Sauk River near Sauk, WA
North Cascades & Puget Sound · USGS gauge 12189500 · Updated Oct 24, 2:37 PM PDT · USGS data, provisional
Reading time: Oct 24, 2:15 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)
- 1,470–4,000 cfs
- Median for this date
- 2,355 cfs
- 7-day low / high
- 634 / 894 cfs
Plain-language explanation
Sauk River near Sauk is flowing at 634 cubic feet per second (cfs) as of Oct 24, 2:15 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 100 years of record (1911–2026).
The middle half of those historical flows runs from 1,470 to 4,000 cfs, with a median of 2,355 cfs; the lowest 10% of days are at or below 987 cfs and the highest 10% at or above 6,768 cfs.
Over the last 24 hours the flow has been steady (-2.9%). In the last 7 days it ranged from 634 to 894 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 Sauk River near Sauk fishable today?
Flowcast's status for the Sauk River near Sauk is “Too low”: flow is 634 cfs, well below normal for the date, at the <1st percentile for this date (as of Oct 24, 2:15 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 Sauk River near Sauk?
634 cubic feet per second at USGS gauge 12189500 as of Oct 24, 2:15 PM PDT, provisional data.
Is the Sauk River near Sauk too high or too low right now?
It is on the low side: below the typical range for the date (1,470 to 4,000 cfs).
Is the Sauk River near Sauk rising or falling?
Over the last 24 hours the flow has been steady (-2.9%).
What is a normal flow for the Sauk River near Sauk in October?
For this date (give or take 7 days) the median is 2,355 cfs and the middle half of days runs 1,470 to 4,000 cfs, over 100 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 | 833 | 5th | Too low |
| Mon Oct 19 | 715 | 1st | Too low |
| Tue Oct 20 | 683 | 1st | Too low |
| Wed Oct 21 | 666 | <1st | Too low |
| Thu Oct 22 | 658 | <1st | Too low |
| Fri Oct 23 | 647 | <1st | Too low |
| Sat Oct 24 (so far) | 636 | <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 100 years of USGS daily data (1911–2026).
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Official resources
- USGS site page for gauge 12189500 (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-12189500
- USGS name
- Sauk River Near Sauk, Wa
- Drainage area
- 714 sq mi
- Location
- 48.4246, -121.5685
- Record in this analysis
- 1911–2026
Typical uses
Notes: Glacier-fed headwaters; can run milky and rise quickly in rain. (Hand-written general note, not from USGS data.)
Nearby gauges
- Skagit River at Marblemount, WA Fishable/Floatable 3,470 cfs · about 10 mi away (straight line)
- Cascade River at Marblemount, WA Too low 150 cfs · about 10 mi away (straight line)
- North Fork Stillaguamish River near Arlington, WA Too low 177 cfs · about 25 mi away (straight line)
- Skagit River near Mount Vernon, WA Fishable/Floatable 6,940 cfs · about 35 mi away (straight line)
- Stehekin River at Stehekin, WA Too low 230 cfs · about 41 mi away (straight line)
- Skykomish River near Gold Bar, WA Too low 398 cfs · about 41 mi away (straight line)
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