USGS Streamgage 12045500
Elwha River at McDonald Br near Port Angeles, WA
Elwha River at McDonald Br near Port Angeles, WA is USGS streamgage 12045500 in Washington, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 17110020. It drains a watershed of about 269 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1897. Typical flow runs near 1,326.5 cfs in July and 1,209.7 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
- 269 sq mi
- Gauge elevation
- 226 ft
- Subbasin (HUC-8)
- 17110020
- Coordinates
- 48.05478, -123.58321
- USGS site number
- 12045500
- Records begin
- 1897-10-01 (129 years)
- Rivermatics forecast
- 14-day flow outlook
14-day flow forecast
Based on observations through for Elwha River at McDonald Br near Port Angeles, 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.
| Date | Low p10 | Expected p50 | High p90 | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 230 | 237 | 246 | ||
| 228 | 237 | 249 | ||
| 230 | 244 | 269 | ||
| 227 | 241 | 269 | ||
| 221 | 235 | 253 | ||
| 217 | 229 | 243 | ||
| 212 | 224 | 238 | ||
| 209 | 221 | 234 | ||
| 205 | 218 | 231 | ||
| 202 | 215 | 229 | ||
| 200 | 213 | 227 | ||
| 197 | 211 | 225 | ||
| 194 | 208 | 223 | ||
| 193 | 207 | 223 |
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 129 years of data), averaged within each month. These describe the historical normal range — they are not a forecast and not today's reading.
| Month | Low p10 | Typical p50 | High p90 | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 725.2 | 1,500 | 3,916.8 | |
| February | 677.6 | 1,273.8 | 3,154.5 | |
| March | 661.5 | 1,114.8 | 2,260 | |
| April | 735.4 | 1,209.7 | 2,057.3 | |
| May | 1,142.2 | 1,762.3 | 2,962.3 | |
| June | 1,255 | 2,017.3 | 3,347.7 | |
| July | 741.4 | 1,326.5 | 2,387.1 | |
| August | 428.6 | 696.8 | 1,271.8 | |
| September | 308 | 491.6 | 912.9 | |
| October | 309 | 631.5 | 1,871.9 | |
| November | 514.9 | 1,256.7 | 3,672 | |
| December | 682 | 1,551.9 | 4,129.4 |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).
Common questions
- When does Elwha River at McDonald Br near Port Angeles, WA normally run highest?
- June, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 2,017.3 cfs, against 491.6 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 Elwha River at McDonald Br near Port Angeles, WA?
- It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 1,500 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 725.2 and 3,916.8 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
- How long has Elwha River at McDonald Br near Port Angeles, WA been measured?
- Discharge records at USGS site 12045500 begin in 1897, about 129 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 Elwha River at McDonald Br near Port Angeles, 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 Elwha River at McDonald Br near Port Angeles, WA?
- The gauge sits at 48.05478, -123.58321, in Washington, in hydrologic subbasin 17110020, at an elevation of about 226 feet, draining roughly 269 square miles.
- Can I use Elwha River at McDonald Br near Port Angeles, 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.