River conditions
How warm is the river?
Live water temperatures and flows for the Columbia, Snake and Yakima rivers (upstream, at the Tri-Cities and downstream) from USGS, Army Corps of Engineers and Grant PUD monitoring stations, with a map of where each reading is taken.
Water temperature now, river by river
Below 60°F 60–69°F 70°F+ No reading / flow only
Columbia River
From the Hanford Reach past Richland and Pasco to McNary Dam and beyond.
Upstream
Below Priest Rapids Dam, entering the Hanford Reach
65°F 18.4°C
Cool: treat with caution · Steady over 24 h
At the Tri-Cities
Pasco, below the Blue Bridge (Hwy 395)
Seasonal sensor, back in spring.
At the Tri-Cities
Lake Wallula at McNary Dam (fish ladder exit)
65°F 18.2°C
Cool: treat with caution · Steady over 24 h
Downstream
Below McNary Dam, Umatilla
65°F 18.1°C
Cool: treat with caution · Steady over 24 h
Downstream
Below John Day Dam (about 110 miles downriver)
66°F 18.8°C
Cool: treat with caution · Steady over 24 h
Snake River
From Lower Monumental Dam to Ice Harbor and its mouth at Pasco.
Upstream
Below Lower Monumental Dam
63°F 17.4°C
Cool: treat with caution · Steady over 24 h
At the Tri-Cities
Lake Sacajawea at Ice Harbor Dam (fish ladder exit)
65°F 18.5°C
Cool: treat with caution · +0.5 °F in 24 h
At the Tri-Cities
Below Ice Harbor Dam, east of Pasco
64°F 17.8°C
Cool: treat with caution · Steady over 24 h
Yakima River
From Kiona past West Richland to its mouth at Richland.
Upstream
Kiona, near Benton City
64°F 17.6°C
Cool: treat with caution · Steady over 24 h
At the Tri-Cities
Van Giesen Bridge, Richland / West Richland
65°F 18.4°C
Cool: treat with caution · Steady over 24 h
River flows
| Where | Now | 7 days | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flow entering the Hanford Reach | 61,600 cfs | Oct 6, 12:15 am · Grant PUD / USGS | |
| McNary Dam outflow (daily average) | 72,000 cfs | Oct 6, 12:00 am · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers | |
| Ice Harbor Dam outflow | 12,900 cfs | Oct 6, 12:00 am · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers | |
| Yakima River flow at Kiona | 1,280 cfs | Oct 6, 12:30 am · USGS |
Provisional data from USGS, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Grant PUD (via Columbia Basin Research DART). Hourly readings refresh every 30 minutes; some stations publish daily averages only. Lines show the last 7 days.
Salmon & steelhead counts
How many adult fish climbed the fish ladders at the dams around the Tri-Cities, compared with the same week last year. Anglers watch these numbers to know when the run is on.
| Dam | Species | Latest day | 7 days | vs. last year | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Priest Rapids DamColumbia, above the Hanford Reach | Adult Chinook | 47 | 924 | -73% | Oct 2 |
| Jack Chinook | 5 | 77 | -39% | Oct 2 | |
| Steelhead | 26 | 268 | -71% | Oct 2 | |
| Coho | 162 | 2,162 | +30% | Oct 2 | |
| Sockeye | 0 | 1 | -89% | Oct 2 | |
| McNary DamColumbia, below the Tri-Cities | Adult Chinook | 1,012 | 10,582 | -51% | Oct 4 |
| Jack Chinook | 381 | 2,334 | -35% | Oct 4 | |
| Steelhead | 656 | 4,310 | -72% | Oct 4 | |
| Coho | 262 | 1,893 | -58% | Oct 4 | |
| Sockeye | 0 | 0 | -100% | Oct 4 | |
| Ice Harbor DamSnake, east of Pasco | Adult Chinook | 166 | 1,650 | -44% | Oct 4 |
| Jack Chinook | 59 | 421 | -1% | Oct 4 | |
| Steelhead | 460 | 4,303 | -69% | Oct 4 | |
| Coho | 90 | 584 | -54% | Oct 4 |
Daily adult fish counts at the dam fish ladders, published by Columbia Basin Research DART from Army Corps of Engineers and Grant PUD counts. Counts are provisional.
Before you fish: seasons, limits and closures change often through emergency rules. Always check WDFW’s emergency fishing rules and the fishing regulations pamphlet. We don’t summarize the rules here, so nothing gets lost in translation.
Reading the numbers
Cold water is the real risk. The National Center for Cold Water Safety advises treating any water below 70°F (21°C) with caution, and cold shock (involuntary gasping that can make you inhale water) hits hardest between 50°F and 60°F. Wear a life jacket on every trip, even on hot days.
Flows change fast below the dams. Priest Rapids, Ice Harbor and McNary release water on their own schedules, so the Hanford Reach can rise or drop several feet in a day. Check the flow trend before you launch or wade.
- Dam and fish-ladder sensors measure the main channel. Shallow coves, sloughs and swimming beaches warm up faster on sunny afternoons; the main current stays colder.
- The Yakima runs warmer and shallower than the Columbia in late summer, and its flow drops sharply after irrigation season.
- Upstream and downstream: readings run from Priest Rapids Dam and Lower Monumental Dam down past the Tri-Cities to McNary and John Day dams, so you can see how the water changes along the way. The Columbia station at Pasco runs only from about March to September.
- Data is provisional and can occasionally be wrong or missing; always use your own judgment on the water.
Parks on the river
Every park in our directory that sits on the bank of the Columbia, Snake, Yakima or Palouse river, from Clover Island and Howard Amon Park to Prosser’s riverfront and Lyons Ferry.
Chamna Natural Preserve
A 276-acre preserve at the Yakima River delta with more than 11 miles of trails through shrub-steppe, riparian and wetland habitat.
Chiawana Park
West Pasco riverfront park on the Columbia with picnic areas and a section of the Sacagawea Heritage Trail.
Clover Island
Port of Kennewick island with a marina, a riverside walkway, the lighthouse viewpoint, public art and waterfront dining.
Columbia Park
The region’s signature riverfront park: miles of Columbia River shoreline, the Sacagawea Heritage Trail, a family fishing pond, playgrounds, boat launches and a bandshell for festivals.
Hanford Reach National Monument
The last free-flowing, non-tidal stretch of the Columbia River in the U.S., with the White Bluffs, salmon spawning beds and shrub-steppe wildlife.
Howard Amon Park
Richland’s riverfront park beside the Uptown district: shaded lawns, the riverside path, a playground and the summer concert and art-fair home base.
Leslie Groves Park
North Richland riverfront park with sports fields and access to the riverside trail.
Lyons Ferry State Park
Camping, swimming and boating where the Palouse meets the Snake River, near Palouse Falls.
Palouse Falls State Park
Washington’s state waterfall: the Palouse River drops about 200 feet into a basalt canyon in northern Franklin County. Discover Pass required; stay behind fences.
Sacajawea Historical State Park
State park at the confluence of the Snake and Columbia rivers where the Lewis and Clark expedition camped in 1805, with an interpretive center, picnic lawns and river access.
Columbia Point Marina Park
A park on Riverfront Trail, Richland. Has a playground, picnic tables and public restrooms. Dogs allowed.
Crawford Park
Prosser park on 3rd St. A city park that can be reserved online for events. Has a playground, picnic tables and public restrooms.
Farrand Park
A park on 3rd St, Prosser. A city park that can be reserved online for events. Has public restrooms. Dogs allowed.
Howard Amon Park Playground
Park serving Richland and the Tri-Cities. Wheelchair-accessible entrance.
Two Rivers Park
Park on E Finley Rd in Kennewick. Has a playground, picnic tables and public restrooms. Dogs allowed.