USGS Streamgage 12086500
Nisqually River at La Grande, WA
Nisqually River at La Grande, WA is USGS streamgage 12086500 in Washington, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 17110015. It sits on the Nisqually River, alongside 3 other gauges Rivermatics tracks on the same river. It drains a watershed of about 292 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1906. Typical flow runs near 1,002.4 cfs in July and 1,340 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
- 292 sq mi
- Gauge elevation
- 502 ft
- Subbasin (HUC-8)
- 17110015
- Coordinates
- 46.83927, -122.32928
- USGS site number
- 12086500
- Records begin
- 1906-10-01 (120 years)
- Rivermatics forecast
- 14-day flow outlook
14-day flow forecast
Based on observations through for Nisqually River at La Grande, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 650 | 659 | 663 | ||
| 649 | 659 | 665 | ||
| 643 | 666 | 722 | ||
| 643 | 661 | 767 | ||
| 642 | 660 | 742 | ||
| 642 | 659 | 748 | ||
| 641 | 658 | 747 | ||
| 638 | 658 | 747 | ||
| 637 | 658 | 751 | ||
| 637 | 658 | 772 | ||
| 636 | 658 | 768 | ||
| 633 | 658 | 762 | ||
| 633 | 658 | 766 | ||
| 632 | 658 | 758 |
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 120 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 | 900.6 | 1,900.6 | 3,222.6 | |
| February | 811.9 | 1,821.4 | 3,017.6 | |
| March | 757.8 | 1,455.8 | 2,407.1 | |
| April | 827.6 | 1,340 | 2,314.3 | |
| May | 817.7 | 1,303.9 | 2,277.7 | |
| June | 711.5 | 1,102.7 | 2,032 | |
| July | 567.9 | 1,002.4 | 1,352.3 | |
| August | 503.5 | 804.6 | 1,041.5 | |
| September | 457.4 | 790.9 | 1,115.7 | |
| October | 478.8 | 973.1 | 1,715.5 | |
| November | 617.7 | 1,376 | 2,669.3 | |
| December | 821.7 | 1,886.8 | 3,271 |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).
Common questions
- When does Nisqually River at La Grande, WA normally run highest?
- January, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 1,900.6 cfs, against 790.9 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 Nisqually River at La Grande, WA?
- It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 1,900.6 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 900.6 and 3,222.6 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
- How long has Nisqually River at La Grande, WA been measured?
- Discharge records at USGS site 12086500 begin in 1906, about 120 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 Nisqually River at La Grande, 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 Nisqually River at La Grande, WA?
- The gauge sits at 46.83927, -122.32928, in Washington, in hydrologic subbasin 17110015, at an elevation of about 502 feet, draining roughly 292 square miles.
- Can I use Nisqually River at La Grande, 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 Nisqually River
Every gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river, ordered by drainage area — upstream first. See the Nisqually River in full.
- Nisqually River near National, WA 133 sq mi
- Nisqually River at La Grande, WA this page
- Nisqually River Ab Powell Creek near McKenna, WA 431 sq mi
- Nisqually River at McKenna, WA 517 sq mi