Sultan River river
Total streamflow across the Sultan River was last observed at 610 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 1,210 acre-ft of water today; about 92% of normal. Average streamflow for this time of year is 660 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2025-12-11 when daily discharge volume was observed at 11,550 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Sultan River Below Powerplant Near Sultan reporting a streamflow rate of 467 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Sultan River Below Diversion Dam Near Sultan with a gauge stage of 25.97 ft. This river is monitored from 2 different streamgauging stations along the Sultan River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 653 ft, the Sultan River Below Diversion Dam Near Sultan.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Sultan River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Sultan River
All 2 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sultan River Below Diversion Dam Near Sultan
WA
USGS 12137800
|
147 | 25.97 | 0.0 | 90% | 54 | 19,000 | 653 |
|
Sultan River Below Powerplant Near Sultan
WA
USGS 12138160
|
467 | 5.44 | 0.9 | 72% | 205 | 22,300 | 294 |
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
Sultan River
The Sultan River is a 23-mile-long river in western Washington, United States. It flows from the Cascade Mountains to the Snohomish River. Historically, the river was used by Native Americans for fishing and transportation. In the early 1900s, the river was dammed to create hydroelectric power, leading to the construction of several reservoirs and dams along its course, including Spada Lake, Culmback Dam, and City of Everett Dam. These dams and reservoirs provide power to the region and supply water to cities and farms. The Sultan River is also popular for recreational activities such as fishing, kayaking, and hiking. The river and its surrounding areas are home to diverse wildlife and plant species.
Recreation along the Sultan River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Paddle runs
- End Of Usfs Road 63 To Confluence With Troublesome Creek
- Usfs Road 63 To Confluence With North Fork Skykomish River
- Headwaters At Outlet Of Blanca Lake To Usfs Road 63
- Confluence With Troublesome Creek To Confluence With South Fork Skykomish River
- Confluence Of Tye And Foss Rivers To Gold Bar
- Bridge To Confluence With North Fork Skykomish River
Track the Sultan 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 Sultan River
Where does the data for the Sultan 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.