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Nehalem River near Vernonia

Highest listed crest 19.10 ftFlood stage 12.0 ft11 crests since 2002

The Nehalem River near Vernonia crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 11 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2002 to 2016. The highest, 19.10 ft on December 3, 2007, was major flooding, 7.10 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Nehalem River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
19.10 ft
December 3, 2007; 17,500 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
12.0 ft
Major flooding from 15.0 ft
Crests at major
1
45th of 100 gauges in Oregon
Most recent flood crest
November 25, 2016
12.50 ft, minor flooding
Location
Columbia County
Oregon

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Nehalem River near Vernonia
Action stage11.05Mar 30, 2012The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)12.02Nov 25, 2016Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage13.51Dec 9, 2015Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage15.01Dec 3, 2007Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

11 crests from 2002 to 2016. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Nehalem River near Vernonia, 2002 to 2016 101214161820ft Flood stage 12.0 ftMajor 15.0 ft Jan 7, 2002: 11.57 ft, action stage; 5,560 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 2003: 10.51 ft, below flood stage; 4,210 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 2005: 10.03 ft, below flood stage; 3,660 cubic feet per secondJan 30, 2006: 11.49 ft, action stage; 5,450 cubic feet per secondDec 3, 2007: 19.10 ft, major flooding; 17,500 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 2009: 11.09 ft, action stage; 3,980 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2012: 11.48 ft, action stage; 4,620 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 2012: 11.01 ft, action stage; 4,140 cubic feet per secondNov 20, 2012: 13.42 ft, minor flooding; 7,080 cubic feet per secondDec 9, 2015: 14.60 ft, moderate flooding; 8,660 cubic feet per secondNov 25, 2016: 12.50 ft, minor flooding; 6,421 cubic feet per second Highest, 19.10 ft, Dec 3, 2007 200520102015

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Nehalem River near Vernonia 2000s: 1 2010s: 3 3 2000s2010s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.

Highest crests

Highest listed crests, Nehalem River near Vernonia
1Dec 3, 200719.10+7.10Major17,500
2Dec 9, 201514.60+2.60Moderate8,660
3Nov 20, 201213.42+1.42Minor7,080
4Nov 25, 201612.50+0.50Minor6,421
5Jan 7, 200211.57−0.43Action5,560
6Jan 30, 200611.49−0.51Action5,450
7Mar 15, 201211.48−0.52Action4,620
8Jan 8, 200911.09−0.91Action3,980
9Mar 30, 201211.01−0.99Action4,140
10Jan 31, 200310.51−1.49Below flood stage4,210
11Mar 27, 200510.03−1.97Below flood stage3,660

The worst floods along the Nehalem River

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Nehalem River that crested above flood stage within a week.

December 3, 2007: 19.10 ft here, major flooding

  • FossOR · Dec 3, 2007 · 24.30 ft · Major

December 9, 2015: 14.60 ft here, moderate flooding

  • FossOR · Dec 9, 2015 · 23.40 ft · Moderate

November 20, 2012: 13.42 ft here, minor flooding

  • FossOR · Nov 19, 2012 · 17.33 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Nehalem River

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the Nehalem River
Vernonia this gaugeOR12.019.10 ft, Dec 3, 20071
FossOR15.029.56 ft, Feb 8, 19963

Other gauges in Columbia County

Flood gauges in Columbia County
St. Helens15.527.10 ft, Jun 14, 19485
Hwy 47 Bridge at Vernonia9.510.22 ft, Nov 25, 20160

Columbia County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Oregon

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge VENO3, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.