24.7 ft below 96 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 Smith 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
Camp Baker to Eden Bridge
Gauge: Fort Logan Mount
Too low 76 cfs 250–1,500 cfs II TO II+
Falls, Sec. 25, T14N, R4E To Smith River, Sec. 25, T14N, R3E
Gauge: Fort Logan Mount
Too low 111 cfs 250–1,500 cfs III–IV
Tenderfoot Creek, Sec. 30, T14N, R4E To Deep Creek, Sec. 31, T16N, R4E
Gauge: Eden Mount
Too low 94 cfs 250–1,500 cfs III–IV+
History

Smith River streamflow over time

Daily total flow across every monitored gauge on the river.

Maximum streamflow by year

About this river

Smith River

The Smith River is a 104-mile long river located in northwest California. It flows through Del Norte and Siskiyou counties and eventually empties into the Pacific Ocean. The river has a rich history and was once home to various Native American tribes. Today, it is known for its recreational activities, including fishing, boating, and camping. The river's hydrology is influenced by the Klamath Mountains and its numerous tributaries. There are no major dams along the Smith River, but there are several small reservoirs that provide water for agricultural purposes. The river is also used for irrigation and livestock watering. The Smith River is considered one of the cleanest rivers in the United States, and efforts are being made to preserve its unique ecosystem.

FAQ

About the Smith River

How is the Smith River flowing right now?

As of October 2, 2026, the Smith River is flowing at 354 cfs at Eden, NC, about 88% of normal for the date. Across its 12 USGS gauges, current flows range from 2.9 to 354 cfs. Every gauge’s live reading is in the table above.

Is the Smith River running high or low?

The typical gauge on the Smith River is at 77% 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 Smith River?

The National Weather Service sets flood stages for Smith River Church Near Woolwine (9.0 ft), Martinsville (11.0 ft), Eden (12.0 ft), Bristol (8.0 ft), Crescent City Ca (29.0 ft). The table shows how far each gauge is below its flood stage right now.

Is the Smith 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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