Rivermatics

USGS Streamgage 12096500

Puyallup River at Alderton, WA

Puyallup River at Alderton, WA is USGS streamgage 12096500 in Washington, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 17110014. It sits on the Puyallup River, alongside 5 other gauges Rivermatics tracks on the same river. It drains a watershed of about 438 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1915. Typical flow runs near 1,231.6 cfs in July and 1,498 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
438 sq mi
Gauge elevation
49 ft
Subbasin (HUC-8)
17110014
Coordinates
47.1851, -122.22956
USGS site number
12096500
Records begin
1915-12-22 (111 years)
Rivermatics forecast
14-day flow outlook

14-day flow forecast

Based on observations through for Puyallup River at Alderton, 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
458 521 587
437 569 717
519 795 1,214
466 676 968
419 619 873
388 573 796
373 556 779
369 580 858
357 574 866
363 574 845
347 552 804
346 544 782
341 548 807
334 556 857

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 20 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 912.3 1,730 4,594.5
February 801.5 1,367.9 4,052.1
March 826.2 1,435.5 3,497.1
April 1,011.9 1,498 2,878
May 1,042.6 1,814.8 3,179.7
June 932.7 1,749.7 3,257
July 882.8 1,231.6 1,943.2
August 710.8 960.1 1,290
September 472.5 717 1,112.8
October 405.6 740.3 2,336.6
November 696.6 1,487 4,699
December 768.1 1,581.6 4,024.8

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does Puyallup River at Alderton, WA normally run highest?
May, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 1,814.8 cfs, against 717 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 Puyallup River at Alderton, WA?
It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 1,730 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 912.3 and 4,594.5 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
How long has Puyallup River at Alderton, WA been measured?
Discharge records at USGS site 12096500 begin in 1915, about 111 years, covering roughly 7,240 days of published daily values. The long record is what makes the monthly percentiles on this page meaningful.
Is there a flow forecast for Puyallup River at Alderton, 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 Puyallup River at Alderton, WA?
The gauge sits at 47.1851, -122.22956, in Washington, in hydrologic subbasin 17110014, at an elevation of about 49 feet, draining roughly 438 square miles.
Can I use Puyallup River at Alderton, 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 Puyallup River

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

Other gauges in this subbasin