Skykomish River near Gold Bar, WA
North Cascades & Puget Sound · USGS gauge 12134500 · Updated Oct 24, 2:37 PM PDT · USGS data, provisional
Reading time: Oct 24, 1:30 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)
- 1,160–4,270 cfs
- Median for this date
- 2,190 cfs
- 7-day low / high
- 392 / 544 cfs
Plain-language explanation
Skykomish River near Gold Bar is flowing at 398 cubic feet per second (cfs) as of Oct 24, 1:30 PM PDT. That is among the lowest flows on record for this time of year: lower than about 99% of the daily flows this gauge has recorded for this date (give or take 7 days) over 99 years of record (1928–2026).
The middle half of those historical flows runs from 1,160 to 4,270 cfs, with a median of 2,190 cfs; the lowest 10% of days are at or below 668 cfs and the highest 10% at or above 7,504 cfs.
Over the last 24 hours the flow has been steady (-2.7%). In the last 7 days it ranged from 392 to 544 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 Skykomish River near Gold Bar fishable today?
Flowcast's status for the Skykomish River near Gold Bar is “Too low”: flow is 398 cfs, well below normal for the date, at the 1st percentile for this date (as of Oct 24, 1:30 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 Skykomish River near Gold Bar?
398 cubic feet per second at USGS gauge 12134500 as of Oct 24, 1:30 PM PDT, provisional data.
Is the Skykomish River near Gold Bar too high or too low right now?
It is on the low side: below the typical range for the date (1,160 to 4,270 cfs).
Is the Skykomish River near Gold Bar rising or falling?
Over the last 24 hours the flow has been steady (-2.7%).
What is a normal flow for the Skykomish River near Gold Bar in October?
For this date (give or take 7 days) the median is 2,190 cfs and the middle half of days runs 1,160 to 4,270 cfs, over 99 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 | 533 | 9th | Too low |
| Mon Oct 19 | 503 | 8th | Too low |
| Tue Oct 20 | 467 | 5th | Too low |
| Wed Oct 21 | 442 | 3rd | Too low |
| Thu Oct 22 | 423 | 2nd | Too low |
| Fri Oct 23 | 408 | 2nd | Too low |
| Sat Oct 24 (so far) | 397 | 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 99 years of USGS daily data (1928–2026).
Guide, outfitter or fly shop on this river? List your service on Flowcast (free early listings, launching).
Official resources
- USGS site page for gauge 12134500 (USGS: live readings, history, station details)
- Washington fishing regulations (WDFW)
- Emergency fishing rule changes (WDFW)
- WDFW fishing and stocking reports
Agency notices that mention this river
- “Skykomish River to remain closed to salmon fishing” (WDFW emergency rules)
Copied from the WDFW emergency rules page as of Oct 24, 2:40 PM PDT. They match on the river's name only and may concern a different stretch. Open the page for the details.
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-12134500
- USGS name
- Skykomish River Near Gold Bar, Wa
- Drainage area
- 535 sq mi
- Location
- 47.8373, -121.6668
- Record in this analysis
- 1928–2026
Typical uses
Notes: Rain- and snowmelt-driven; rises quickly with storms. (Hand-written general note, not from USGS data.)
Nearby gauges
- Snoqualmie River near Carnation, WA Too low 451 cfs · about 17 mi away (straight line)
- Snoqualmie River near Snoqualmie, WA Too low 376 cfs · about 22 mi away (straight line)
- Cedar River near Landsburg, WA Fishable/Floatable 359 cfs · about 33 mi away (straight line)
- North Fork Stillaguamish River near Arlington, WA Too low 177 cfs · about 34 mi away (straight line)
- Sauk River near Sauk, WA Too low 634 cfs · about 41 mi away (straight line)
- Green River near Auburn, WA Fishable/Floatable 419 cfs · about 44 mi away (straight line)
Browse this region
Questions about what the status means? How to read a status · FAQ.