4 USGS Streamgages · Truckee River system
Steamboat Creek flows and levels
Steamboat Creek is gauged at 4 USGS streamgages in Nevada, each tracked by Rivermatics. The mainstem runs about 33 miles (54 km) from headwaters to outlet. It drains into the Truckee River system. It drains roughly 196 square miles at its outlet. The gauged reach falls about 668 feet, from 5,043 feet down to 4,375. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steamboat Creek at Steamboat, NV | NV | 123 | 4,600 | 6.5 | 6 | 14-day |
| Steamboat Creek at Cleanwater Way near Reno, NV | NV | 244 | 4,375 | 35.7 | 32.2 | 14-day |
| Steamboat Creek at Short Ln at Reno, NV | NV | — | 4,415 | 10.6 | 6.4 | 14-day |
| Steamboat Creek at Washoe Lake Dam at New Washoe City | NV | — | 5,043 | 0.4 | 2.5 | 14-day |
Typical flow by month at Steamboat Creek at Washoe Lake Dam at New Washoe City
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 5 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 | — | 0.4 | — | |
| February | — | 1.6 | — | |
| March | — | 0.5 | — | |
| April | — | 0.4 | — | |
| May | — | 0.2 | — | |
| June | — | 0.4 | — | |
| July | — | 2.5 | — | |
| August | — | 1.3 | — | |
| September | — | 0.1 | — | |
| October | — | 0.3 | — | |
| November | — | 0 | — | |
| December | — | 0.1 | — |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).
Common questions
- When does the Steamboat Creek run highest?
- July, on the long-term record at Steamboat Creek at Washoe Lake Dam at New Washoe City — the furthest-downstream gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river. Median daily flow there is about 2.5 cfs that month, against 0 cfs in November, 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 Steamboat Creek?
- Rivermatics tracks 4 USGS streamgages on the Steamboat Creek, across Nevada. 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 Steamboat Creek?
- Yes, at 4 of the 4 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 Steamboat Creek part of?
- The Steamboat Creek drains into the Truckee 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 Steamboat Creek 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 Truckee River system
- Franktown Creek 2 gauges
- Little Truckee River 2 gauges