Snoqualmie River at Carnation
Washington · Tubing & floating
Measured at USGS 12149000 — SNOQUALMIE RIVER NEAR CARNATION, WA · NWS forecast point CRNW1
Reading taken Jul 28, 11:15 PM UTC
Low and slow — expect to drag in the shallows
At 610 CFS, this gauge is running 54% of normal for late July — below the 1,140 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 96 years of record (1929–2025).
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
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Flood stages at Carnation
Official National Weather Service categories for gauge CRNW1, issued by WFO SEW. Impact statements are the NWS's own wording for this location, reproduced verbatim.
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Major flood 58.0 ft
- 58.0 ft the Snoqualmie River will cause major flooding from Fall City downstream through Carnation and Duvall. Deep and swift flood waters will inundate many farms...residential areas...and roads. Flooding will occur all along the river including headwaters...tributaries...and other streams within and near the Snoqualmie River Basin.
- 60.0 ft the Snoqualmie River will cause severe near record flooding from Fall City downstream through Carnation and Duvall. Deep and swift flood waters will inundate many farms...residential areas...and roads. Flooding will occur all along the river including headwaters...tributaries...and other streams within and near the Snoqualmie River Basin.
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Moderate flood 56.0 ft
- 56.0 ft the Snoqualmie River will cause widespread flooding from Fall City downstream through Carnation and Duvall...inundating much of the farm land and numerous roads.
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Minor flood 54.0 ft
- 54.0 ft the Snoqualmie River will flood much of the farm land and several roads from Fall City downstream through Carnation and Duvall.
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Action 50.7 ft
- 51.0 ft the Snoqualmie River will spill over its banks from Fall City downstream through Carnation and Duvall...with shallow water over some farm land and several roads.
- Right now 44.69 ft
NWS forecast: 44.71 ft by Jul 29, 6:00 AM UTC.
12 months of flow at Carnation
Daily values from USGS gauge 12149000. Provisional data, subject to revision.
Highest crests on record at Carnation
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 62.21 ft | 82,900 CFS | Jan 8, 2009 |
| 60.76 ft | 89,686 CFS | Dec 11, 2025 |
| 60.76 ft | 89,700 CFS | Dec 11, 2025 |
| 60.70 ft | 65,200 CFS | Nov 24, 1990 |
| 60.49 ft | 63,100 CFS | Nov 12, 2008 |
| 60.34 ft | 61,600 CFS | Feb 9, 1996 |
| 60.30 ft | 61,200 CFS | Nov 29, 1995 |
| 59.93 ft | 59,000 CFS | Nov 13, 1932 |
| 59.89 ft | 57,100 CFS | Nov 24, 1986 |
| 59.88 ft | 59,500 CFS | Feb 27, 1932 |
Historical crests published by the National Weather Service for this gauge.
About Snoqualmie River at Carnation
This gauge measures Snoqualmie River at Carnation, Washington — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters on this stretch check before committing to a shuttle.
Fall City tubing then the most flood-searched lowland river in Puget Sound.
Raw CFS means little on its own, so every reading on this page is shown against the USGS median for the same calendar day — 1,140 CFS for late July, from 96 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.
Snoqualmie River at Carnation — common questions
What is the current flow on Snoqualmie River at Carnation?
As of the last reading on this page, Snoqualmie River at Carnation was running 610 CFS at a gage height of 44.69 ft, or 54% of the USGS median for this date. The number updates automatically from USGS gauge 12149000, 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 1,140 CFS, calculated from 96 years of record (1929–2025). 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 Snoqualmie 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.