Sandy River at Oxbow
Oregon · Tubing & floating
Measured at USGS 14142500 — SANDY RIVER BLW BULL RUN RIVER, NR BULL RUN, OR · NWS forecast point SNDO3
Reading taken Jul 28, 11:45 PM UTC
Running thin — a slow, scrapey float
At 400 CFS, this gauge is running 74% of normal for late July — below the 538 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 81 years of record (1911–2025).
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
Sponsor Sandy River
Put your outfitter, guide service, cabin rental or shuttle in front of everyone checking this stretch before they drive out. One exclusive sponsor per river.
Cancel anytime · Questions?
Flood stages at Oxbow
Official National Weather Service categories for gauge SNDO3, issued by WFO PQR. Impact statements are the NWS's own wording for this location, reproduced verbatim.
-
Major flood 21.5 ft · 57,400 CFS
- 21.5 ft expect significant bank erosion, large amounts of debris in the river, and flooding of low areas along the river, especially in the lower reach of the Sandy near Troutdale.
-
Moderate flood 20.5 ft · 49,200 CFS
-
Minor flood 19.3 ft · 40,300 CFS
- 19.3 ft expect areas of significant bank erosion and some minor flooding of low areas along the Sandy from Ten Eyck Road Bridge, also called Revenue Bridge downstream to Troutdale.
-
Action 18.0 ft · 31,900 CFS
- Right now 7.85 ft
NWS forecast: 7.76 ft by Jul 29, 12:00 AM UTC.
12 months of flow at Oxbow
Daily values from USGS gauge 14142500. Provisional data, subject to revision.
Highest crests on record at Oxbow
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 22.59 ft | 68,600 CFS | Feb 7, 1996 |
| 22.30 ft | 84,400 CFS | Dec 22, 1964 |
| 21.84 ft | 61,300 CFS | Jan 16, 2011 |
| 21.62 ft | 45,770 CFS | Jan 2, 2009 |
| 21.44 ft | 57,600 CFS | Nov 25, 1999 |
| 21.37 ft | 56,327 CFS | Dec 19, 2025 |
| 20.98 ft | 61,600 CFS | Feb 23, 1986 |
| 20.60 ft | 58,000 CFS | Mar 31, 1931 |
| 19.38 ft | 40,500 CFS | Dec 28, 1999 |
| 19.30 ft | 39,900 CFS | Nov 7, 2006 |
Historical crests published by the National Weather Service for this gauge.
About Sandy River at Oxbow
This gauge measures Sandy River at Oxbow, Oregon — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters on this stretch check before committing to a shuttle.
Enormous self-guided Portland tubing volume.
Raw CFS means little on its own, so every reading on this page is shown against the USGS median for the same calendar day — 538 CFS for late July, from 81 years of record.
Because the National Weather Service also operates a forecast point here, the page carries the official flood-category ladder and the NWS's own stage-by-stage impact statements.
Sandy River at Oxbow — common questions
What is the current flow on Sandy River at Oxbow?
As of the last reading on this page, Sandy River at Oxbow was running 400 CFS at a gage height of 7.85 ft, or 74% of the USGS median for this date. The number updates automatically from USGS gauge 14142500, which reports every 15 to 60 minutes.
Is that high or low for this time of year?
The USGS median flow for late July at this gauge is 538 CFS, calculated from 81 years of record (1911–2025). Comparing today's reading against that median is the only way a raw CFS number tells you anything — 200 CFS is a drought on one river and a flood on another.
How often does this reading update?
USGS transmits from this gauge every 15 to 60 minutes. This page bakes in the most recent reading when it is rebuilt, then refreshes live from USGS when you open it. Readings are provisional and subject to revision by USGS.
What flow is good for tubing Sandy River?
riverlvl does not publish a recommended tubing range — that call belongs to the outfitters and the local authorities who know this stretch. What this page gives you is the objective input: today's flow, the seasonal median for the same date, and where the reading sits in the 12-month record. Local outfitters generally publish their own cutoffs, and they close when the river is up.
Does rain upstream change this reading quickly?
Yes. This is a free-flowing gauge, so it responds directly to rain in the basin upstream. Flashy rises of several feet in a few hours are normal on rivers like this after a heavy storm, which is why the reading is worth checking the morning you go.
What does gage height mean versus CFS?
Gage height is how high the water surface is above the gauge's own zero point, in feet — a local measure, not depth and not elevation. CFS is cubic feet per second, the volume of water moving past the gauge. Flood stages are set in gage height; float and paddling conditions are usually discussed in CFS.