Willamette River at Salem, OR
Willamette Valley & Cascades · USGS gauge 14191000 · Updated Oct 24, 2:37 PM PDT · USGS data, provisional
Reading time: Oct 24, 2:30 PM PDT · Provisional data
Flow is in a typical range for the date. Rivers are generally easiest to fish and float when they are near their normal flow, but this status says nothing about water clarity, hatches, hazards such as wood in the river, or dam releases.
- Vs. normal for this date
- 22nd percentile
- Typical range (25th–75th)
- 7,470–15,200 cfs
- Median for this date
- 11,300 cfs
- 7-day low / high
- 6,670 / 7,030 cfs
Plain-language explanation
Willamette River at Salem is flowing at 6,910 cubic feet per second (cfs) as of Oct 24, 2:30 PM PDT. That is on the low side for this time of year: lower than about 78% of the daily flows this gauge has recorded for this date (give or take 7 days) over 111 years of record (1909–2026).
The middle half of those historical flows runs from 7,470 to 15,200 cfs, with a median of 11,300 cfs; the lowest 10% of days are at or below 4,130 cfs and the highest 10% at or above 21,400 cfs.
Over the last 24 hours the flow has been steady (+0.0%). In the last 7 days it ranged from 6,670 to 7,030 cfs.
Regulated flow: upstream dams or diversions influence this gauge, so the “normal range” above reflects managed flows and can differ from natural river behavior.
Why this status: Flow is within the range this gauge normally sees at this time of year (or the deviation is too small in absolute terms to matter).
Quick answers
Is the Willamette River at Salem fishable today?
Flowcast's status for the Willamette River at Salem is “Fishable/Floatable”: flow is 6,910 cfs, within the range this gauge normally sees at this time of year, at the 22nd percentile for this date (as of Oct 24, 2:30 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 Willamette River at Salem?
6,910 cubic feet per second at USGS gauge 14191000 as of Oct 24, 2:30 PM PDT, provisional data.
Is the Willamette River at Salem too high or too low right now?
Neither: it is inside the typical range for the date (7,470 to 15,200 cfs).
Is the Willamette River at Salem rising or falling?
Over the last 24 hours the flow has been steady (+0.0%).
What is a normal flow for the Willamette River at Salem in October?
For this date (give or take 7 days) the median is 11,300 cfs and the middle half of days runs 7,470 to 15,200 cfs, over 111 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 | 6,712 | 23rd | Fishable/Floatable |
| Mon Oct 19 | 6,861 | 23rd | Fishable/Floatable |
| Tue Oct 20 | 6,917 | 23rd | Fishable/Floatable |
| Wed Oct 21 | 6,796 | 22nd | Fishable/Floatable |
| Thu Oct 22 | 6,891 | 23rd | Fishable/Floatable |
| Fri Oct 23 | 6,890 | 22nd | Fishable/Floatable |
| Sat Oct 24 (so far) | 6,887 | 22nd | Fishable/Floatable |
Seasonal context
Shaded band: 10th–90th percentile of daily flows through the year; dashed line: median. Log scale. Dot: today's flow. Based on 111 years of USGS daily data (1909–2026).
Guide, outfitter or fly shop on this river? List your service on Flowcast (free early listings, launching).
Official resources
- USGS site page for gauge 14191000 (USGS: live readings, history, station details)
- Oregon fishing regulations (ODFW)
- Willamette Zone regulations (ODFW)
- In-season Oregon regulation updates (ODFW)
- ODFW Recreation Report (fishing reports)
- Willamette Zone fishing report (ODFW)
- Oregon angling zones and fish district contacts (ODFW)
Agency notices
ODFW's in-season regulation updates page currently mentions “Willamette River” 3 times. Read the section for your stretch before you go.
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-14191000
- USGS name
- Willamette River At Salem, Or
- Drainage area
- 7,280 sq mi
- Location
- 44.9443, -123.0429
- Record in this analysis
- 1909–2026
Typical uses
Notes: Large river; flows are influenced by reservoirs on several tributaries. (Hand-written general note, not from USGS data.)
Nearby gauges
- Molalla River near Canby, OR Too low 53.0 cfs · about 27 mi away (straight line)
- South Santiam River at Waterloo, OR Fishable/Floatable 1,150 cfs · about 33 mi away (straight line)
- North Santiam River at Niagara, OR Fishable/Floatable 1,230 cfs · about 39 mi away (straight line)
- Clackamas River at Estacada, OR Too low 625 cfs · about 42 mi away (straight line)
- Siletz River at Siletz, OR Too low 60.5 cfs · about 44 mi away (straight line)
- Nestucca River near Beaver, OR Too low 66.8 cfs · about 45 mi away (straight line)
Browse this region
Questions about what the status means? How to read a status · FAQ.