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Cowlitz River at Randle

Highest listed crest 25.24 ftFlood stage 18.0 ft43 crests since 1995

The Cowlitz River at Randle crested at major flood stage 10 times among the 43 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1995 to 2025. The highest, 25.24 ft on November 7, 2006, was major flooding, 7.24 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
25.24 ft
November 7, 2006
Flood stage
18.0 ft
Major flooding from 22.0 ft
Crests at major
10
12th of 70 gauges in Washington
Most recent flood crest
December 19, 2025
19.84 ft, minor 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 Randle
Action stage13.28Dec 2, 2013The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)18.014Dec 19, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage20.08Dec 6, 2023Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage22.010Dec 11, 2025Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

43 crests from 1995 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Cowlitz River at Randle, 1995 to 2025 1015202530ft Flood stage 18.0 ftMajor 22.0 ft Feb 20, 1995: 18.93 ft, minor flooding; 23,800 cubic feet per secondNov 9, 1995: 19.38 ft, minor flooding; 20,700 cubic feet per secondNov 14, 1995: 15.83 ft, action stage; 16,600 cubic feet per secondNov 25, 1995: 13.13 ft, below flood stage; 12,500 cubic feet per secondNov 30, 1995: 23.58 ft, major floodingDec 13, 1995: 14.15 ft, action stage; 13,500 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 1996: 14.98 ft, action stage; 14,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 9, 1996: 24.90 ft, major floodingApr 24, 1996: 13.19 ft, below flood stage; 12,000 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 1997: 18.53 ft, minor floodingMar 20, 1997: 19.27 ft, minor floodingOct 31, 1997: 19.83 ft, minor floodingDec 30, 1998: 20.67 ft, moderate floodingNov 26, 1999: 21.13 ft, moderate flooding; 25,494 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 2002: 19.77 ft, minor flooding; 23,094 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 2003: 16.37 ft, action stage; 17,137 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 2003: 22.49 ft, major floodingJan 18, 2005: 20.11 ft, moderate floodingNov 7, 2006: 25.24 ft, major floodingMay 18, 2008: 17.91 ft, action stage; 19,800 cubic feet per secondNov 12, 2008: 22.13 ft, major floodingJan 7, 2009: 22.85 ft, major floodingJun 3, 2010: 13.02 ft, below flood stage; 10,600 cubic feet per secondJan 17, 2011: 22.43 ft, major floodingFeb 22, 2012: 17.52 ft, action stage; 16,800 cubic feet per secondOct 31, 2012: 15.21 ft, action stage; 13,500 cubic feet per secondDec 2, 2013: 17.46 ft, action stage; 16,700 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 2014: 18.72 ft, minor flooding; 18,600 cubic feet per secondNov 26, 2014: 19.23 ft, minor floodingNov 1, 2015: 18.72 ft, minor flooding; 18,600 cubic feet per secondNov 18, 2015: 21.88 ft, moderate flooding; 32,815 cubic feet per secondDec 9, 2015: 24.11 ft, major flooding; 46,440 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 2017: 18.53 ft, minor flooding; 18,300 cubic feet per secondOct 22, 2017: 20.30 ft, moderate flooding; 22,250 cubic feet per secondNov 23, 2017: 20.89 ft, moderate flooding; 23,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 2020: 20.94 ft, moderate flooding; 23,850 cubic feet per secondJan 13, 2021: 19.30 ft, minor flooding; 20,038 cubic feet per secondNov 13, 2021: 22.28 ft, major flooding; 34,539 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 2022: 19.52 ft, minor flooding; 19,972 cubic feet per secondNov 5, 2022: 19.07 ft, minor flooding; 19,100 cubic feet per secondDec 6, 2023: 21.31 ft, moderate flooding; 25,015 cubic feet per secondDec 11, 2025: 24.17 ft, major flooding; 36,656 cubic feet per secondDec 19, 2025: 19.84 ft, minor flooding; 20,598 cubic feet per second Highest, 25.24 ft, Nov 7, 2006 200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Cowlitz River at Randle 1990s: 9 9 2000s: 6 2010s: 9 2020s: 8 1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, Cowlitz River at Randle
1Nov 7, 200625.24+7.24Major—
2Feb 9, 199624.90+6.90Major—
3Dec 11, 202524.17+6.17Major36,656
4Dec 9, 201524.11+6.11Major46,440
5Nov 30, 199523.58+5.58Major—
6Jan 7, 200922.85+4.85Major—
7Jan 31, 200322.49+4.49Major—
8Jan 17, 201122.43+4.43Major—
9Nov 13, 202122.28+4.28Major34,539
10Nov 12, 200822.13+4.13Major—
11Nov 18, 201521.88+3.88Moderate32,815
12Dec 6, 202321.31+3.31Moderate25,015
13Nov 26, 199921.13+3.13Moderate25,494
14Feb 8, 202020.94+2.94Moderate23,850
15Nov 23, 201720.89+2.89Moderate23,700
16Dec 30, 199820.67+2.67Moderate—
17Oct 22, 201720.30+2.30Moderate22,250
18Jan 18, 200520.11+2.11Moderate—
19Dec 19, 202519.84+1.84Minor20,598
20Oct 31, 199719.83+1.83Minor—
21Jan 8, 200219.77+1.77Minor23,094
22Mar 1, 202219.52+1.52Minor19,972
23Nov 9, 199519.38+1.38Minor20,700
24Jan 13, 202119.30+1.30Minor20,038
25Mar 20, 199719.27+1.27Minor—
26Nov 26, 201419.23+1.23Minor—
27Nov 5, 202219.07+1.07Minor19,100
28Feb 20, 199518.93+0.93Minor23,800
29Mar 9, 201418.72+0.72Minor18,600
30Nov 1, 201518.72+0.72Minor18,600
31Jan 1, 199718.53+0.53Minor—
32Mar 16, 201718.53+0.53Minor18,300
33May 18, 200817.91−0.09Action19,800
34Feb 22, 201217.52−0.48Action16,800
35Dec 2, 201317.46−0.54Action16,700
36Jan 26, 200316.37−1.63Action17,137
37Nov 14, 199515.83−2.17Action16,600
38Oct 31, 201215.21−2.79Action13,500
39Jan 8, 199614.98−3.02Action14,800
40Dec 13, 199514.15−3.85Action13,500
41Apr 24, 199613.19−4.81Below flood stage12,000
42Nov 25, 199513.13−4.87Below flood stage12,500
43Jun 3, 201013.02−4.98Below flood stage10,600

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 7, 2006: 25.24 ft here, major flooding

  • PackwoodWA · Nov 6, 2006 · 14.59 ft · Major · its highest
  • Castle RockWA · Nov 7, 2006 · 49.78 ft · Minor
  • KelsoWA · Nov 7, 2006 · 23.10 ft · Minor

February 9, 1996: 24.90 ft here, major flooding

  • KelsoWA · Feb 9, 1996 · 29.50 ft · Major · its highest
  • Castle RockWA · Feb 8, 1996 · 55.76 ft · Moderate · its highest
  • PackwoodWA · Feb 8, 1996 · 10.86 ft · Minor

December 11, 2025: 24.17 ft here, major flooding

  • PackwoodWA · Dec 10, 2025 · 12.24 ft · Major
  • Castle RockWA · Dec 9, 2025 · 48.18 ft · Minor

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
PackwoodWA10.514.59 ft, Nov 6, 20069
Randle this gaugeWA18.025.24 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
Packwood10.514.59 ft, Nov 6, 20069
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 RAWW1, 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.