John Day River at McDonald Ferry, OR

Eastern Oregon · USGS gauge 14048000 · Updated Oct 24, 3:19 AM PDT · USGS data, provisional

Too low210 cfs● steady (-2% in 24 h)

Reading time: Oct 24, 2:45 AM PDT · Provisional data

Flow is far below normal for the date. Expect shallow riffles and slower water; some stretches may be hard to float and fish can be stressed by low flows. Check local reports for the specific stretch.

Vs. normal for this date
10th percentile
Typical range (25th–75th)
270–443 cfs
Median for this date
342 cfs
7-day low / high
180 / 215 cfs

Plain-language explanation

John Day River at McDonald Ferry is flowing at 210 cubic feet per second (cfs) as of Oct 24, 2:45 AM PDT. That is among the lowest flows on record for this time of year: lower than about 90% of the daily flows this gauge has recorded for this date (give or take 7 days) over 121 years of record (1904–2026).

The middle half of those historical flows runs from 270 to 443 cfs, with a median of 342 cfs; the lowest 10% of days are at or below 211 cfs and the highest 10% at or above 567 cfs.

Over the last 24 hours the flow has been steady (-2.3%). In the last 7 days it ranged from 180 to 215 cfs.

Why this status: Flow is at or below the seasonal 10th percentile and in the lower 40% of all days on record.

7-day trend

180190200210220Sun 10/18Mon 10/19Tue 10/20Wed 10/21Thu 10/22Fri 10/23Sat 10/24

Hourly flow in cfs, Pacific time. The shaded band is the typical range (25th–75th percentile) for this date, shown when it falls within the chart.

Day (Pacific)Mean cfsPercentileStatus that day
Sun Oct 1819012thFishable/Floatable
Mon Oct 1919712thFishable/Floatable
Tue Oct 2020012thFishable/Floatable
Wed Oct 2120511thFishable/Floatable
Thu Oct 2220610thFishable/Floatable
Fri Oct 2321011thFishable/Floatable
Sat Oct 24 (so far)21010thToo low

Seasonal context

1020501002005001,0002,0005,00010,000JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Shaded band: 10th–90th percentile of daily flows through the year; dashed line: median. Log scale. Dot: today's flow. Based on 121 years of USGS daily data (1904–2026).

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About this gauge

USGS site
USGS-14048000
USGS name
John Day River At Mcdonald Ferry, Or
Drainage area
7,580 sq mi
Location
45.5876, -120.4095
Record in this analysis
1904–2026

Typical uses

smallmouth bassrafting

Notes: Largely undammed; seasonal runoff drives most floating opportunities. (Hand-written general note, not from USGS data.)

Data from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Readings are provisional and subject to revision. Flowcast statuses are automated comparisons with each gauge's own history, not safety ratings or fishing reports. Check local conditions, weather, regulations and closures before you go. Rivers can change quickly.

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