6 USGS Streamgages · Columbia River system
Methow River flows and levels
Methow River is gauged at 6 USGS streamgages in Washington, each tracked by Rivermatics. The mainstem runs about 92 miles (148 km) from headwaters to outlet. It drains into the Columbia River system. It drains roughly 1,796 square miles at its outlet. The gauged reach falls about 1,278 feet, from 2,062 feet down to 784. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned 14-day flow outlook at 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Methow River above Goat Creek near Mazama, WA | WA | 373 | 2,062 | 544.7 | 555 | 14-day |
| Methow River at Winthrop, WA | WA | 1,007 | 1,731 | 1,384.2 | 1,073.1 | 14-day |
| Methow River at Twisp, WA | WA | 1,301 | 1,568 | 1,426.7 | 1,333.4 | 14-day |
| Methow River near Pateros, WA | WA | 1,772 | 913 | 1,584 | 1,626.1 | 14-day |
| Methow River at Pateros, WA | WA | 1,810 | 784 | 1,565.1 | 2,562.3 | — |
| Methow River near Mouth near Pateros, WA | WA | — | 784 | — | — | — |
Common questions
- How many gauges are on the Methow River?
- Rivermatics tracks 6 USGS streamgages on the Methow 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 Methow River?
- Yes, at 4 of the 6 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.
- What river system is the Methow River part of?
- The Methow River drains into the Columbia River system — it is a tributary somewhere in that chain, following the flowpath down to its terminal river. Rivermatics builds this from the USGS/geoconnex reference-mainstem network rather than from names.
- Can I use Methow 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.
Other rivers in the Columbia River system
- Snake River 31 gauges
- Willamette River 11 gauges
- Mckenzie River 9 gauges
- Big Wood River 8 gauges
- Bull Run River 6 gauges
- Cowlitz River 6 gauges
- Deschutes River 6 gauges
- North Santiam River 6 gauges