11 USGS Streamgages
Truckee River flows and levels
Truckee River is gauged at 11 USGS streamgages in California and Nevada, each tracked by Rivermatics. The mainstem runs about 184 miles (295 km) from headwaters to outlet. Drainage area at the gauges ranges from 553 square miles at Truckee River near Truckee, CA up to 1,827 at Truckee River near Nixon, NV. The gauged reach falls about 1,922 feet, from 5,862 feet down to 3,940. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned 14-day flow outlook at 10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Truckee River near Truckee, CA | CA | 553 | 5,862 | 263.7 | 296.3 | 14-day |
| Truckee River below Martis C near Truckee, CA | CA | 639 | 5,634 | 753.6 | 324.5 | 14-day |
| Truckee River near Mogul, NV | NV | 1,035 | 4,691 | 784.8 | 460.6 | 14-day |
| Truckee River at Glendale Ave near Sparks, NV | NV | 1,064 | 4,433 | 853.3 | 383.8 | 14-day |
| Truckee River at Reno, NV | NV | 1,067 | 4,448 | 822 | 290 | 14-day |
| Truckee River near Sparks, NV | NV | 1,070 | 4,386 | 774.1 | 285.1 | 14-day + temp |
| Truckee River at Vista, NV | NV | 1,431 | 4,371 | 871.3 | 336.4 | 14-day |
| Truckee River near Tracy, NV | NV | 1,580 | 4,255 | 835 | 434.9 | 14-day |
| Truckee River at Clark, NV | NV | 1,600 | 4,230 | 2,025.7 | 570.9 | — |
| Truckee River below Derby Dam near Wadsworth, NV | NV | 1,676 | 4,186 | 402.1 | 39.1 | 14-day + temp |
| Truckee River near Nixon, NV | NV | 1,827 | 3,940 | 490.9 | 155.4 | 14-day + temp |
Typical flow by month at Truckee River near Nixon, NV
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 69 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 | 27.2 | 277.6 | 1,137.8 | |
| February | 27.9 | 274.6 | 1,863.4 | |
| March | 32.1 | 381.4 | 2,079.7 | |
| April | 40.1 | 490.9 | 2,837.7 | |
| May | 49.8 | 814.8 | 3,366.8 | |
| June | 29 | 362.1 | 2,596 | |
| July | 23.8 | 155.4 | 942.3 | |
| August | 26.1 | 131.1 | 465.9 | |
| September | 26 | 128.1 | 435.5 | |
| October | 23.5 | 117.5 | 459.1 | |
| November | 27.6 | 103.2 | 537.3 | |
| December | 27.4 | 128.2 | 949.1 |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).
Common questions
- When does the Truckee River run highest?
- May, on the long-term record at Truckee River near Nixon, NV — the furthest-downstream gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river. Median daily flow there is about 814.8 cfs that month, against 103.2 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 Truckee River?
- Rivermatics tracks 11 USGS streamgages on the Truckee River, across California and 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 Truckee River?
- Yes, at 10 of the 11 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 Truckee 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.