Cattaraugus Creek at Gowanda
River flow & level · USGS gauge 04213500 · New York · drains 436 sq mi
Latest reading Oct 26, 11:15 AM · streamflow
The Cattaraugus Creek at Gowanda is running 127 cfs, 44% of the median flow for October 26 (291 cfs, 85 years). Gage height is 1.18 ft, 8.8 ft below flood stage (10.0 ft). Flow is down 2% from 24 hours ago.
Streamflow
cubic feet per secondReadingNormal range for the date (25th–75th pct.)Median for the date
Gage height & flood stages
ft above gauge datumAction (8.0 ft) is 6.8 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMinor (10.0 ft) is 8.8 ft above the latest reading, off this chartModerate (12.0 ft) is 10.8 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMajor (14.0 ft) is 12.8 ft above the latest reading, off this chart
Reading
Cattaraugus Creek at Gowanda fishing report & conditions
updated Oct 26, 12:50 PM ETWater 49°F and warming, flow 44% of normal, flow steady, light W wind — good fall fishing day (7/10), best window 7:51 AM–8:51 AM (moonset near sunrise).
- Water temp49°Fmeasured Oct 26, 11:15 AM · this gauge · +2° in 24 h
- Air temphigh 66°F / low 36°FMostly Sunny
- WindLight W4–7 mph 6 AM–6 PM, gusts to 14
- Flow44% of normalFlow steady (-2% in 24 h)
Official New York fishing report: NYSDEC — Freshwater fishing & regional fishing hotlines
Best fishing times today
Today is a good fishing day (solunar + local conditions)
7/10
Full moon · 99% lit · New moon Mon, Nov 9 · Sunrise 7:42 AM · Sunset 6:16 PM
Major fishing times
- Moon underfoot12:22 PM–2:22 PM
Minor fishing times
- Moonset7:51 AM–8:51 AMSunrise
- Moonrise5:44 PM–6:44 PMSunset
Fishing times for the next 7 days
| TodayOct 26 | 7/10Good | Major 12:22 PM–2:22 PM Minor 7:51 AM–8:51 AM · 5:44 PM–6:44 PM Light wind 4–7 mph |
|---|---|---|
| TueOct 27 | 4/10Fair | Major 12:51 AM–2:51 AM · 1:20 PM–3:20 PM Minor 9:11 AM–10:11 AM · 6:23 PM–7:23 PM Calm wind 1–4 mph |
| WedOct 28 | 3/10Poor | Major 1:51 AM–3:51 AM · 2:23 PM–4:23 PM Minor 10:30 AM–11:30 AM · 7:13 PM–8:13 PM Calm wind 1–4 mph |
| ThuOct 29 | 5/10Fair | Major 2:55 AM–4:55 AM · 3:28 PM–5:28 PM Minor 11:41 AM–12:41 PM · 8:15 PM–9:15 PM Light wind 5–8 mph |
| FriOct 30 | 3/10Poor | Major 4:00 AM–6:00 AM · 4:31 PM–6:31 PM Minor 12:40 PM–1:40 PM · 9:27 PM–10:27 PM Calm wind 1–5 mph |
| SatOct 31 | 4/10Fair | Major 5:02 AM–7:02 AM · 5:31 PM–7:31 PM Minor 1:26 PM–2:26 PM · 10:44 PM–11:44 PM Calm wind 1–4 mph |
| SunNov 1 | 5/10Fair | Major 5:00 AM–7:00 AM · 5:27 PM–7:27 PM Minor 1:02 PM–2:02 PM · 11:00 PM–12:00 AM Light wind 5–6 mph |
How this rating works
Solunar theory says fish feed more when the moon is overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 hours) and around moonrise and moonset (minor periods, about 1 hour). On a lake or river there is no tide, so instead of tide changes we score the local conditions anglers watch: the barometric pressure trend, the wind, whether the river is steady, and the water temperature where it is measured.
| Base | every day starts at 1 | 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Sunrise / sunset | a period overlaps sunrise or sunset ±1 h: major +2, minor +1 (max 3) (Moonset × sunrise +1; Moonrise × sunset +1) | 2 |
| Moon phase | within 2 days of a new or full moon +2, within 4 days +1 (today: 0.5 days) | 2 |
| Local conditions | pressure 6 AM→6 PM: falling +2, steady or slowly rising +1, rising fast 0 · daytime wind 4–15 mph +1, over 20 mph (or gusts over 30) −1 · flow within ±15% in 24 h +1, rising over 25% −1 · water 55–75°F +1, below 45°F or above 85°F −1 (0 to 4 in total)
| 2 |
| Today | 7, rounded | 7/10 |
1–3 poor · 4–5 fair · 6–7 good · 8–10 excellent. Pressure and wind are the NOAA National Weather Service hourly forecast for this spot; the level/flow trend is the latest 24 hours of readings on this page; water temperature measured at this gauge. Days 2–7 score sun, moon, forecast pressure and forecast wind only (level and water temperature aren’t forecast). Solunar times are a rule of thumb, not a guarantee.
Solunar periods calculated for 42.46, -78.93 (moon times from astronomical equations, Cattaraugus Creek at Gowanda local time).
Weather & wind at Cattaraugus Creek at Gowanda
air temperature, not water3-day forecast
- This Afternoon66° / 36°Mostly SunnyWind NW 7 mphRain 8%
- Tuesday59° / 39°Patchy Fog then SunnyWind NE 3 mphRain 5%
- Wednesday69° / 49°Partly SunnyWind S 3 mphRain 0%
NOAA National Weather Service forecast for 42.463, -78.935 (grid BUF), issued Oct 26, 9:58 AM local time. High / low are air temperatures; water temperature is in the fishing section above. The “Air temp & weather” tile at the top refreshes live.
Flood stages
NOAA NWS gauge GOWN6- Action stage8 ft+6.8 ft from now
- Minor stage10 ft+8.8 ft from now
- Moderate stage12 ft+10.8 ft from now
- Major stage14 ft+12.8 ft from now
- Record crest14.14 ft1956
October 26 in history
85 years of flow records- Today127 cfs
- Same date last year334 cfs2025
- Median291 cfs
- Normal range173 cfs – 511 cfs25th–75th percentile
- Highest since 19408,530 cfs1981
- Lowest since 194075.0 cfs1964
Last 10 days
| Date | Mean flow (cfs) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Mon Oct 26 (today) | 126 | -2% |
| Sun Oct 25 | 129 | -2% |
| Sat Oct 24 | 132 | -4% |
| Fri Oct 23 | 137 | -2% |
| Thu Oct 22 | 140 | -3% |
| Wed Oct 21 | 145 | -8% |
| Tue Oct 20 | 157 | -11% |
| Mon Oct 19 | 177 | -19% |
| Sun Oct 18 | 219 | -27% |
| Sat Oct 17 | 302 | +24% |
Daily mean of all readings that day; today is the average so far.
Nearby lakes & rivers
- Allegheny River at Salamanca24 mi · River332 cfs35% of normal
- Allegheny River at Red House25 mi · River7.55 ftstage 7.55 ft
- Lake Erie at Buffalo29 mi · Lake571.59 ft24h +0.14 ft
- Chautauqua Lake32 mi · Lake · Bemus Point1,307.95 ft−0.04 ft vs normal
- Allegheny River at Olean37 mi · River183 cfs27% of normal
- Conewango Creek at Russell38 mi · River164 cfs23% of normal
About this data
- Gauge
- USGS 04213500 — Cattaraugus Creek At Gowanda Ny
- Location
- 42.4634, -78.9345 · New York
- Drainage area
- 436 sq mi
- Measures
- Streamflow (discharge), cubic feet per second
- Daily statistics
- 1940–2026 (approved daily values)
- Latest reading
- Oct 26, 11:15 AM local time (provisional)
- Page built
- Oct 26, 2026 12:50 PM ET
- Flood stages
- NWS gauge GOWN6 — National Water Prediction Service
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Water Data for the Nation (USGS monitoring location page). Readings every 15–60 minutes; the newest values are provisional. Percentiles compare today’s reading with every past year’s daily mean for the same calendar date. Weather: NOAA National Weather Service.