McKenzie River near Vida: Level & Flow Today
River flow & level · USGS gauge 14162500 · Oregon · drains 930 sq mi
Latest reading Nov 4, 7:30 AM · streamflow
The McKenzie River at Vida is running 1,920 cfs, 63% of the median flow for November 4 (3,070 cfs, 102 years). Gage height is 1.04 ft, 10.0 ft below flood stage (11.0 ft). Flow is down 4% from 24 hours ago.
Whitewater: McKenzie River
for rafters & kayakersFinn Rock to Leaburg Dam
LowClass II (III) · 15 mi · Put-in: Finn Rock Boat Landing Put-in · Take-out: Leaburg Reservoir Boat Ramp
Low from 600 · good 2,000–5,000 · too high above 12,000 cfs
Now: 1,920 cfs on this gauge. Runnable range: American Whitewater, reach 1526.
Frissell to Finn Rock
LowClass II+ · 3.9 mi · Put-in: Put In: Frissell Boat Launch
Low from 600 · good 2,000–5,000 · too high above 10,000 cfs
Now: 1,920 cfs on this gauge. Runnable range: American Whitewater, reach 10888.
47°F water: cold-shock range. Wear a wetsuit or drysuit sized for immersion; most people feel maximum-intensity cold shock in 50–60°F water without one. Reading Nov 4, 7:30 AM at this gauge.
The McKenzie is fed by springs and regulated in part by upstream reservoirs (Cougar, Blue River), so it stays runnable much of the year. Check the reading above before you go. Source.
Below dams the river can rise suddenly and turn violent when releases start; stay out of tailrace areas and off the river outside scheduled windows unless you know the flow. Ranges are for experienced paddlers at the gauge shown; rapids change after floods, so scout and check for new wood. Wear a PFD, never boat alone, and follow the American Whitewater Safety Code. New to whitewater? Go with a licensed outfitter.
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 7.0 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMinor (11.0 ft) is 10.0 ft above the latest reading, off this chartModerate (12.5 ft) is 11.5 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMajor (14.0 ft) is 13.0 ft above the latest reading, off this chart
Reading
About McKenzie River near Vida
Over the past 12 months, daily mean flow at this gauge ranged from 1,640 cfs (Oct 24, 2026) to 16,800 cfs (Dec 19, 2025). USGS daily records for this gauge start in 1925; on November 4 the flow has ranged from 1,280 cfs (1931) to 14,700 cfs (1944). The river drains 930 square miles above this gauge. The nearest gauges we track are Blue River Lake (8 mi northeast) and Cougar Lake (11 mi east). See all 8 Oregon river gauges on the Oregon lake & river levels page.
McKenzie River near Vida fishing report & conditions
updated Nov 4, 10:34 AM ETWater 47°F and cooling, flow 63% of normal, flow steady — fair fall fishing day (4/10), best window 7:27 AM–9:27 AM (moon overhead near sunrise).
- Water temp47°Fmeasured Nov 4, 7:30 AM · this gauge · −2° in 24 h
- Flow63% of normalFlow steady (-4% in 24 h)
Official Oregon fishing report: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife — Weekly recreation report: fishing
Best fishing times today
Today is a fair fishing day (solunar + local conditions)
4/10
Waning crescent · 21% lit · New moon Sun, Nov 8 · Sunrise 6:51 AM · Sunset 4:55 PM
Major fishing times
- Moon overhead7:27 AM–9:27 AMSunrise
- Moon underfoot7:49 PM–9:49 PM
Minor fishing times
- Moonrise1:27 AM–2:27 AM
- Moonset2:13 PM–3:13 PM
Fishing times for the next 7 days
| TodayNov 4 | 4/10Fair | Major 7:27 AM–9:27 AM · 7:49 PM–9:49 PM Minor 1:27 AM–2:27 AM · 2:13 PM–3:13 PM |
|---|---|---|
| ThuNov 5 | 2/10Poor | Major 8:11 AM–10:11 AM · 8:32 PM–10:32 PM Minor 2:37 AM–3:37 AM · 2:32 PM–3:32 PM |
| FriNov 6 | 2/10Poor | Major 8:54 AM–10:54 AM · 9:17 PM–11:17 PM Minor 3:46 AM–4:46 AM · 2:52 PM–3:52 PM |
| SatNov 7 | 4/10Fair | Major 9:39 AM–11:39 AM · 10:02 PM–12:02 AM Minor 4:55 AM–5:55 AM · 3:14 PM–4:14 PM |
| SunNov 8 | 5/10Fair | Major 10:25 AM–12:25 PM · 10:49 PM–12:49 AM Minor 6:04 AM–7:04 AM · 3:39 PM–4:39 PM |
| MonNov 9 | 5/10Fair | Major 11:14 AM–1:14 PM · 11:39 PM–1:39 AM Minor 7:12 AM–8:12 AM · 4:09 PM–5:09 PM |
| TueNov 10 | 4/10Fair | Major 12:04 PM–2:04 PM Minor 8:18 AM–9:18 AM · 4:46 PM–5:46 PM |
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) (Moon overhead × sunrise +2) | 2 |
| Moon phase | within 2 days of a new or full moon +2, within 4 days +1 (today: 4.6 days) | 0 |
| 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)
| 1 |
| Today | 4, rounded | 4/10 |
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 44.12, -122.47 (moon times from astronomical equations, McKenzie River near Vida local time).
Flood stages
NOAA NWS gauge VIDO3- Action stage8 ft+7.0 ft from now
- Minor stage11 ft+10.0 ft from now
- Moderate stage12.5 ft+11.5 ft from now
- Major stage14 ft+13.0 ft from now
- Record crest17.7 ft1945
November 4 in history
102 years of flow records- Today1,920 cfs
- Same date last year2,730 cfs2025
- Median3,070 cfs
- Normal range2,110 cfs – 4,020 cfs25th–75th percentile
- Highest since 192514,700 cfs1944
- Lowest since 19251,280 cfs1931
Last 10 days
| Date | Mean flow (cfs) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Wed Nov 4 (today) | 1,929 | -2% |
| Tue Nov 3 | 1,970 | +4% |
| Mon Nov 2 | 1,890 | +2% |
| Sun Nov 1 | 1,860 | +1% |
| Sat Oct 31 | 1,840 | -1% |
| Fri Oct 30 | 1,860 | -4% |
| Thu Oct 29 | 1,930 | -4% |
| Wed Oct 28 | 2,010 | -4% |
| Tue Oct 27 | 2,090 | +15% |
| Mon Oct 26 | 1,820 | +6% |
Daily mean of all readings that day; today is the average so far.
Nearby lakes & rivers
- Blue River Lake8 mi northeast · Lake · Blue River1,205.81 ft24h −2.22 ft
- Cougar Lake11 mi east · Lake · Rainbow1,518.82 ft24h −1.36 ft
- Fall Creek Lake19 mi southwest · Lake · Lowell758.49 ft−71.51 ft vs full pool
- Lookout Point Lake20 mi southwest · Lake · Lowell796.84 ft24h −0.84 ft
- Dexter Reservoir22 mi southwest · Lake · Dexter692.16 ft−2.84 ft vs top of power pool
- Foster Lake22 mi northwest · Lake · Foster615.84 ft−21.16 ft vs full pool
Guides
All guides →- Best time to go whitewater rafting, river by riverTypical flow each month against American Whitewater’s ranges, for 40+ rafting runs.
- What river flow is best for rafting?How to read cfs and our Too low / Good / High bands before a raft trip, with live examples.
- What CFS is safe for kayaking and rafting?Live flows against American Whitewater ranges for classic Eastern runs.
About this data
- Gauge
- USGS 14162500 — Mckenzie River Near Vida, Or
- Location
- 44.1248, -122.4706 · Oregon
- Drainage area
- 930 sq mi
- Measures
- Streamflow (discharge), cubic feet per second
- Daily statistics
- 1925–2025 (approved daily values)
- Latest reading
- Nov 4, 7:30 AM local time (provisional)
- Page built
- Nov 4, 2026 10:34 AM ET
- Flood stages
- NWS gauge VIDO3 — 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.