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Skookumchuck River near Bucoda

Highest listed crest 216.02 ftFlood stage 211.5 ft75 crests since 1968

The Skookumchuck River near Bucoda crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 75 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1968 to 2025. The highest, 216.02 ft on February 8, 1996, was major flooding, 4.52 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Skookumchuck River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
216.02 ft
February 8, 1996; 11,300 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
211.5 ft
Major flooding from 215.0 ft
Crests at major
2
36th of 70 gauges in Washington
Most recent flood crest
December 9, 2025
212.92 ft, minor flooding
Location
Thurston County
Near Centralia (4.1 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Skookumchuck River near Bucoda
Action stage209.50—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)211.53Dec 9, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage213.03Mar 2, 2022Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage215.02Jan 7, 2022Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

75 crests from 1968 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Skookumchuck River near Bucoda, 1968 to 2025 050100150200250ft Flood stage 211.5 ftMajor 215.0 ft Feb 4, 1968: 14.21 ft, below flood stage; 4,850 cubic feet per secondDec 4, 1968: 12.54 ft, below flood stage; 3,680 cubic feet per secondJan 14, 1970: 12.97 ft, below flood stage; 3,810 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 1970: 12.73 ft, below flood stage; 3,670 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 1971: 15.82 ft, below flood stage; 6,630 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 1972: 16.82 ft, below flood stage; 8,190 cubic feet per secondFeb 29, 1972: 13.15 ft, below flood stage; 3,940 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1972: 14.50 ft, below flood stage; 5,030 cubic feet per secondJan 16, 1974: 15.30 ft, below flood stage; 5,950 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 1974: 13.72 ft, below flood stage; 4,360 cubic feet per secondJan 14, 1975: 14.03 ft, below flood stage; 4,610 cubic feet per secondDec 4, 1975: 15.42 ft, below flood stage; 6,110 cubic feet per secondJan 15, 1976: 14.53 ft, below flood stage; 5,060 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 1977: 16.51 ft, below flood stage; 7,646 cubic feet per secondDec 2, 1977: 16.18 ft, below flood stage; 7,170 cubic feet per secondDec 14, 1977: 12.93 ft, below flood stage; 3,790 cubic feet per secondDec 26, 1980: 13.22 ft, below flood stage; 3,980 cubic feet per secondJan 24, 1982: 14.51 ft, below flood stage; 5,250 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 1982: 12.65 ft, below flood stage; 3,680 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 1983: 13.79 ft, below flood stage; 4,570 cubic feet per secondJan 19, 1986: 12.53 ft, below flood stage; 3,590 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 1986: 13.88 ft, below flood stage; 4,650 cubic feet per secondNov 24, 1986: 15.01 ft, below flood stage; 5,770 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 1987: 15.65 ft, below flood stage; 6,470 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1987: 13.14 ft, below flood stage; 4,030 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 1990: 17.33 ft, below flood stage; 8,540 cubic feet per secondFeb 11, 1990: 16.60 ft, below flood stage; 7,590 cubic feet per secondNov 25, 1990: 17.23 ft, below flood stage; 8,400 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1991: 16.82 ft, below flood stage; 7,860 cubic feet per secondDec 21, 1994: 13.90 ft, below flood stage; 4,020 cubic feet per secondDec 27, 1994: 13.20 ft, below flood stage; 3,640 cubic feet per secondFeb 20, 1995: 14.02 ft, below flood stage; 4,100 cubic feet per secondNov 30, 1995: 15.71 ft, below flood stage; 5,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 1996: 216.02 ft, major flooding; 11,300 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 1996: 13.55 ft, below flood stage; 4,690 cubic feet per secondDec 30, 1996: 16.76 ft, below flood stage; 8,380 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1997: 12.41 ft, below flood stage; 3,780 cubic feet per secondJan 15, 1998: 13.12 ft, below flood stage; 4,340 cubic feet per secondDec 2, 1998: 14.90 ft, below flood stage; 4,500 cubic feet per secondDec 28, 1998: 15.51 ft, below flood stage; 5,010 cubic feet per secondNov 26, 1999: 13.49 ft, below flood stage; 3,550 cubic feet per secondDec 16, 1999: 15.68 ft, below flood stage; 5,150 cubic feet per secondFeb 12, 2001: 13.27 ft, below flood stage; 3,220 cubic feet per secondDec 17, 2001: 15.97 ft, below flood stage; 6,060 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 2002: 14.80 ft, below flood stage; 4,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 2003: 15.93 ft, below flood stage; 5,990 cubic feet per secondJan 30, 2004: 14.20 ft, below flood stage; 3,900 cubic feet per secondJan 18, 2005: 14.97 ft, below flood stage; 5,000 cubic feet per secondJan 11, 2006: 15.64 ft, below flood stage; 6,200 cubic feet per secondJan 30, 2006: 15.97 ft, below flood stage; 6,640 cubic feet per secondNov 7, 2006: 12.56 ft, below flood stage; 3,190 cubic feet per secondDec 15, 2006: 14.11 ft, below flood stage; 4,600 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 2007: 14.75 ft, below flood stage; 5,240 cubic feet per secondDec 3, 2007: 13.03 ft, below flood stage; 3,600 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 2009: 17.72 ft, below flood stage; 10,500 cubic feet per secondDec 13, 2010: 13.36 ft, below flood stage; 4,110 cubic feet per secondJan 16, 2011: 13.93 ft, below flood stage; 4,580 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 2011: 13.91 ft, below flood stage; 4,560 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 2012: 12.70 ft, below flood stage; 3,600 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 2012: 12.71 ft, below flood stage; 3,610 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 2012: 12.69 ft, below flood stage; 3,600 cubic feet per secondDec 3, 2012: 13.38 ft, below flood stage; 4,130 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 2014: 15.55 ft, below flood stage; 6,050 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 2014: 12.65 ft, below flood stage; 3,570 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 2015: 15.57 ft, below flood stage; 6,070 cubic feet per secondDec 9, 2015: 16.60 ft, below flood stage; 7,800 cubic feet per secondNov 25, 2016: 14.60 ft, below flood stage; 4,311 cubic feet per secondFeb 10, 2017: 16.28 ft, below flood stage; 7,580 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 2020: 212.89 ft, minor flooding; 4,470 cubic feet per secondJan 3, 2021: 214.00 ft, moderate flooding; 6,276 cubic feet per secondJan 13, 2021: 213.23 ft, moderate flooding; 4,928 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 2021: 211.97 ft, minor flooding; 3,675 cubic feet per secondJan 7, 2022: 215.99 ft, major flooding; 10,983 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 2022: 214.10 ft, moderate flooding; 6,470 cubic feet per secondDec 9, 2025: 212.92 ft, minor flooding; 3,500 cubic feet per second Highest, 216.02 ft, Feb 8, 1996 197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Skookumchuck River near Bucoda 1960s: 0 1970s: 0 1980s: 0 1990s: 1 2000s: 0 2010s: 0 2020s: 7 7 1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 75 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Skookumchuck River near Bucoda
1Feb 8, 1996216.02+4.52Major11,300
2Jan 7, 2022215.99+4.49Major10,983
3Mar 2, 2022214.10+2.60Moderate6,470
4Jan 3, 2021214.00+2.50Moderate6,276
5Jan 13, 2021213.23+1.73Moderate4,928
6Dec 9, 2025212.92+1.42Minor3,500
7Jan 8, 2020212.89+1.39Minor4,470
8Feb 23, 2021211.97+0.47Minor3,675
9Jan 8, 200917.72−193.78Below flood stage10,500
10Jan 10, 199017.33−194.17Below flood stage8,540
11Nov 25, 199017.23−194.27Below flood stage8,400
12Jan 21, 197216.82−194.68Below flood stage8,190
13Apr 5, 199116.82−194.68Below flood stage7,860
14Dec 30, 199616.76−194.74Below flood stage8,380
15Feb 11, 199016.60−194.90Below flood stage7,590
16Dec 9, 201516.60−194.90Below flood stage7,800
17Mar 9, 197716.51−194.99Below flood stage7,646
18Feb 10, 201716.28−195.22Below flood stage7,580
19Dec 2, 197716.18−195.32Below flood stage7,170
20Dec 17, 200115.97−195.53Below flood stage6,060
21Jan 30, 200615.97−195.53Below flood stage6,640
22Feb 1, 200315.93−195.57Below flood stage5,990
23Jan 26, 197115.82−195.68Below flood stage6,630
24Nov 30, 199515.71−195.79Below flood stage5,200
25Dec 16, 199915.68−195.82Below flood stage5,150
26Feb 1, 198715.65−195.85Below flood stage6,470
27Jan 11, 200615.64−195.86Below flood stage6,200
28Jan 5, 201515.57−195.93Below flood stage6,070
29Feb 17, 201415.55−195.95Below flood stage6,050
30Dec 28, 199815.51−195.99Below flood stage5,010
31Dec 4, 197515.42−196.08Below flood stage6,110
32Jan 16, 197415.30−196.20Below flood stage5,950
33Nov 24, 198615.01−196.49Below flood stage5,770
34Jan 18, 200514.97−196.53Below flood stage5,000
35Dec 2, 199814.90−196.60Below flood stage4,500
36Jan 25, 200214.80−196.70Below flood stage4,600
37Jan 8, 200714.75−196.75Below flood stage5,240
38Nov 25, 201614.60−196.90Below flood stage4,311
39Jan 15, 197614.53−196.97Below flood stage5,060
40Jan 24, 198214.51−196.99Below flood stage5,250
41Mar 6, 197214.50−197.00Below flood stage5,030
42Feb 4, 196814.21−197.29Below flood stage4,850
43Jan 30, 200414.20−197.30Below flood stage3,900
44Dec 15, 200614.11−197.39Below flood stage4,600
45Jan 14, 197514.03−197.47Below flood stage4,610
46Feb 20, 199514.02−197.48Below flood stage4,100
47Jan 16, 201113.93−197.57Below flood stage4,580
48Mar 10, 201113.91−197.59Below flood stage4,560
49Dec 21, 199413.90−197.60Below flood stage4,020
50Feb 24, 198613.88−197.62Below flood stage4,650

The worst floods along the Skookumchuck River

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

February 8, 1996: 216.02 ft here, major flooding

  • CentraliaWA · Feb 8, 1996 · 191.03 ft · Major · its highest

January 7, 2022: 215.99 ft here, major flooding

  • CentraliaWA · Jan 7, 2022 · 190.18 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Skookumchuck River

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

Flood gauges on the Skookumchuck River
Bucoda this gaugeWA211.5216.02 ft, Feb 8, 19962
CentraliaWA189.0191.03 ft, Feb 8, 19961

Other gauges in Thurston County

Flood gauges in Thurston County
Grand Mound141.0147.26 ft, Dec 4, 20072
Rainier11.017.01 ft, Jan 9, 19904

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BCDW1, 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.