Yakima River at Ellensburg
Washington · Tubing & floating
Measured at USGS 12484500 — YAKIMA RIVER AT UMTANUM, WA · NWS forecast point UMTW1
Reading taken Jul 28, 11:15 PM UTC
Right around its normal summer float level
At 3,700 CFS, this gauge is running 106% of normal for late July — close to the 3,480 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 92 years of record (1934–2026). The stage is 0.9 ft below the NWS action stage of 33.5 ft.
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
Sponsor Yakima 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 Ellensburg
Official National Weather Service categories for gauge UMTW1, issued by WFO PDT. Impact statements are the NWS's own wording for this location, reproduced verbatim.
-
Major flood 39.0 ft · 28,000 CFS
- 39.0 ft This will produce major flooding of residential and commercial areas, highways and pastures from Teanaway downstream to Ellensburg, especially in the town of Thorp.
-
Moderate flood 38.0 ft · 22,600 CFS
- 38.0 ft At this level, flooding of roads and pastures in the vicinity of the river will occur. The Ellensburg water supply pumphouse is threatened.
-
Minor flood 35.5 ft · 12,000 CFS
- 35.5 ft At this level, there will be minor flooding in areas along the river from Teanaway to Ellensburg including Irene Rienhart Park in Ellensburg.
- 36.5 ft There will be flooding in pastures along the river.
-
Action 33.5 ft · 5,700 CFS
- 33.5 ft At this stage, the river is near bankfull at Ellensburg. Lowland flooding is possible in the low areas along the river.
- Right now 32.61 ft
NWS forecast: 32.72 ft by Aug 2, 6:00 PM UTC.
12 months of flow at Ellensburg
Daily values from USGS gauge 12484500. Provisional data, subject to revision.
Highest crests on record at Ellensburg
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 41.10 ft | 41,000 CFS | Nov 15, 1906 |
| 38.98 ft | 27,800 CFS | May 29, 1948 |
| 38.77 ft | 27,200 CFS | Feb 9, 1996 |
| 37.93 ft | 22,800 CFS | Nov 25, 1990 |
| 37.84 ft | 22,600 CFS | Jan 8, 2009 |
| 37.63 ft | 21,500 CFS | Dec 3, 1977 |
| 37.08 ft | 19,100 CFS | Nov 23, 1959 |
| 36.89 ft | — | Dec 11, 2025 |
| 36.69 ft | 17,400 CFS | Jan 17, 2011 |
| 36.50 ft | — | May 16, 2011 |
Historical crests published by the National Weather Service for this gauge.
About Yakima River at Ellensburg
This gauge measures Yakima River at Ellensburg, Washington — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters on this stretch check before committing to a shuttle.
Yakima Canyon; Ringer Loop tubing plus blue-ribbon trout.
Raw CFS means little on its own, so every reading on this page is shown against the USGS median for the same calendar day — 3,480 CFS for late July, from 92 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.
Yakima River at Ellensburg — common questions
What is the current flow on Yakima River at Ellensburg?
As of the last reading on this page, Yakima River at Ellensburg was running 3,700 CFS at a gage height of 32.61 ft, or 106% of the USGS median for this date. The number updates automatically from USGS gauge 12484500, 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 3,480 CFS, calculated from 92 years of record (1934–2026). 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 Yakima 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.