Columbia River at Vancouver
No watches, warnings or advisories are in effect for this area.
Future / Actual / Minor
OWP 2.0 WWA Modal Title
01/11/2021, 10:04 PM UTC through 01/11/2021, 10:04 PM UTC
Sender
Sent
- Warning: no valid ratings curve available. Transformations to and from FEET/CFS/KCFS will not happen.
Traces and Thresholds Click to turn on/off display
Observed (OBS) 04/13/2025 7:06 AM PDTOfficial Forecast (FCST) 04/13/2025 6:37 AM PDTRecord: 31 ftLow Threshold: 1 ftCATEGORY STAGE 
Major Flooding 25 ft Moderate Flooding 20 ft Minor Flooding 16 ft Action 15 ft Reliability of the Forecast:
NOTE: Forecasts are issued routinely year-round.
Gauge reading affected by ocean tides.
National Water Model Hydrograph
Official NWS streamflow forecasts are produced by NWS hydrologic forecasters for river gauge locations using hydrologic models which are calibrated to that location. This process considers additional guidance and information, including local expertise and experience, to produce the best forecast possible. The NWM output provides supplemental guidance to NWS forecasters and should not be considered an official NWS river forecast.
Flood Impacts
- 34 - expect flooding of much of downtown Vancouver, along with major flooding along the Columbia River from Vancouver downstream to Woodland along the Washington side and Portland and Sauvie Island on the Oregon side. Some lower levees may be overtopped.
- 31 - expect major flooding. Overtopping of some lower levees is possible. Expect widespread inundation along the Columbia from Vancouver downstream to Woodland on the Washington side and Portland and Sauvie Island on the Oregon side. Tributary rivers will be backed up. Port operations and ship traffic will be affected.
- 30 - expect widespread flood inundation along the Columbia from Vancouver downstream to Woodland. Numerous islands and sloughs on the Columbia upstream and downstream of the I-5 bridge are flooded. Many industries along the river have historically ceased operations at this level.
Gauge Info
| Coordinates | 45.6314, -122.696 |
| RFC | NWRFC |
| State | WA |
| WFO | PQR |
| County | Clark |
| Data Provider(s) | |
| National Ocean Service | NOAA National Ocean Service Tides Online |
Gauge Location
Recent Crests
| 1. | 15.60 ft | on 04-12-2019 |
| 2. | 17.60 ft | on 03-30-2017 |
| 3. | 17.43 ft | on 06-02-2011 |
| 4. | 12.32 ft | on 11-26-1999 |
| 5. | 15.00 ft | on 12-30-1998 |
| 6. | 19.03 ft | on 06-05-1997 |
| 7. | 16.80 ft | on 02-02-1997 |
| 8. | 22.55 ft | on 01-03-1997 |
| 9. | 17.50 ft | on 04-27-1996 |
| 10. | 27.20 ft | on 02-09-1996 |
Recent Crests
| 1. | 15.60 ft | on 04-12-2019 |
| 2. | 17.60 ft | on 03-30-2017 |
| 3. | 17.43 ft | on 06-02-2011 |
| 4. | 12.32 ft | on 11-26-1999 |
| 5. | 15.00 ft | on 12-30-1998 |
| 6. | 19.03 ft | on 06-05-1997 |
| 7. | 16.80 ft | on 02-02-1997 |
| 8. | 22.55 ft | on 01-03-1997 |
| 9. | 17.50 ft | on 04-27-1996 |
| 10. | 27.20 ft | on 02-09-1996 |
| 11. | 18.50 ft | on 12-01-1995 |
| 12. | 21.10 ft | on 06-22-1974 |
| 13. | 21.50 ft | on 06-12-1972 |
| 14. | 19.54 ft | on 01-24-1970 |
| 15. | 25.44 ft | on 01-19-1965 |
| 16. | 27.70 ft | on 12-25-1964 |
| 17. | 27.60 ft | on 06-04-1956 |
| 18. | 25.90 ft | on 06-26-1950 |
| 19. | 31.00 ft | on 06-13-1948 |
| 20. | 30.80 ft | on 06-01-1948 |
| 21. | 26.30 ft | on 06-19-1933 |
| 22. | 26.20 ft | on 05-31-1928 |
| 23. | 26.00 ft | on 06-12-1921 |
| 24. | 25.30 ft | on 06-22-1917 |
| 25. | 25.30 ft | on 06-03-1916 |
| 26. | 25.20 ft | on 06-13-1913 |
| 27. | 25.60 ft | on 06-16-1903 |
| 28. | 33.60 ft | on 06-07-1894 |
Historic Crests
| 1. | 33.60 ft | on 06-07-1894 |
| 2. | 31.00 ft | on 06-13-1948 |
| 3. | 30.80 ft | on 06-01-1948 |
| 4. | 27.70 ft | on 12-25-1964 |
| 5. | 27.60 ft | on 06-04-1956 |
| 6. | 27.20 ft | on 02-09-1996 |
| 7. | 26.30 ft | on 06-19-1933 |
| 8. | 26.20 ft | on 05-31-1928 |
| 9. | 26.00 ft | on 06-12-1921 |
| 10. | 25.90 ft | on 06-26-1950 |
Historic Crests
| 1. | 33.60 ft | on 06-07-1894 |
| 2. | 31.00 ft | on 06-13-1948 |
| 3. | 30.80 ft | on 06-01-1948 |
| 4. | 27.70 ft | on 12-25-1964 |
| 5. | 27.60 ft | on 06-04-1956 |
| 6. | 27.20 ft | on 02-09-1996 |
| 7. | 26.30 ft | on 06-19-1933 |
| 8. | 26.20 ft | on 05-31-1928 |
| 9. | 26.00 ft | on 06-12-1921 |
| 10. | 25.90 ft | on 06-26-1950 |
| 11. | 25.60 ft | on 06-16-1903 |
| 12. | 25.44 ft | on 01-19-1965 |
| 13. | 25.30 ft | on 06-03-1916 |
| 14. | 25.30 ft | on 06-22-1917 |
| 15. | 25.20 ft | on 06-13-1913 |
| 16. | 22.55 ft | on 01-03-1997 |
| 17. | 21.50 ft | on 06-12-1972 |
| 18. | 21.10 ft | on 06-22-1974 |
| 19. | 19.54 ft | on 01-24-1970 |
| 20. | 19.03 ft | on 06-05-1997 |
| 21. | 18.50 ft | on 12-01-1995 |
| 22. | 17.60 ft | on 03-30-2017 |
| 23. | 17.50 ft | on 04-27-1996 |
| 24. | 17.43 ft | on 06-02-2011 |
| 25. | 16.80 ft | on 02-02-1997 |
| 26. | 15.60 ft | on 04-12-2019 |
| 27. | 15.00 ft | on 12-30-1998 |
| 28. | 12.32 ft | on 11-26-1999 |
Low Water Records
| 1. | -1.20 ft | on 01-07-1937 |
| 2. | -1.10 ft | on 11-08-1936 |
| 3. | -0.80 ft | on 07-30-1978 |
| 4. | -0.80 ft | on 07-24-1989 |
| 5. | -0.74 ft | on 07-14-2001 |
| 6. | -0.70 ft | on 11-09-1952 |
| 7. | -0.70 ft | on 09-09-1973 |
| 8. | -0.66 ft | on 09-21-2003 |
| 9. | -0.52 ft | on 09-20-2003 |
| 10. | -0.46 ft | on 10-10-2001 |
Low Water Records
| 1. | -1.20 ft | on 01-07-1937 |
| 2. | -1.10 ft | on 11-08-1936 |
| 3. | -0.80 ft | on 07-30-1978 |
| 4. | -0.80 ft | on 07-24-1989 |
| 5. | -0.74 ft | on 07-14-2001 |
| 6. | -0.70 ft | on 11-09-1952 |
| 7. | -0.70 ft | on 09-09-1973 |
| 8. | -0.66 ft | on 09-21-2003 |
| 9. | -0.52 ft | on 09-20-2003 |
| 10. | -0.46 ft | on 10-10-2001 |
| 11. | -0.45 ft | on 09-10-2016 |
| 12. | -0.43 ft | on 09-26-2005 |
| 13. | -0.43 ft | on 10-07-2019 |
| 14. | -0.42 ft | on 11-04-2007 |
| 15. | -0.42 ft | on 09-06-2010 |
| 16. | -0.40 ft | on 09-08-2001 |
| 17. | -0.38 ft | on 10-06-2019 |
| 18. | -0.37 ft | on 09-17-2006 |
| 19. | -0.34 ft | on 10-30-2006 |
| 20. | -0.32 ft | on 09-21-2007 |
| 21. | -0.28 ft | on 10-12-2001 |
| 22. | -0.28 ft | on 09-23-2008 |
| 23. | -0.27 ft | on 09-28-2005 |
| 24. | -0.22 ft | on 10-24-2001 |
| 25. | -0.18 ft | on 10-01-2006 |
| 26. | -0.16 ft | on 10-02-2002 |
| 27. | -0.13 ft | on 11-04-2019 |
| 28. | -0.02 ft | on 09-24-2019 |
| 29. | 0.36 ft | on 09-06-2022 |
Vertical Datum Table
| type | NGVD29 |
|---|---|
| major Flooding | 26.82 ft |
| moderate Flooding | 21.82 ft |
| minor Flooding | 17.82 ft |
| action | 16.82 ft |
| Latest Value | 9.63 ft |
| Gauge Zero | 1.82 ft |
Probability Information
No Images Available
Unique Local Info
Low Water Alerts are issued for stages below 1.0'.
This gage replaced VANW1 as the river forecast location for the Columbia River at Vancouver.
Real-time and archived data from Nat'l Ocean Service
10-day Forecast/Trend, Northwest River Forecast Center
Collaborative Agencies
The National Weather Service prepares its forecasts and other services in collaboration with agencies like the US Geological Survey, US Bureau of Reclamation, US Army Corps of Engineers, Natural Resource Conservation Service, National Park Service, ALERT Users Group, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and many state and local emergency managers across the country. For details, please click here.
Resources
Hydrologic Resource Links
- River Forecast Centers
- Text Products
- Past Precipitation
- Forecast Precipitation
- Text Table Temp & Precip Forecasts
- 3-Day Detailed Precip Forecast
- 10-Day Temp & Precip Outlook
- Lewis Dams - USGS data (scroll down to Lewis basin)
- Lewis Reservoirs Summary
- Lower Columbia Reservoir and River conditions
- USACE DataQuery
- USGS WaterWatch Oregon
- USGS WaterWatch Washington
- USGS River Temperatures & Water Quality Oregon
- USGS River Temperatures & Water Quality Washington
- Oregon Water Resources Dept - Surface Water Data
- USGS Oregon river levels
- USGS Washington river levels