Wenatchee River level at Peshastin
Washington · Paddling & whitewater
Measured at USGS 12459000 — WENATCHEE RIVER AT PESHASTIN, WA · NWS forecast point PESW1
Reading taken · as of 13 min ago
Too low for most boats — rocky and technical
At 346 CFS, this gauge is in the lowest 5% of the 97 years USGS has recorded for this date (1929–2026), at 56% of the 618 CFS median.
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Flood stages at Peshastin
National Weather Service categories for gauge PESW1, WFO OTX. Impact wording is the NWS's own, verbatim.
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Major flood 15.0 ft
- 15.0 ft Major flooding is likely throughout the valley between Leavenworth and Wenatchee.
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Moderate flood 14.0 ft
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Minor flood 13.0 ft
- 13.0 ft Flooding is likely in low-lying areas, especially in the Cashmere area.
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Action 12.0 ft
- Right now 1.48 ft
NWS forecast: 1.52 ft by .
Flow history at Peshastin
Daily values from USGS 12459000, updated every 15 to 60 minutes; NWS forecast for PESW1 reissued through the day. Provisional.
Highest crests on record at Peshastin
12 on record
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 17.89 ft | 41,300 CFS | Nov 30, 1995 |
| 17.58 ft | 40,000 CFS | Nov 25, 1990 |
| 15.88 ft | 32,300 CFS | May 28, 1948 |
| 15.03 ft | 30,300 CFS | Nov 7, 2006 |
| 14.09 ft | 27,000 CFS | Dec 27, 1980 |
| 13.77 ft | 26,000 CFS | Jun 10, 1972 |
| 13.56 ft | 26,300 CFS | Jun 17, 1974 |
| 13.54 ft | 25,200 CFS | Dec 4, 1975 |
| 13.20 ft | 24,200 CFS | May 21, 1956 |
| 12.98 ft | 23,400 CFS | Jun 13, 1955 |
Crests published by the National Weather Service.
About Wenatchee River at Peshastin
The highest and the lowest readings this station has ever produced are both November dates, two years apart. On 26 November 1993 the daily mean was 210 CFS. On 30 November 1995 it was 38,900 CFS. That is a range of 185 to one inside a single calendar month.
The two mechanisms behind that are separate. The seasonal water is snowmelt, which puts the published medians at 7,830 CFS in June and 7,600 in May against 648 in September. The floods are not: the four largest peaks on record are 30 November 1995, 25 November 1990, 28 May 1948 and 7 November 2006, and three of those four are late autumn. The NWS ladder runs in one foot steps from action at 12 to major at 15 feet.
Wenatchee River at Peshastin — common questions
6 questions
When is this river highest?
In terms of ordinary volume, June: the published median is 7,830 CFS, with May at 7,600, against a September low of 648. In terms of floods, November: three of the four largest peaks on record fall in late November, headed by 41,300 CFS and a crest of 17.89 feet on 30 November 1995. The two questions have different answers on this gauge.
How much history is behind the seasonal figure?
About 97 years. The daily series begins on 1 March 1929 and USGS statistics run through 2026, with 97 annual peaks on file. The record low daily mean is 210 CFS from 26 November 1993 and the record high is 38,900 CFS from 30 November 1995.
Does the Yakima at Ellensburg move with this gauge?
Moderately, and they are close in size. Over 35,329 days of shared record since 1929 the correlation is 0.651 and this gauge carries a median of about 1.06 times the Yakima's flow, 50.2 miles away. Both are east slope Cascade rivers, but the Yakima is heavily managed for irrigation and this one is much less so, which loosens the relationship in summer.
How fast can Wenatchee River at Peshastin come up?
Fast. It is free-flowing, so rain upstream moves it directly. Several feet in a few hours is normal after a heavy storm.
Is Wenatchee River at Peshastin high or low for this time of year?
The USGS median flow for late September here is 618 CFS, from 97 years of record (1929–2026). Today sits in the lowest 5% of those years, at 56% of the median. The comparison is what makes the raw number mean anything: the same reading is a drought on one river and a flood on another.
How often does this reading update?
USGS transmits from gauge 12459000 every 15 to 60 minutes, and the National Weather Service reissues the flood forecast for PESW1 a few times a day — more often when the river is rising. This page refreshes from both when you open it. The timestamp is in the gauge's local time.