TornadoLiveMap

Columbia River at Vancouver — water level right now

Clark County, Washington · NWS gauge VAPW1
Loading the latest reading…
–
current stage (ft)
 
16
minor flood stage
 
33.6
record crest
set 1894-06-07
–
flood status
official NWS category
Official NOAA forecast → Full US flood map →

Flood stages at this gauge

Where the water stands right now against the four official thresholds:

action · 15
minor · 16
moderate · 20
major · 25
Flood stageLevel (ft)What it means
Major flood stage25extensive inundation and significant evacuations — a serious event
Moderate flood stage20some buildings and roads inundated; evacuations possible
Minor flood stage16low-lying roads and fields near the river start to flood
Action stage15water is approaching flood level — time to pay attention

Highest floods on record here

#Crest (ft)Datevs. minor flood stage
133.61894-06-07+17.6 above
2311948-06-13+15 above
330.81948-06-01+14.8 above
427.71964-12-25+11.7 above
527.61956-06-04+11.6 above
627.21996-02-09+11.2 above
726.31933-06-19+10.3 above
826.21928-05-31+10.2 above
9261921-06-12+10 above
1025.91950-06-26+9.9 above
1125.61903-06-16+9.6 above
1225.441965-01-19+9.44 above

Historic crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service — the 12 highest on file.

Where this gauge is

The marker is this gauge; nearby gauges load live and are clickable.

Nearby river gauges

Washougal River at Washougal 17 mi away · loading… East Fork Lewis River near Heisson 18 mi away · loading… Columbia River at Longview 35 mi away · loading… Cowlitz River at Kelso 37 mi away · loading… Cowlitz River at Castle Rock 46 mi away · loading… Toutle River at Tower Road near Silver Lake 49 mi away · loading…

Gauge details

NWS gauge IDVAPW1
CountyClark
StateWashington
NWS forecast officePortland
River forecast centerNorthwest River Forecast Center
Coordinates45.631, -122.696
Time zonePST8PDT
Turn Around, Don't Drown. Six inches of moving water can knock you off your feet and twelve inches can float a car. Never drive around barricades or into water of unknown depth — most flood deaths happen in vehicles.

Questions about Columbia River at Vancouver

Is Columbia River at Vancouver flooding right now?

The live reading at the top of this page answers that: the gauge is compared against its official NWS flood stages every 15 minutes. Minor flooding at this gauge begins at 16 ft. Blue means normal, yellow is action stage, orange minor, red moderate and dark red major flooding.

What is flood stage for Columbia River at Vancouver?

major flood stage 25 ft, moderate flood stage 20 ft, minor flood stage 16 ft, action stage 15 ft. These are official National Weather Service thresholds set specifically for this gauge, not generic values.

What is the record flood at Columbia River at Vancouver?

The highest crest on file at this gauge is 33.6 ft, reached on 1894-06-07 — that is 17.6 ft above minor flood stage. The full list of the highest crests is in the table on this page.

Where does this data come from?

From the NOAA National Water Prediction Service, the official U.S. river gauge network — a U.S. government work in the public domain. Live stage is refreshed every 15 minutes; flood thresholds and historic crests are refreshed monthly. For life-safety decisions follow NWS Portland and local emergency management.