North Fork Skokomish River below Staircase Rapids, near Hoodsport, WA
Olympic Peninsula · USGS gauge 12056500 · Updated Oct 24, 2:37 PM PDT · USGS data, provisional
Reading time: Oct 24, 2:30 PM PDT · Provisional data
Flow is far below normal for the date. Expect shallow riffles and slower water; some stretches may be hard to float and fish can be stressed by low flows. Check local reports for the specific stretch.
- Vs. normal for this date
- 5th percentile
- Typical range (25th–75th)
- 117–600 cfs
- Median for this date
- 269 cfs
- 7-day low / high
- 46.2 / 60.4 cfs
Plain-language explanation
North Fork Skokomish River below Staircase Rapids, near Hoodsport is flowing at 46.2 cubic feet per second (cfs) as of Oct 24, 2:30 PM PDT. That is among the lowest flows on record for this time of year: lower than about 95% of the daily flows this gauge has recorded for this date (give or take 7 days) over 103 years of record (1924–2026).
The middle half of those historical flows runs from 117 to 600 cfs, with a median of 269 cfs; the lowest 10% of days are at or below 59.0 cfs and the highest 10% at or above 1,300 cfs.
Over the last 24 hours the flow has been steady (+0.0%). In the last 7 days it ranged from 46.2 to 60.4 cfs.
Why this status: Flow is at or below the seasonal 10th percentile and in the lower 40% of all days on record.
Quick answers
Is the North Fork Skokomish River below Staircase Rapids, near Hoodsport fishable today?
Flowcast's status for the North Fork Skokomish River below Staircase Rapids, near Hoodsport is “Too low”: flow is 46.2 cfs, well below normal for the date, at the 5th 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 North Fork Skokomish River below Staircase Rapids, near Hoodsport?
46.2 cubic feet per second at USGS gauge 12056500 as of Oct 24, 2:30 PM PDT, provisional data.
Is the North Fork Skokomish River below Staircase Rapids, near Hoodsport too high or too low right now?
It is on the low side: below the typical range for the date (117 to 600 cfs).
Is the North Fork Skokomish River below Staircase Rapids, near Hoodsport rising or falling?
Over the last 24 hours the flow has been steady (+0.0%).
What is a normal flow for the North Fork Skokomish River below Staircase Rapids, near Hoodsport in October?
For this date (give or take 7 days) the median is 269 cfs and the middle half of days runs 117 to 600 cfs, over 103 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 | 54.1 | 12th | Fishable/Floatable |
| Mon Oct 19 | 52.2 | 10th | Too low |
| Tue Oct 20 | 50.4 | 9th | Too low |
| Wed Oct 21 | 49.5 | 8th | Too low |
| Thu Oct 22 | 48.0 | 7th | Too low |
| Fri Oct 23 | 46.2 | 6th | Too low |
| Sat Oct 24 (so far) | 46.2 | 5th | Too low |
Seasonal context
Shaded band: 10th–90th percentile of daily flows through the year; dashed line: median. Log scale. Dot: today's flow. Based on 103 years of USGS daily data (1924–2026).
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Official resources
- USGS site page for gauge 12056500 (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-12056500
- USGS name
- Nf Skokomish R Bl Staircase Rpds Nr Hoodsport, Wa
- Drainage area
- 57 sq mi
- Location
- 47.5143, -123.3299
- Record in this analysis
- 1924–2026
Nearby gauges
- Skokomish River near Potlatch, WA Fishable/Floatable 327 cfs · about 16 mi away (straight line)
- Wynoochee River above Save Creek, near Aberdeen, WA Too low 190 cfs · about 21 mi away (straight line)
- Quinault River at Quinault Lake, WA Too low 372 cfs · about 26 mi away (straight line)
- Dungeness River near Sequim, WA Too low 60.4 cfs · about 36 mi away (straight line)
- Elwha River at McDonald Bridge, near Port Angeles, WA Too low 185 cfs · about 39 mi away (straight line)
- Queets River near Clearwater, WA Too low 542 cfs · about 46 mi away (straight line)
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