Elwha River at McDonald Bridge, near Port Angeles, WA
Olympic Peninsula · USGS gauge 12045500 · Updated Oct 24, 2:37 PM PDT · USGS data, provisional
Reading time: Oct 24, 2:00 PM PDT · Provisional data
Flow is far below normal for the date. Expect shallow riffles and slower water; some stretches may be hard to float and fish can be stressed by low flows. Check local reports for the specific stretch.
- Vs. normal for this date
- <1st percentile
- Typical range (25th–75th)
- 462–1,310 cfs
- Median for this date
- 762 cfs
- 7-day low / high
- 185 / 238 cfs
Plain-language explanation
Elwha River at McDonald Bridge, near Port Angeles is flowing at 185 cubic feet per second (cfs) as of Oct 24, 2:00 PM PDT. That is among the lowest flows on record for this time of year: lower than over 99% of the daily flows this gauge has recorded for this date (give or take 7 days) over 114 years of record (1897–2026).
The middle half of those historical flows runs from 462 to 1,310 cfs, with a median of 762 cfs; the lowest 10% of days are at or below 329 cfs and the highest 10% at or above 2,308 cfs.
Over the last 24 hours the flow has been steady (-1.6%). In the last 7 days it ranged from 185 to 238 cfs.
Why this status: Flow is at or below the seasonal 10th percentile and in the lower 40% of all days on record.
Quick answers
Is the Elwha River at McDonald Bridge, near Port Angeles fishable today?
Flowcast's status for the Elwha River at McDonald Bridge, near Port Angeles is “Too low”: flow is 185 cfs, well below normal for the date, at the <1st percentile for this date (as of Oct 24, 2:00 PM PDT). That describes flow only. It says nothing about water clarity, temperature, fish activity, access or fishing regulations.
What is the current flow of the Elwha River at McDonald Bridge, near Port Angeles?
185 cubic feet per second at USGS gauge 12045500 as of Oct 24, 2:00 PM PDT, provisional data.
Is the Elwha River at McDonald Bridge, near Port Angeles too high or too low right now?
It is on the low side: below the typical range for the date (462 to 1,310 cfs).
Is the Elwha River at McDonald Bridge, near Port Angeles rising or falling?
Over the last 24 hours the flow has been steady (-1.6%).
What is a normal flow for the Elwha River at McDonald Bridge, near Port Angeles in October?
For this date (give or take 7 days) the median is 762 cfs and the middle half of days runs 462 to 1,310 cfs, over 114 years of USGS record.
7-day trend
Hourly flow in cfs, Pacific time. The shaded band is the typical range (25th–75th percentile) for this date, shown when it falls within the chart.
| Day (Pacific) | Mean cfs | Percentile | Status that day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun Oct 18 | 213 | 2nd | Too low |
| Mon Oct 19 | 206 | 2nd | Too low |
| Tue Oct 20 | 202 | 1st | Too low |
| Wed Oct 21 | 199 | 1st | Too low |
| Thu Oct 22 | 197 | 1st | Too low |
| Fri Oct 23 | 196 | <1st | Too low |
| Sat Oct 24 (so far) | 196 | 1st | Too low |
Seasonal context
Shaded band: 10th–90th percentile of daily flows through the year; dashed line: median. Log scale. Dot: today's flow. Based on 114 years of USGS daily data (1897–2026).
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Official resources
- USGS site page for gauge 12045500 (USGS: live readings, history, station details)
- Washington fishing regulations (WDFW)
- Emergency fishing rule changes (WDFW)
- WDFW fishing and stocking reports
Links go to the agencies' own websites and were checked as working. Flowcast does not summarize fishing or boating rules: regulations and closures change, and the agency pages are the authority.
About this gauge
- USGS site
- USGS-12045500
- USGS name
- Elwha River At Mcdonald Br Near Port Angeles, Wa
- Drainage area
- 269 sq mi
- Location
- 48.0548, -123.5832
- Record in this analysis
- 1897–2026
Typical uses
Notes: Dams were removed in 2011-2014; the river is still adjusting. (Hand-written general note, not from USGS data.)
Nearby gauges
- Dungeness River near Sequim, WA Too low 60.4 cfs · about 21 mi away (straight line)
- Hoh River at US Highway 101, near Forks, WA Too low 305 cfs · about 35 mi away (straight line)
- Bogachiel River near Forks, WA Too low 119 cfs · about 37 mi away (straight line)
- Calawah River near Forks, WA Too low 95.4 cfs · about 38 mi away (straight line)
- North Fork Skokomish River below Staircase Rapids, near Hoodsport, WA Too low 46.2 cfs · about 39 mi away (straight line)
- Quinault River at Quinault Lake, WA Too low 372 cfs · about 44 mi away (straight line)
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