Rivers in Washington
Deschutes River near Rainier
Below flood stage
3.01ftStage
Observed Thu, Sep 24, 6:45 AM PDT
- Flood stage
- 11.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 3.21 ftFri, Sep 25, 5:00 PM PDT
- Record crest
- 17.01 ft1990
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 15.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 13.50 ft |
| Minor flood | 11.00 ft |
| Action | 9.00 ft |
- 16.50 ftthe Deschutes River will cause severe, near record flooding. Residences will be flooded with Tumwater valley deeply flooded. Flooding will occur all along the river including headwaters...tributaries...and other streams within and near the Deschutes River Basin.
- 15.00 ftthe Deschutes River will cause major flooding...with swift and deep water flooding roads...farm lands...and the residential areas of Cougar Mountain...Driftwood Valley...Falling Horseshoe and areas downstream in the Tumwater Valley. Flooding will occur all along the river including headwaters...tributaries...and other streams within and near the Deschutes River Basin.
- 13.50 ftthe Deschutes River will flood residential areas...especially Cougar Mountain...Driftwood Valley...and Falling Horseshoe. Downstream flooding will occur in areas of Tumwater Valley including the golf course. Many roads and farm lands will also be flooded.
- 11.00 ftthe Deschutes River will flood downstream in Tumwater Valley including the golf course. Minor flooding will also occur in several residential areas...mainly Cougar Mountain and Driftwood Valley. Many roads and farm lands will also be flooded.
- 9.00 ftthe Deschutes River locally spills over its banks into low fields and forested lands, mainly along Vail Cutoff Road and Reichel Road (east of the town of Vail).
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | Under 5% |
| Moderate flooding | Under 5% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 23, 2026.
Crest history
125 crests on NOAA’s list since 1949.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | January 9, 1990 | 17.01 ft |
| 2 | February 8, 1996 | 15.74 ft |
| 3 | January 15, 1974 | 15.68 ft |
| 4 | January 21, 1972 | 15.28 ft |
| 5 | December 29, 1996 | 14.29 ft |
| 6 | January 8, 2009 | 14.10 ft |
| 7 | April 5, 1991 | 13.76 ft |
| 8 | December 3, 2007 | 13.75 ft |
| 9 | November 26, 1998 | 13.55 ft |
| 10 | February 9, 2017 | 13.52 ft |
| 11 | December 28, 1998 | 13.42 ft |
| 12 | December 4, 1975 | 13.22 ft |
| 13 | January 7, 2022 | 13.07 ft |
| 14 | December 12, 1955 | 13.06 ft |
| 15 | March 1, 2022 | 12.97 ft |
| 16 | December 9, 2015 | 12.75 ft |
| 17 | January 30, 2006 | 12.69 ft |
| 18 | November 24, 1990 | 12.65 ft |
| 19 | January 25, 1964 | 12.50 ft |
| 20 | December 15, 2006 | 12.41 ft |
| 21 | December 10, 1987 | 12.40 ft |
| 22 | February 7, 1996 | 12.37 ft |
| 23 | December 17, 2001 | 12.29 ft |
| 24 | December 9, 2025 | 12.22 ft |
| 25 | November 30, 1994 | 12.13 ft |
Most recent crests
- December 9, 2025: 12.22 ft
- March 1, 2022: 12.97 ft
- January 7, 2022: 13.07 ft
- February 9, 2017: 13.52 ft
- December 9, 2015: 12.75 ft
- February 6, 2015: 8.43 ft
- February 17, 2014: 11.74 ft
- November 19, 2012: 11.88 ft
- November 23, 2011: 11.21 ft
- March 10, 2011: 10.28 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
What this means
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.
Sources
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.