Rivermatics

USGS Streamgage 12399500

Columbia River at International Boundary

Columbia River at International Boundary is USGS streamgage 12399500 in Washington, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 17020001. It sits on the Columbia River, alongside 12 other gauges Rivermatics tracks on the same river. It drains a watershed of about 59,700 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1894. Typical flow runs near 145,000 cfs in July and 71,313.3 cfs in April, with the higher of the two arriving in July. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned flow outlook for this gauge, reaching 14 days ahead.

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Gauge details

State
Washington
Drainage area
59,700 sq mi
Gauge elevation
1,317 ft
Subbasin (HUC-8)
17020001
Coordinates
49.00075, -117.62942
USGS site number
12399500
Records begin
1894-06-01 (132 years)
Rivermatics forecast
14-day flow outlook

14-day flow forecast

Based on observations through for Columbia River at International Boundary. Each day carries a median estimate and the band the model expects the flow to fall within — not a single number to plan against. Forecasts are re-issued daily; see the live screen for the current outlook.

Forecast daily mean discharge in cubic feet per second, by date
Date Low p10 Expected p50 High p90 Range
63,609 68,841 73,740
61,493 68,565 75,959
60,120 68,849 77,741
58,951 69,275 80,263
58,819 69,638 81,696
57,897 69,637 81,914
57,643 69,779 82,673
57,164 69,572 82,393
56,606 69,238 82,018
55,994 68,883 81,711
55,384 68,559 81,446
54,813 68,272 81,198
54,206 67,934 80,862
53,127 67,370 80,002

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs). Estimates only — do not use them for navigation or for any safety, rescue, or emergency decision.

Typical flow by month

Long-term daily discharge percentiles from the USGS record (up to 89 years of data), averaged within each month. These describe the historical normal range — they are not a forecast and not today's reading.

Historical monthly discharge percentiles in cubic feet per second
Month Low p10 Typical p50 High p90 Range
January 32,483.9 75,096.8 119,677.4
February 33,227.6 63,651.7 108,200
March 35,748.4 57,800 95,109.7
April 47,376.7 71,313.3 108,196.7
May 89,990.3 136,790.3 223,516.1
June 110,056.7 185,400 325,000
July 92,732.3 145,000 244,354.8
August 79,293.5 102,996.8 138,483.9
September 57,446.7 73,976.7 96,000
October 48,187.1 67,848.4 89,254.8
November 41,550 70,283.3 92,913.3
December 34,367.7 81,748.4 109,877.4

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does Columbia River at International Boundary normally run highest?
June, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 185,400 cfs, against 57,800 cfs in March, the lowest month. These are historical normals for the date, not a forecast and not today's reading.
What is a normal flow for Columbia River at International Boundary?
It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 75,096.8 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 32,483.9 and 119,677.4 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
How long has Columbia River at International Boundary been measured?
Discharge records at USGS site 12399500 begin in 1894, about 132 years, covering roughly 9,200 days of published daily values. The long record is what makes the monthly percentiles on this page meaningful.
Is there a flow forecast for Columbia River at International Boundary?
Yes. Rivermatics trains a machine-learned model — a temporal-fusion transformer — on this basin's observed flows, weather, and snowpack, and issues a daily flow outlook reaching 14 days ahead: a median estimate inside a confidence band, not a single number to bet on. Every forecast is scored against days the model never trained on, and that track record is published on the live gauge screen. Open live conditions to see the current outlook.
Where is Columbia River at International Boundary?
The gauge sits at 49.00075, -117.62942, in Washington, in hydrologic subbasin 17020001, at an elevation of about 1,317 feet, draining roughly 59,700 square miles.
Can I use Columbia River at International Boundary data for flood or safety decisions?
No. Rivermatics provides estimates, not guarantees, and the readings and forecasts here may be delayed, inaccurate, or wrong. Do not use them for navigation or for any safety, rescue, or emergency decision. Check the National Weather Service and USGS directly, and use your own judgment.

Upstream and downstream on the Columbia River

Every gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river, ordered by drainage area — upstream first. See the Columbia River in full.

Other gauges in this subbasin