Lewis River at Ariel, WA
Southwest Washington · USGS gauge 14220500 · Updated Oct 24, 2:37 PM PDT · USGS data, provisional
Reading time: Oct 24, 2:30 PM PDT · Provisional data
Flow is in a typical range for the date. Rivers are generally easiest to fish and float when they are near their normal flow, but this status says nothing about water clarity, hatches, hazards such as wood in the river, or dam releases.
- Vs. normal for this date
- 36th percentile
- Typical range (25th–75th)
- 2,170–4,250 cfs
- Median for this date
- 2,740 cfs
- 7-day low / high
- 1,270 / 2,580 cfs
Plain-language explanation
Lewis River at Ariel is flowing at 2,550 cubic feet per second (cfs) as of Oct 24, 2:30 PM PDT. That is in the normal range for this time of year: lower than about 64% of the daily flows this gauge has recorded for this date (give or take 7 days) over 106 years of record (1909–2026).
The middle half of those historical flows runs from 2,170 to 4,250 cfs, with a median of 2,740 cfs; the lowest 10% of days are at or below 1,211 cfs and the highest 10% at or above 6,349 cfs.
Over the last 24 hours the flow has been steady (+0.0%). In the last 7 days it ranged from 1,270 to 2,580 cfs.
Why this status: Flow is within the range this gauge normally sees at this time of year (or the deviation is too small in absolute terms to matter).
Quick answers
Is the Lewis River at Ariel fishable today?
Flowcast's status for the Lewis River at Ariel is “Fishable/Floatable”: flow is 2,550 cfs, within the range this gauge normally sees at this time of year, at the 36th percentile for this date (as of Oct 24, 2:30 PM PDT). That describes flow only. It says nothing about water clarity, temperature, fish activity, access or fishing regulations.
What is the current flow of the Lewis River at Ariel?
2,550 cubic feet per second at USGS gauge 14220500 as of Oct 24, 2:30 PM PDT, provisional data.
Is the Lewis River at Ariel too high or too low right now?
Neither: it is inside the typical range for the date (2,170 to 4,250 cfs).
Is the Lewis River at Ariel rising or falling?
Over the last 24 hours the flow has been steady (+0.0%).
What is a normal flow for the Lewis River at Ariel in October?
For this date (give or take 7 days) the median is 2,740 cfs and the middle half of days runs 2,170 to 4,250 cfs, over 106 years of USGS record.
7-day trend
Hourly flow in cfs, Pacific time. The shaded band is the typical range (25th–75th percentile) for this date, shown when it falls within the chart.
| Day (Pacific) | Mean cfs | Percentile | Status that day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun Oct 18 | 2,468 | 43rd | Fishable/Floatable |
| Mon Oct 19 | 2,466 | 41st | Fishable/Floatable |
| Tue Oct 20 | 2,471 | 40th | Fishable/Floatable |
| Wed Oct 21 | 2,470 | 38th | Fishable/Floatable |
| Thu Oct 22 | 2,481 | 36th | Fishable/Floatable |
| Fri Oct 23 | 2,548 | 36th | Fishable/Floatable |
| Sat Oct 24 (so far) | 2,560 | 37th | Fishable/Floatable |
Seasonal context
Shaded band: 10th–90th percentile of daily flows through the year; dashed line: median. Log scale. Dot: today's flow. Based on 106 years of USGS daily data (1909–2026).
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Official resources
- USGS site page for gauge 14220500 (USGS: live readings, history, station details)
- Washington fishing regulations (WDFW)
- Emergency fishing rule changes (WDFW)
- WDFW fishing and stocking reports
Links go to the agencies' own websites and were checked as working. Flowcast does not summarize fishing or boating rules: regulations and closures change, and the agency pages are the authority.
About this gauge
- USGS site
- USGS-14220500
- USGS name
- Lewis River At Ariel, Wa
- Drainage area
- 731 sq mi
- Location
- 45.9517, -122.5640
- Record in this analysis
- 1909–2026
Nearby gauges
- Cowlitz River at Castle Rock, WA Fishable/Floatable 4,150 cfs · about 28 mi away (straight line)
- Toutle River at Tower Road, near Silver Lake, WA Fishable/Floatable 469 cfs · about 30 mi away (straight line)
- Sandy River below Bull Run River, near Bull Run, OR Too low 266 cfs · about 38 mi away (straight line)
- Sandy River near Marmot, OR Too low 198 cfs · about 43 mi away (straight line)
- Clackamas River at Estacada, OR Too low 625 cfs · about 46 mi away (straight line)
- Molalla River near Canby, OR Too low 53.0 cfs · about 49 mi away (straight line)
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