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Hydrograph River at a Glance Download
Cowlitz River at Kelso Stage (ft)Observed: 12.5 ft at 3:15PM Mar 17, 2023Observed: 12.5 ft at 10:09AM Mar 20, 2023Observed: 12.5 ft at 12:00PM Mar 21, 2023Highest Observation: 13 ft at 10:30AM Mar 22, 2023Forecast: 12.67 ft 12:00AM Mar 24, 2023Forecast: 12.66 ft 1:00AM Mar 24, 2023Forecast: 12.65 ft 2:00AM Mar 24, 2023Forecast: 12.65 ft 3:00AM Mar 24, 2023Forecast: 12.67 ft 4:00AM Mar 24, 2023Forecast: 12.74 ft 5:00AM Mar 24, 2023Forecast: 12.84 ft 6:00AM Mar 24, 2023Forecast: 12.92 ft 7:00AM Mar 24, 2023Forecast: 12.94 ft 8:00AM Mar 24, 2023Forecast: 12.91 ft 9:00AM Mar 24, 2023Forecast: 12.88 ft 10:00AM Mar 24, 2023Forecast: 12.86 ft 11:00AM Mar 24, 2023Forecast: 12.85 ft 12:00PM Mar 24, 2023Forecast: 12.85 ft 1:00PM Mar 24, 2023Forecast: 12.85 ft 2:00PM Mar 24, 2023Forecast: 12.85 ft 3:00PM Mar 24, 2023Forecast: 12.86 ft 4:00PM Mar 24, 2023Forecast: 12.9 ft 5:00PM Mar 24, 2023Forecast: 12.98 ft 6:00PM Mar 24, 2023Forecast: 13.05 ft 7:00PM Mar 24, 2023Forecast: 13.11 ft 8:00PM Mar 24, 2023Forecast: 13.16 ft 9:00PM Mar 24, 2023Forecast: 13.21 ft 10:00PM Mar 24, 2023Forecast: 13.26 ft 11:00PM Mar 24, 2023Forecast: 13.31 ft 12:00AM Mar 25, 2023Forecast: 13.35 ft 1:00AM Mar 25, 2023Forecast: 13.38 ft 2:00AM Mar 25, 2023Forecast: 13.42 ft 3:00AM Mar 25, 2023Forecast: 13.45 ft 4:00AM Mar 25, 2023Forecast: 13.51 ft 5:00AM Mar 25, 2023Forecast: 13.58 ft 6:00AM Mar 25, 2023Forecast: 13.65 ft 7:00AM Mar 25, 2023Forecast: 13.7 ft 8:00AM Mar 25, 2023Highest Forecast: 13.71 ft 9:00AM Mar 25, 2023Highest Forecast: 13.71 ft 10:00AM Mar 25, 2023Forecast: 13.7 ft 11:00AM Mar 25, 2023Forecast: 13.69 ft 12:00PM Mar 25, 2023Forecast: 13.68 ft 1:00PM Mar 25, 2023Forecast: 13.66 ft 2:00PM Mar 25, 2023Forecast: 13.63 ft 3:00PM Mar 25, 2023Forecast: 13.6 ft 4:00PM Mar 25, 2023Forecast: 13.58 ft 5:00PM Mar 25, 2023Forecast: 13.56 ft 6:00PM Mar 25, 2023Forecast: 13.56 ft 7:00PM Mar 25, 2023Forecast: 13.57 ft 8:00PM Mar 25, 2023Forecast: 13.57 ft 9:00PM Mar 25, 2023Forecast: 13.57 ft 10:00PM Mar 25, 2023Forecast: 13.55 ft 11:00PM Mar 25, 2023Forecast: 13.54 ft 12:00AM Mar 26, 2023Forecast: 13.52 ft 1:00AM Mar 26, 2023Forecast: 13.5 ft 2:00AM Mar 26, 2023Forecast: 13.48 ft 3:00AM Mar 26, 2023Forecast: 13.46 ft 4:00AM Mar 26, 2023Forecast: 13.45 ft 5:00AM Mar 26, 2023Forecast: 13.46 ft 6:00AM Mar 26, 2023Forecast: 13.48 ft 7:00AM Mar 26, 2023Forecast: 13.5 ft 8:00AM Mar 26, 2023Forecast: 13.5 ft 9:00AM Mar 26, 2023Forecast: 13.49 ft 10:00AM Mar 26, 2023Forecast: 13.46 ft 11:00AM Mar 26, 2023Forecast: 13.43 ft 12:00PM Mar 26, 2023Forecast: 13.4 ft 1:00PM Mar 26, 2023Forecast: 13.37 ft 2:00PM Mar 26, 2023Forecast: 13.33 ft 3:00PM Mar 26, 2023Forecast: 13.28 ft 4:00PM Mar 26, 2023Forecast: 13.24 ft 5:00PM Mar 26, 2023Forecast: 13.21 ft 6:00PM Mar 26, 2023Forecast: 13.18 ft 7:00PM Mar 26, 2023Forecast: 13.18 ft 8:00PM Mar 26, 2023Forecast: 13.17 ft 9:00PM Mar 26, 2023Forecast: 13.17 ft 10:00PM Mar 26, 2023Forecast: 13.15 ft 11:00PM Mar 26, 2023Forecast: 13.13 ft 12:00AM Mar 27, 2023Forecast: 13.1 ft 1:00AM Mar 27, 2023Forecast: 13.07 ft 2:00AM Mar 27, 2023Forecast: 13.04 ft 3:00AM Mar 27, 2023Forecast: 13 ft 4:00AM Mar 27, 2023Forecast: 12.98 ft 5:00AM Mar 27, 2023Forecast: 12.98 ft 6:00AM Mar 27, 2023Forecast: 12.99 ft 7:00AM Mar 27, 2023Forecast: 13 ft 8:00AM Mar 27, 2023Forecast: 12.98 ft 9:00AM Mar 27, 2023Forecast: 12.95 ft 10:00AM Mar 27, 2023Forecast: 12.91 ft 11:00AM Mar 27, 2023Forecast: 12.88 ft 12:00PM Mar 27, 2023Forecast: 12.84 ft 1:00PM Mar 27, 2023Forecast: 12.81 ft 2:00PM Mar 27, 2023Forecast: 12.77 ft 3:00PM Mar 27, 2023Forecast: 12.73 ft 4:00PM Mar 27, 2023Forecast: 12.7 ft 5:00PM Mar 27, 2023Forecast: 12.69 ft 6:00PM Mar 27, 2023Forecast: 12.68 ft 7:00PM Mar 27, 2023Forecast: 12.68 ft 8:00PM Mar 27, 2023Forecast: 12.7 ft 9:00PM Mar 27, 2023Forecast: 12.73 ft 10:00PM Mar 27, 2023Forecast: 12.73 ft 11:00PM Mar 27, 2023Forecast: 12.71 ft 12:00AM Mar 28, 2023Forecast: 12.68 ft 1:00AM Mar 28, 2023Forecast: 12.65 ft 2:00AM Mar 28, 2023Forecast: 12.62 ft 3:00AM Mar 28, 2023Forecast: 12.6 ft 4:00AM Mar 28, 2023Forecast: 12.59 ft 5:00AM Mar 28, 2023Forecast: 12.59 ft 6:00AM Mar 28, 2023Forecast: 12.62 ft 7:00AM Mar 28, 2023Forecast: 12.65 ft 8:00AM Mar 28, 2023Forecast: 12.67 ft 9:00AM Mar 28, 2023Forecast: 12.67 ft 10:00AM Mar 28, 2023Forecast: 12.65 ft 11:00AM Mar 28, 2023Forecast: 12.62 ft 12:00PM Mar 28, 2023Forecast: 12.59 ft 1:00PM Mar 28, 2023Forecast: 12.56 ft 2:00PM Mar 28, 2023Forecast: 12.54 ft 3:00PM Mar 28, 2023Forecast: 12.5 ft 4:00PM Mar 28, 2023Forecast: 12.47 ft 5:00PM Mar 28, 2023Forecast: 12.45 ft 6:00PM Mar 28, 2023Forecast: 12.44 ft 7:00PM Mar 28, 2023Forecast: 12.43 ft 8:00PM Mar 28, 2023Forecast: 12.43 ft 9:00PM Mar 28, 2023Forecast: 12.44 ft 10:00PM Mar 28, 2023Forecast: 12.46 ft 11:00PM Mar 28, 2023Forecast: 12.48 ft 12:00AM Mar 29, 2023Forecast: 12.49 ft 1:00AM Mar 29, 2023Forecast: 12.48 ft 2:00AM Mar 29, 2023Forecast: 12.46 ft 3:00AM Mar 29, 2023Forecast: 12.44 ft 4:00AM Mar 29, 2023Forecast: 12.42 ft 5:00AM Mar 29, 2023Forecast: 12.41 ft 6:00AM Mar 29, 2023Forecast: 12.41 ft 7:00AM Mar 29, 2023Forecast: 12.43 ft 8:00AM Mar 29, 2023Forecast: 12.45 ft 9:00AM Mar 29, 2023Forecast: 12.47 ft 10:00AM Mar 29, 2023Forecast: 12.47 ft 11:00AM Mar 29, 2023Forecast: 12.46 ft 12:00PM Mar 29, 2023Forecast: 12.44 ft 1:00PM Mar 29, 2023Forecast: 12.42 ft 2:00PM Mar 29, 2023Forecast: 12.39 ft 3:00PM Mar 29, 2023Forecast: 12.36 ft 4:00PM Mar 29, 2023Forecast: 12.33 ft 5:00PM Mar 29, 2023Forecast: 12.31 ft 6:00PM Mar 29, 2023Forecast: 12.29 ft 7:00PM Mar 29, 2023Forecast: 12.28 ft 8:00PM Mar 29, 2023Forecast: 12.27 ft 9:00PM Mar 29, 2023Forecast: 12.27 ft 10:00PM Mar 29, 2023Forecast: 12.27 ft 11:00PM Mar 29, 2023Forecast: 12.28 ft 12:00AM Mar 30, 2023Forecast: 12.29 ft 1:00AM Mar 30, 2023Forecast: 12.3 ft 2:00AM Mar 30, 2023Forecast: 12.29 ft 3:00AM Mar 30, 2023Forecast: 12.28 ft 4:00AM Mar 30, 2023Forecast: 12.27 ft 5:00AM Mar 30, 2023Forecast: 12.26 ft 6:00AM Mar 30, 2023Forecast: 12.25 ft 7:00AM Mar 30, 2023Forecast: 12.25 ft 8:00AM Mar 30, 2023Forecast: 12.25 ft 9:00AM Mar 30, 2023Forecast: 12.26 ft 10:00AM Mar 30, 2023Forecast: 12.26 ft 11:00AM Mar 30, 2023Forecast: 12.27 ft 12:00PM Mar 30, 2023Forecast: 12.26 ft 1:00PM Mar 30, 2023Forecast: 12.26 ft 2:00PM Mar 30, 2023Forecast: 12.25 ft 3:00PM Mar 30, 2023Forecast: 12.24 ft 4:00PM Mar 30, 2023Forecast: 12.22 ft 5:00PM Mar 30, 2023Forecast: 12.21 ft 6:00PM Mar 30, 2023Forecast: 12.21 ft 7:00PM Mar 30, 2023Forecast: 12.2 ft 8:00PM Mar 30, 2023Forecast: 12.2 ft 9:00PM Mar 30, 2023Forecast: 12.19 ft 10:00PM Mar 30, 2023Forecast: 12.19 ft 11:00PM Mar 30, 2023KELW1(plotting HGIRZ) Graph Created (11:48PM Mar 23, 2023)ObservedForecast (issued 4:08PM Mar 23)Latest observed value: 13 ft at 10:30 AM PDT 22-Mar-2023. Flood Stage is 21.5 ft
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About this graph
Tabular Data (UTC)
Tabular Data (PDT)
XML Data
RSS Files
Datum: NAVD88
Metadata
NOTE: Forecasts for the Cowlitz River at Kelso are issued routinely year-round.
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Upstream Gauge - at Lexington Upstream Gauge Downstream Gauge Downstream Gauge - at Longview
Flood Categories (in feet)
Major Flood Stage: 26.5
Moderate Flood Stage: 24.5
Flood Stage: 21.5
Action Stage: 19.5
Low Stage (in feet): -9999

Historic Crests
(1) 29.50 ft on 02/09/1996
(2) 28.86 ft on 12/23/1933
(3) 27.00 ft on 11/30/1995
(4) 24.30 ft on 06/10/1948
(5) 24.20 ft on 12/09/2015
Show More Historic Crests

(P): Preliminary values subject to further review.

Recent Crests
(1) 24.00 ft on 01/07/2022 (P)
(2) 21.90 ft on 11/13/2021 (P)
(3) 22.40 ft on 12/11/2015
(4) 24.20 ft on 12/09/2015
(5) 22.10 ft on 11/18/2015
Show More Recent Crests

(P): Preliminary values subject to further review.

Low Water Records
Currently none available.

For more information on your flood risk go to www.floodsmart.gov.
Zoom Level:14
KML Image
Gauge LocationGauge Map Marker
 Disclaimer
Latitude/Longitude Disclaimer: The gauge location shown in the above map is the approximate location based on the latitude/longitude coordinates provided to the NWS by the gauge owner.
Flood Impacts & Photos Collapse
If you notice any errors in the below information, please contact our Webmaster
28.5 major flooding in Kelso occurs, including residential and business areas. Numerous roads are flooded and closed, and levees may be subject to erosion and overtopping at this level.
26.5 some flooding of business and residential areas occurs in Kelso. Numerous road closures can be expected. The top of some levees are approached at this level.
24.5 flooding of a few residential areas in Kelso begins. Also expect widespread flooding of pasture land and low lying roads.
21.5 flooding of several low lying and secondary roads begins, including the Cowlitz Gardens neighborhood, along with flooding of pasture and lowland upstream of Kelso.
19.5 the river is at bankfull level.
Photos
(1) NWS river gage at Kelso
About This Location Collapse

Latitude: 46.142500° N, Longitude: 122.916111° W, Horizontal Datum: NAD83/WGS84

River Stage
Reference Frame		 Gauge Height Flood Stage Uses
NWS stage 0 ft 21.5 ft Interpreting hydrographs and NWS watch, warnings, and forecasts, and inundation maps
Vertical Datum Elevation
(gauge height = 0)		 Elevation
(gauge height = flood stage)		 Elevation information source
NAVD88 0.0 21.5 Survey grade GPS equipment, FEMA flood plain maps, newer USGS topographic maps
NGVD 29 Not Available Not Available Older USGS topographic maps, NGVD29 benchmarks
MSL Not Available Not Available Older USGS topographic maps, MSL benchmarks
Other Not Available Not Available  
Additional Information Collapse
Vertical datum: Mean Sea Level, NAVD88
10-day Forecast/Trend, Northwest River Forecast Center
Resources Collapse
Hydrologic Resources Additional Resources
Collaborative Agencies Collapse
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.
NWS Information
National Weather Service
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Portland, OR 97230-1089
(503) 261-9246
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