USGS Streamgage 12449950
Methow River near Pateros, WA
Methow River near Pateros, WA is USGS streamgage 12449950 in Washington, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 17020008. It sits on the Methow River, alongside 5 other gauges Rivermatics tracks on the same river. It drains a watershed of about 1,772 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1959. Typical flow runs near 1,626.1 cfs in July and 1,584 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.
View live conditions & forecast →
Gauge details
- State
- Washington
- Drainage area
- 1,772 sq mi
- Gauge elevation
- 913 ft
- Subbasin (HUC-8)
- 17020008
- Coordinates
- 48.07736, -119.98507
- USGS site number
- 12449950
- Records begin
- 1959-04-01 (67 years)
- Rivermatics forecast
- 14-day flow outlook
14-day flow forecast
Based on observations through for Methow River near Pateros, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 267 | 280 | 289 | ||
| 260 | 276 | 288 | ||
| 268 | 287 | 315 | ||
| 276 | 302 | 354 | ||
| 275 | 300 | 349 | ||
| 271 | 296 | 340 | ||
| 266 | 290 | 328 | ||
| 260 | 284 | 318 | ||
| 255 | 279 | 310 | ||
| 250 | 275 | 305 | ||
| 246 | 270 | 300 | ||
| 242 | 267 | 296 | ||
| 238 | 263 | 293 | ||
| 235 | 261 | 290 |
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 67 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 | 281.2 | 382.4 | 685.1 | |
| February | 289 | 385.7 | 715.7 | |
| March | 332.8 | 518.7 | 1,182.1 | |
| April | 696.8 | 1,584 | 3,118.7 | |
| May | 2,294.8 | 4,597.4 | 9,760.3 | |
| June | 2,193.3 | 4,879 | 9,669.7 | |
| July | 741.3 | 1,626.1 | 3,864.2 | |
| August | 309.8 | 554.8 | 1,086.3 | |
| September | 253.5 | 369 | 622.8 | |
| October | 309.3 | 429.6 | 684.7 | |
| November | 330.2 | 458.2 | 989.3 | |
| December | 301.1 | 408.9 | 871.1 |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).
Common questions
- When does Methow River near Pateros, WA normally run highest?
- June, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 4,879 cfs, against 369 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 Methow River near Pateros, WA?
- It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 382.4 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 281.2 and 685.1 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
- How long has Methow River near Pateros, WA been measured?
- Discharge records at USGS site 12449950 begin in 1959, about 67 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 Methow River near Pateros, 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 Methow River near Pateros, WA?
- The gauge sits at 48.07736, -119.98507, in Washington, in hydrologic subbasin 17020008, at an elevation of about 913 feet, draining roughly 1,772 square miles.
- Can I use Methow River near Pateros, 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 Methow River
Every gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river, ordered by drainage area — upstream first. See the Methow River in full.
- Methow River above Goat Creek near Mazama, WA 373 sq mi
- Methow River at Winthrop, WA 1,007 sq mi
- Methow River at Twisp, WA 1,301 sq mi
- Methow River near Pateros, WA this page
- Methow River at Pateros, WA 1,810 sq mi
- Methow River near Mouth near Pateros, WA