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Cowlitz River at Packwood

Highest listed crest 14.59 ftFlood stage 10.5 ft66 crests since 1917

The Cowlitz River at Packwood crested at major flood stage 9 times among the 66 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1917 to 2025. The highest, 14.59 ft on November 6, 2006, was major flooding, 4.09 feet above flood stage. 3 other gauges on the Cowlitz River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
14.59 ft
November 6, 2006; 42,100 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
10.5 ft
Major flooding from 12.0 ft
Crests at major
9
13th of 70 gauges in Washington
Most recent flood crest
December 10, 2025
12.24 ft, major flooding
Location
Lewis County
Washington

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Cowlitz River at Packwood
Action stage8.225Nov 25, 2014The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)10.515Nov 12, 2021Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage11.011Jan 31, 2003Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage12.09Dec 10, 2025Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

66 crests from 1917 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Cowlitz River at Packwood, 1917 to 2025 6810121416ft Flood stage 10.5 ftMajor 12.0 ft Dec 19, 1917: 11.90 ft, moderate flooding; 28,800 cubic feet per secondDec 29, 1917: 10.10 ft, action stage; 22,400 cubic feet per secondJan 22, 1919: 8.00 ft, below flood stage; 16,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 1932: 9.88 ft, action stage; 16,100 cubic feet per secondNov 13, 1932: 9.87 ft, action stage; 20,500 cubic feet per secondDec 9, 1933: 10.92 ft, minor flooding; 25,500 cubic feet per secondDec 21, 1933: 13.00 ft, major flooding; 36,600 cubic feet per secondJan 23, 1934: 9.52 ft, action stage; 18,800 cubic feet per secondOct 28, 1934: 10.72 ft, minor flooding; 24,500 cubic feet per secondNov 5, 1934: 11.08 ft, moderate flooding; 26,500 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1938: 10.49 ft, action stage; 15,700 cubic feet per secondNov 23, 1942: 11.26 ft, moderate flooding; 20,300 cubic feet per secondDec 11, 1946: 10.77 ft, minor flooding; 19,000 cubic feet per secondOct 19, 1947: 11.19 ft, moderate flooding; 18,800 cubic feet per secondNov 27, 1949: 11.98 ft, moderate flooding; 22,900 cubic feet per secondDec 11, 1955: 10.81 ft, minor flooding; 15,900 cubic feet per secondOct 22, 1959: 10.92 ft, minor flooding; 18,800 cubic feet per secondNov 23, 1959: 13.54 ft, major flooding; 34,300 cubic feet per secondNov 20, 1962: 13.23 ft, major flooding; 32,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 3, 1963: 10.06 ft, action stage; 15,400 cubic feet per secondDec 23, 1964: 10.37 ft, action stage; 16,700 cubic feet per secondOct 27, 1967: 11.10 ft, moderate flooding; 20,000 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 1968: 10.24 ft, action stage; 16,200 cubic feet per secondDec 21, 1972: 10.75 ft, minor flooding; 18,200 cubic feet per secondJan 15, 1974: 11.88 ft, moderate flooding; 23,900 cubic feet per secondDec 21, 1974: 10.32 ft, action stage; 16,500 cubic feet per secondJan 18, 1975: 10.05 ft, action stage; 15,400 cubic feet per secondDec 4, 1975: 12.80 ft, major flooding; 30,600 cubic feet per secondNov 25, 1977: 10.86 ft, minor flooding; 20,400 cubic feet per secondDec 2, 1977: 13.73 ft, major flooding; 36,200 cubic feet per secondDec 13, 1977: 9.85 ft, action stage; 16,300 cubic feet per secondDec 26, 1980: 12.80 ft, major flooding; 30,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 20, 1982: 9.82 ft, action stage; 16,200 cubic feet per secondDec 3, 1982: 10.14 ft, action stage; 17,500 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 1985: 10.40 ft, action stage; 17,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 1986: 10.62 ft, minor flooding; 18,100 cubic feet per secondNov 24, 1986: 11.41 ft, moderate flooding; 22,900 cubic feet per secondDec 9, 1987: 9.70 ft, action stage; 15,700 cubic feet per secondDec 4, 1989: 10.37 ft, action stage; 18,400 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 1990: 11.34 ft, moderate flooding; 22,800 cubic feet per secondNov 24, 1990: 12.48 ft, major flooding; 28,700 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 1995: 6.68 ft, below flood stage; 15,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1995: 9.20 ft, action stage; 17,700 cubic feet per secondNov 8, 1995: 9.70 ft, action stage; 17,000 cubic feet per secondNov 29, 1995: 10.72 ft, minor flooding; 32,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 1996: 10.86 ft, minor flooding; 32,900 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1997: 8.76 ft, action stage; 15,900 cubic feet per secondOct 30, 1997: 10.71 ft, minor flooding; 21,000 cubic feet per secondDec 29, 1998: 9.37 ft, action stage; 15,800 cubic feet per secondNov 12, 1999: 9.69 ft, action stage; 17,000 cubic feet per secondNov 25, 1999: 11.22 ft, moderate flooding; 23,200 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 2002: 9.79 ft, action stage; 17,400 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 2003: 11.93 ft, moderate flooding; 20,700 cubic feet per secondJan 18, 2005: 10.23 ft, action stage; 16,700 cubic feet per secondNov 6, 2006: 14.59 ft, major flooding; 42,100 cubic feet per secondDec 3, 2007: 7.76 ft, below flood stage; 15,200 cubic feet per secondNov 12, 2008: 10.82 ft, minor flooding; 26,400 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 2010: 6.23 ft, below flood stage; 9,190 cubic feet per secondJan 16, 2011: 10.75 ft, minor flooding; 25,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 2012: 6.92 ft, below flood stage; 12,200 cubic feet per secondOct 29, 2012: 7.73 ft, below flood stage; 14,800 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 2014: 8.52 ft, action stage; 17,400 cubic feet per secondNov 25, 2014: 10.06 ft, action stage; 19,500 cubic feet per secondOct 22, 2017: 10.75 ft, minor flooding; 28,448 cubic feet per secondNov 12, 2021: 10.63 ft, minor flooding; 24,906 cubic feet per secondDec 10, 2025: 12.24 ft, major flooding; 31,394 cubic feet per second Highest, 14.59 ft, Nov 6, 2006 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Cowlitz River at Packwood 1910s: 1 1920s: 0 1930s: 4 1940s: 4 1950s: 3 1960s: 2 1970s: 5 1980s: 3 1990s: 6 6 2000s: 3 2010s: 2 2020s: 2 1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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

The 50 highest of 66 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Cowlitz River at Packwood
1Nov 6, 200614.59+4.09Major42,100
2Dec 2, 197713.73+3.23Major36,200
3Nov 23, 195913.54+3.04Major34,300
4Nov 20, 196213.23+2.73Major32,100
5Dec 21, 193313.00+2.50Major36,600
6Dec 4, 197512.80+2.30Major30,600
7Dec 26, 198012.80+2.30Major30,600
8Nov 24, 199012.48+1.98Major28,700
9Dec 10, 202512.24+1.74Major31,394
10Nov 27, 194911.98+1.48Moderate22,900
11Jan 31, 200311.93+1.43Moderate20,700
12Dec 19, 191711.90+1.40Moderate28,800
13Jan 15, 197411.88+1.38Moderate23,900
14Nov 24, 198611.41+0.91Moderate22,900
15Jan 9, 199011.34+0.84Moderate22,800
16Nov 23, 194211.26+0.76Moderate20,300
17Nov 25, 199911.22+0.72Moderate23,200
18Oct 19, 194711.19+0.69Moderate18,800
19Oct 27, 196711.10+0.60Moderate20,000
20Nov 5, 193411.08+0.58Moderate26,500
21Dec 9, 193310.92+0.42Minor25,500
22Oct 22, 195910.92+0.42Minor18,800
23Nov 25, 197710.86+0.36Minor20,400
24Feb 8, 199610.86+0.36Minor32,900
25Nov 12, 200810.82+0.32Minor26,400
26Dec 11, 195510.81+0.31Minor15,900
27Dec 11, 194610.77+0.27Minor19,000
28Dec 21, 197210.75+0.25Minor18,200
29Jan 16, 201110.75+0.25Minor25,700
30Oct 22, 201710.75+0.25Minor28,448
31Oct 28, 193410.72+0.22Minor24,500
32Nov 29, 199510.72+0.22Minor32,100
33Oct 30, 199710.71+0.21Minor21,000
34Nov 12, 202110.63+0.13Minor24,906
35Feb 23, 198610.62+0.12Minor18,100
36Apr 18, 193810.49−0.01Action15,700
37Jun 7, 198510.40−0.10Action17,000
38Dec 23, 196410.37−0.13Action16,700
39Dec 4, 198910.37−0.13Action18,400
40Dec 21, 197410.32−0.18Action16,500
41Jun 2, 196810.24−0.26Action16,200
42Jan 18, 200510.23−0.27Action16,700
43Dec 3, 198210.14−0.36Action17,500
44Dec 29, 191710.10−0.40Action22,400
45Feb 3, 196310.06−0.44Action15,400
46Nov 25, 201410.06−0.44Action19,500
47Jan 18, 197510.05−0.45Action15,400
48Feb 26, 19329.88−0.62Action16,100
49Nov 13, 19329.87−0.63Action20,500
50Dec 13, 19779.85−0.65Action16,300

The worst floods along the Cowlitz River

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

November 6, 2006: 14.59 ft here, major flooding

  • RandleWA · Nov 7, 2006 · 25.24 ft · Major · its highest
  • Castle RockWA · Nov 7, 2006 · 49.78 ft · Minor
  • KelsoWA · Nov 7, 2006 · 23.10 ft · Minor

December 2, 1977: 13.73 ft here, major flooding

  • Castle RockWA · Dec 2, 1977 · 48.13 ft · Minor
  • KelsoWA · Dec 2, 1977 · 21.50 ft · Minor

December 21, 1933: 13.00 ft here, major flooding

  • KelsoWA · Dec 23, 1933 · 28.86 ft · Major

Gauges on the Cowlitz River

Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.

Flood gauges on the Cowlitz River
Castle RockWA48.055.76 ft, Feb 8, 19960
KelsoWA21.529.50 ft, Feb 9, 19963
Packwood this gaugeWA10.514.59 ft, Nov 6, 20069
RandleWA18.025.24 ft, Nov 7, 200610

Other gauges in Lewis County

Flood gauges in Lewis County
Centralia168.5178.10 ft, Dec 4, 20071
Doty318.0336.26 ft, Dec 3, 20071
Randle18.025.24 ft, Nov 7, 200610
Chehalis202.5205.59 ft, Jan 6, 20221
Centralia189.0191.03 ft, Feb 8, 19961

Lewis County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Washington

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge PACW1, 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.