Yakima River river
Total streamflow across the Yakima River was last observed at 4,400 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 8,727 acre-ft of water today; about 21% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 21,367 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2025-12-12 when daily discharge volume was observed at 92,900 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Yakima River At Mabton reporting a streamflow rate of 4,700 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Yakima River Above Ahtanum Creek At Union Gap with a gauge stage of 41.09 ft. This river is monitored from 4 different streamgauging stations along the Yakima River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 1,338 ft, the Yakima River At Umtanum.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Yakima River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Yakima 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Yakima River At Umtanum
WA
USGS 12484500
|
1,810 | 31.57 | -4.7 | 49% | 486 | 41,000 | 1,338 |
|
Yakima River Above Ahtanum Creek At Union Gap
WA
USGS 12500450
|
2,580 | 41.09 | 3.2 | 38% | 930 | 53,300 | 938 |
|
Yakima River At Mabton
WA
USGS 12508990
|
4,700 | 12.87 | 0.2 | 124% | 557 | 49,500 | 655 |
|
Yakima River At Kiona
WA
USGS 12510500
|
1,250 | 3.28 | 53.4 | 21% | 427 | 67,000 | 465 |
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
Yakima River
The Yakima River is a tributary of the Columbia River that flows through Washington State. It stretches for 214 miles and has a rich history, having been home to various Native American tribes for centuries. It is also a popular destination for fly-fishing enthusiasts, as it is home to a variety of fish species, including trout, salmon, and steelhead.
The river's hydrology has been impacted by human activity, including the construction of dams and reservoirs. The Yakima River Basin Storage Alliance has worked to create reservoirs and dams that provide irrigation water to farms and ranches in the region, while also helping to protect the river's ecosystem.
Some of the most notable reservoirs on the Yakima River include the Cle Elum Lake Reservoir and the Bumping Lake Reservoir. The Yakima River also supports a variety of recreational activities, including camping, hiking, and rafting.
Recreation along the Yakima River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Paddle runs
- Private Land Boundary To Head Of Lake Cle Elum Reservoir
- Headwaters In Se1/4 Of Sec 29, T24n, R13e To Confluence With Cle Elum River
- Quartz Road To Confluence With Middle Fork Snoqualmie River
- Outlet Of Snoqualmie Lake To Alpine Lakes Wilderness Boundary
- Alpine Lakes Wilderness Boundary To Private Land Boundary At North Section Line Of Sec 3, T23n, R14e
Track the Yakima 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 Yakima River
Where does the data for the Yakima 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.