Best app for river levels?
Printed From: ProfessorPaddle.com
Category: General
Forum Name: Whitewater Forum
Forum Discription: Open Discussion Forum. Whitewater related subjects only
URL: http://www.professorpaddle.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=14343
Printed Date: 13 Jun 2025 at 8:57am
Topic: Best app for river levels?
Posted By: mokelumnekid
Subject: Best app for river levels?
Date Posted: 16 Oct 2014 at 10:19pm
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Curious what people are using for this. RiverFlows is okay, not great. Now that water is back, like to hear from the gang on what has worked for them, thanks.
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Replies:
Posted By: jP
Date Posted: 17 Oct 2014 at 5:10pm
So, I've found that the most instantaneous, simplest most effective way to retrieve guage information is, hands down, the 41411 text service "level sky", ect.
Yeah its not an app, but it is way more adept technology when you are out truck packing through the Cascades with spotty or next to no service. Those texts can wiggle in to where you are when no sort of internet connection is avail. The downside is you aren't vieing a whole list like say, here on PP or on AW. You are requesting individual guage stats. But you can program up to 3 "favs", which I find tells me much about what the whole region is doing, so long as I have my pefered 3 guages plugged in accordingly.
After the 41411 text (Godsend for River Runners), I most often simply load a few of the NOAA forecast graphs that I have book marked. Again I tend to look at a few "Indicator Guages" which allow my mind to guestimate the rest. Any other specific hydrograph is easily found. These individual hydrographs load quickly even with spotty internet connections, usually.
A quick glance at PP's rivers page lists all the guages color coded.
So in a way I don't see a need for an app. I guess since every digital interaction I make anymore, everyone and everything seems hell bent on shoving another App down my throat. It makes me wonder...seems awful cluttered up. Consequently I tend to not want more apps.
On the other hand, an App that could aggregate drainage specific weather forecasts w/ Langley Radar, and hydrographs in one format could have a lot of potential. Something like that might make sense in an app form because juggling weather data can be cumbersome, navigating various websites and pages. It would be nice to have a one stop shop for the whitewater boater wanting up to date, detailed weather data alongside river guages and hydrographs.
Something like that must already exist or otherwise be a work in progress.
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Posted By: Elijah
Date Posted: 17 Oct 2014 at 8:02pm
Mainly I use 41411.
I know the Following are not apps but I use them a lot for geeking out on future flows.
I use the Noaa precip observations page a fair bit to see where rain has fallen and how much over the region.
choose precip in the data display box and choose your time window.
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/mesowest/gmap.php?map=sew
Also check out Cliff Mass's blog for insight on the weather that affects our paddling.
http://cliffmass.blogspot.com/
Please rain.
lastly NWRFC has tons on local hydrology.
http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/rfc/
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Posted By: mokelumnekid
Date Posted: 17 Oct 2014 at 8:15pm
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Thanks Jp and Elijah, this is super helpful. You are right- on any given day I'm pretty much only interested in a few runs, don't need all of North America. Suggestions appreciated, thanks.
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Posted By: Mr.Grinch
Date Posted: 19 Oct 2014 at 5:36pm
Waterwatch WA.
That and ditto jP for bookmarking the graphs you most regularly go to.
Get it from the source, and whenever checking second or third hand parties: ALWAYS CHECK THE DATE the information was given. pp is useful for levels, but I've heard so many people quote out of date levels it makes me laugh.
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