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WILLAMETTE RIVER

River Levels • Streamflow • Hydrology

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Total streamflow across the Willamette River was last observed at 77,100 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 152,926 acre-ft of water today; about 45% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 172,370 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2019-04-13 when daily discharge volume was observed at 674,700 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Willamette River At Portland reporting a streamflow rate of 87,200 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Willamette River At Newberg with a gauge stage of 67.3 ft. This river is monitored from 6 different streamgauging stations along the Willamette River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 294 ft, the Willamette River At Harrisburg.

The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, running approximately 187 miles through western Oregon. The river has a rich history, having been home to several Native American tribes and having played a pivotal role in the region's settlement and industrialization. Today, the river is heavily utilized for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming, as well as agricultural purposes. Additionally, several reservoirs and dams have been constructed along the river, including the Detroit Dam and Foster Reservoir, which are used for hydroelectric power generation and flood control. The river's hydrology is characterized by seasonal variation in water levels and flow rates, with high flows in the winter and low flows in the summer. Despite some water quality concerns, efforts have been made to protect and restore the river's ecological health.

December 22, 2024

Last Updated	2024-12-21
Discharge Volume	152,926 ACRE-FT
Streamflow	77,100.0 cfs -19300.0 cfs (-20.02%)
Percent of Normal	44.73%
Maximum	674,700.0 cfs 2019-04-13
Seasonal Avg	172,370 cfs

History of the River

The Willamette River ( (listen) wil-AM-it) is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is 187 miles (301 km) long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States. Flowing northward between the Oregon Coast Range and the Cascade Range, the river and its tributaries form the Willamette Valley, a basin that contains two-thirds of Oregon's population, including the state capital, Salem, and the state's largest city, Portland, which surrounds the Willamette's mouth at the Columbia.
Originally created by plate tectonics about 35 million years ago and subsequently altered by volcanism and erosion, the river's drainage basin was significantly modified by the Missoula Floods at the end of the most recent ice age. Humans began living in the watershed over 10,000 years ago. There were once many tribal villages along the lower river and in the area around its mouth on the Columbia. Indigenous peoples lived throughout the upper reaches of the basin as well.
Rich with sediments deposited by flooding and fed by prolific rainfall on the western side of the Cascades, the Willamette Valley is one of the most fertile agricultural regions in North America, and was thus the destination of many 19th-century pioneers traveling west along the Oregon Trail. The river was an important transportation route in the 19th century, although Willamette Falls, just upstream from Portland, was a major barrier to boat traffic. In the 21st century, major highways follow the river, and roads cross it on more than 50 bridges.
Since 1900, more than 15 large dams and many smaller ones have been built in the Willamette's drainage basin, 13 of which are operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The dams are used primarily to produce hydroelectricity, to maintain reservoirs for recreation, and to prevent flooding. The river and its tributaries support 60 fish species, including many species of salmon and trout; this is despite the dams, other alterations, and pollution (especially on the river's lower reaches). Part of the Willamette Floodplain was established as a National Natural Landmark in 1987 and the river was named as one of 14 American Heritage Rivers in 1998.