USGS Streamgage 14038530
John Day River near John Day, OR
John Day River near John Day, OR is USGS streamgage 14038530 in Oregon, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 17070201. It sits on the John Day River, alongside 3 other gauges Rivermatics tracks on the same river. It drains a watershed of about 386 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1968. Typical flow runs near 71.6 cfs in July and 324.5 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, alongside daily high and low water-temperature forecasts.
View live conditions & forecast →
Gauge details
- State
- Oregon
- Drainage area
- 386 sq mi
- Subbasin (HUC-8)
- 17070201
- Coordinates
- 44.41849, -118.90634
- USGS site number
- 14038530
- Records begin
- 1968-10-01 (58 years)
- Rivermatics forecast
- 14-day flow outlook + water temperature
14-day flow forecast
Based on observations through for John Day River near John Day, OR. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39.8 | 43.5 | 46.8 | ||
| 41.6 | 47.7 | 56.8 | ||
| 41.7 | 50.1 | 62.6 | ||
| 39.4 | 48.8 | 61.7 | ||
| 37.5 | 47.4 | 60.2 | ||
| 35.8 | 45.7 | 58.1 | ||
| 34 | 44.8 | 58.8 | ||
| 32.6 | 43.3 | 57.2 | ||
| 32.5 | 43.2 | 57.4 | ||
| 33.4 | 44.4 | 59.2 | ||
| 34.2 | 45.2 | 60.2 | ||
| 34.1 | 45.2 | 60.3 | ||
| 34.5 | 45.9 | 61.6 | ||
| 34.3 | 46 | 62 |
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 58 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 | 93.4 | 136.1 | 358.1 | |
| February | 105.7 | 171.1 | 383.9 | |
| March | 128.4 | 248.3 | 547.9 | |
| April | 172.2 | 324.5 | 591.5 | |
| May | 166.5 | 405.2 | 818.1 | |
| June | 96.6 | 253.5 | 593 | |
| July | 35.1 | 71.6 | 196.3 | |
| August | 13.9 | 31.3 | 72.4 | |
| September | 24.6 | 44.3 | 85.7 | |
| October | 70.1 | 91.1 | 123.6 | |
| November | 86.5 | 109.9 | 164.2 | |
| December | 89.2 | 120.2 | 246.8 |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).
Common questions
- When does John Day River near John Day, OR normally run highest?
- May, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 405.2 cfs, against 31.3 cfs in August, the lowest month. These are historical normals for the date, not a forecast and not today's reading.
- What is a normal flow for John Day River near John Day, OR?
- It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 136.1 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 93.4 and 358.1 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
- How long has John Day River near John Day, OR been measured?
- Discharge records at USGS site 14038530 begin in 1968, about 58 years, covering roughly 9,196 days of published daily values. The long record is what makes the monthly percentiles on this page meaningful.
- Is there a flow forecast for John Day River near John Day, OR?
- 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. A companion model forecasts each day's water-temperature high and low. 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 John Day River near John Day, OR?
- The gauge sits at 44.41849, -118.90634, in Oregon, in hydrologic subbasin 17070201, draining roughly 386 square miles.
- Can I use John Day River near John Day, OR 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 John Day River
Every gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river, ordered by drainage area — upstream first. See the John Day River in full.
- John Day River at Blue Mtn Hot Springs near Prairie City, OR 40 sq mi
- John Day River near John Day, OR this page
- John Day River at Service Creek, OR 5,090 sq mi
- John Day River at McDonald Ferry, OR 7,580 sq mi