Rivermatics

USGS Streamgage 14226500

Cowlitz River at Packwood, WA

Cowlitz River at Packwood, WA is USGS streamgage 14226500 in Washington, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 17080004. It sits on the Cowlitz River, alongside 5 other gauges Rivermatics tracks on the same river. It drains a watershed of about 287 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1911. Typical flow runs near 1,391 cfs in July and 1,472.7 cfs in April, with the higher of the two arriving in April. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned flow outlook for this gauge, reaching 14 days ahead.

View live conditions & forecast →

Gauge details

State
Washington
Drainage area
287 sq mi
Subbasin (HUC-8)
17080004
Coordinates
46.61286, -121.67923
USGS site number
14226500
Records begin
1911-07-01 (115 years)
Rivermatics forecast
14-day flow outlook

14-day flow forecast

Based on observations through for Cowlitz River at Packwood, WA. 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
295 315 331
292 319 350
304 368 508
312 385 506
299 364 460
285 346 432
277 338 422
269 331 417
265 327 415
261 323 411
257 319 404
256 317 400
253 315 403
246 310 397

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 97 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 528 1,068.5 3,391
February 509 988.4 2,803.8
March 566.2 976.1 2,232.9
April 819.1 1,472.7 2,941.3
May 1,440 2,516.1 4,799
June 1,384.2 2,735 4,903.7
July 759 1,391 3,192.3
August 493.7 679.3 1,340.9
September 336.2 489.9 825.4
October 267.6 518 1,655.6
November 394.1 1,123.9 3,612.7
December 535.5 1,169.3 3,583.5

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does Cowlitz River at Packwood, WA normally run highest?
June, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 2,735 cfs, against 489.9 cfs in September, the lowest month. These are historical normals for the date, not a forecast and not today's reading.
What is a normal flow for Cowlitz River at Packwood, WA?
It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 1,068.5 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 528 and 3,391 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
How long has Cowlitz River at Packwood, WA been measured?
Discharge records at USGS site 14226500 begin in 1911, about 115 years, covering roughly 9,195 days of published daily values. The long record is what makes the monthly percentiles on this page meaningful.
Is there a flow forecast for Cowlitz River at Packwood, WA?
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 Cowlitz River at Packwood, WA?
The gauge sits at 46.61286, -121.67923, in Washington, in hydrologic subbasin 17080004, draining roughly 287 square miles.
Can I use Cowlitz River at Packwood, WA 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 Cowlitz River

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

Other gauges in this subbasin