Nehalem River near Vernonia, OR
River level and flood forecast · Columbia County
The river is 8.2 ft below flood stage (12 ft).
Forecast to hold near 3.8 ft through Mon, Oct 19, 11 PM.
Flow: 6 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Mon, Oct 12, 8:25 AM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Get flood alerts for this river
An email when the National Weather Service forecasts Nehalem River near Vernonia to flood, when it floods, and when it's over.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 15 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 13.5 ft |
| Flood stage | 12 ft |
| Action stage | 11 ft |
| Record crest (December 3, 2007) | 19.1 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 18 ftexpect widespread major flooding in and near Vernonia, several feet deep in some low-lying parts of town. Flooding at this level is comparable to the floods of February 1996 and December 2007. The areas of the city most susceptible to flooding include the central part near Bridge Street between Madison and Adams Avenues, along with east side of town near Alder, Cherry, and Elm Streets and Pebble Creek Road. Flooding is also likely south of Vernonia near the intersection of Highway 47 and Timber Road.
- 16.5 ftexpect major flooding in Vernonia, especially in the central part of town near Bridge Street and Madison, Jefferson, and Adams Avenues, along with the east part of town near Alder, Cherry, and Elm Streets. Also expect flooding south of town near the intersection of Hwy 47 and Sheely Creek Road. Flooding at this level is 1 to 2 feet below the depths experienced in February 1996 and December 2007.
- 15 ftexpect significant flooding of the lower areas of Vernonia, with some flooding of buildings beginning at this level. Flooding at this level is 2 to 3 feet below the highest levels in the February 1996 and December 2007 floods.
- 13.5 ftexpect minor flooding of lower areas in and near Vernonia. Some roads near the river may be flooded. High flows on Rock Creek may increase the extent of flooding.
- 12 ftexpect minor flooding of low-lying areas in and near Vernonia.
Highest crests on record
- 19.1 ft — December 3, 2007
- 14.6 ft — December 9, 2015
- 13.42 ft — November 20, 2012
- 12.5 ft — November 25, 2016
- 12.4 ft — December 7, 2015
Recent crests: 12.5 ft (November 25, 2016) · 14.6 ft (December 9, 2015) · 12.4 ft (December 7, 2015) · 13.42 ft (November 20, 2012) · 11.01 ft (March 30, 2012)
Up and down the river, and nearby
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (VENO3); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.