2 USGS Streamgages
Deschutes River flows and levels
Deschutes River is gauged at 2 USGS streamgages in Washington, each tracked by Rivermatics. The mainstem runs about 54 miles (86 km) from headwaters to outlet. Drainage area at the gauges ranges from 90 square miles at Deschutes River near Rainier, WA up to 162 at Deschutes River at E St Bridge at Tumwater, WA. The gauged reach falls about 261 feet, from 357 feet down to 96. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned 14-day flow outlook for every one of them.
Gauges on this river, upstream to downstream
Ordered by drainage area, which is how far down the river each gauge sits. April and July figures are long-term median daily flows for that month from the USGS record — historical normals, not a forecast and not today's reading.
| Gauge | State | Drainage sq mi | Elevation ft | April p50 cfs | July p50 cfs | Forecast |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deschutes River near Rainier, WA | WA | 90 | 357 | 241.5 | 49.6 | 14-day |
| Deschutes River at E St Bridge at Tumwater, WA | WA | 162 | 96 | 412 | 127.4 | 14-day |
Typical flow by month at Deschutes River at E St Bridge at Tumwater, WA
The furthest-downstream gauge on this river, so the fullest flow it carries here. Long-term daily discharge percentiles from the USGS record (up to 81 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 | 272.1 | 590.7 | 1,611 | |
| February | 276.9 | 558.5 | 1,389.3 | |
| March | 279.3 | 508.8 | 1,135.4 | |
| April | 266.2 | 412 | 789.8 | |
| May | 180.7 | 274.9 | 474.2 | |
| June | 128.4 | 185.7 | 286.6 | |
| July | 93.6 | 127.4 | 169.6 | |
| August | 77.5 | 103.3 | 134.2 | |
| September | 64 | 92.9 | 137.5 | |
| October | 76.4 | 122.1 | 295.9 | |
| November | 121.2 | 343.9 | 1,131.9 | |
| December | 209.9 | 514.6 | 1,559 |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).
Common questions
- When does the Deschutes River run highest?
- January, on the long-term record at Deschutes River at E St Bridge at Tumwater, WA — the furthest-downstream gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river. Median daily flow there is about 590.7 cfs that month, against 92.9 cfs in September, the lowest. Upstream gauges peak on their own schedule; the table on this page gives April and July for each.
- How many gauges are on the Deschutes River?
- Rivermatics tracks 2 USGS streamgages on the Deschutes River, across Washington. Each has its own page with the site's full flow record and monthly normals. The river may carry other gauges that publish neither daily values nor discharge statistics; those are not tracked here.
- Is there a flow forecast for the Deschutes River?
- Yes, at 2 of the 2 gauges. Rivermatics trains a machine-learned model — a temporal-fusion transformer — on each basin's observed flows, weather and snowpack, and issues a daily 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 each gauge's live screen.
- Can I use Deschutes River 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.