Cowlitz River at Packwood

1. 13.00 ftthe Cowlitz River will cause severe near record flooding from the upper reaches of the river downstream through Packwood...with dangerous inundation of residential and commercial areas...roads...and farms throughout the flood plain. Flooding will occur all along the river including headwaters...tributaries...and other streams within and near the Cowlitz River Basin.
2. 12.00 ftthe Cowlitz River will cause major flooding from the upper reaches of the river downstream through Packwood...with dangerous flooding of roads including US Highway 12...pasture lands...and farms throughout the flood plain. Flood waters will inundate some residential and commercial areas. Flooding will occur all along the river including headwaters...tributaries...and other streams within and near the Cowlitz River Basin.
3. 11.00 ftthe Cowlitz River will cause flooding from the upper reaches of the river downstream through Packwood...inundating roads...pasture lands...and some farms.
4. 10.50 ftthe Cowlitz River will cause minor flooding from the upper reaches of the river downstream through Packwood...covering several roads along the river and nearby pasture lands.
5. 10.00 ftthe Cowlitz River will spill over its banks into nearby low pasture lands from the upper reaches downstream through Packwood.

Chance of flooding, September to November

The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 21, 2026.

Most recent crests

• December 10, 2025: 12.24 ft
• December 9, 2025: 11.52 ft
• November 12, 2021: 10.63 ft
• October 22, 2017: 10.75 ft
• November 25, 2014: 10.06 ft
• March 9, 2014: 8.52 ft
• October 29, 2012: 7.73 ft
• February 22, 2012: 6.92 ft
• January 16, 2011: 10.75 ft
• June 3, 2010: 6.23 ft

• DownstreamCowlitz River at Randle
• Cispus River at Randle
• White River Bridge
• Nisqually River at National
• Cowlitz River at Kosmos
• Puyallup River
• Bumping River at Bumping Dam
• Klickitat River at Glenwood

Forecasts by the Northwest River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued routinely year-round. River forecasts for this location take into account past and future precipitation. The stages/flows that will occur may be different if future rainfall is different than forecast.

Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service. Streamflow and the daily record from the U.S. Geological Survey.