Spokane Falls likely will hit peak flow early, drought looking more likely ahead

Waterfall enthusiasts should pack their bags early this year if they’re looking to snag a glimpse of Spokane Falls at peak flow.

The season’s highest flows could be passing through Spokane as early as the end of March, Spokane Riverkeeper’s Water Protector, Katelyn Scott, said. Usually, the falls sees its peak in late April or May.

“We typically see a really high peak in the middle of spring and then the flows taper off throughout the rest of the year,” she said. “And they get pretty low at the end of summer and then they come back up a little bit in the in the fall when the windy wet season begins to come back.”

Fueled largely by snowmelt off of North Idaho mountain ranges, Spokane River flows tend to follow regional precipitation trends. It’s the lowland snow melting especially that triggers the high flows and occasional flooding during the spring, Scott said. The Falls tend to be the fullest when the region’s ski resorts begin closing, she said, as a rule of thumb.

Washington communities have already seen historic levels of flooding this year following the record-breaking heat of December, Caroline Mellor, drought coordinator for the state Department of Ecology, said. Last week, Pullman businesses suffered “devastating” losses after the South Fork Palouse River flooded.

However, flooding caused by early snowmelt can point toward later-season water scarcity, particularly when combined with low snowpack stored in the upper mountain reaches. A steady release of water into rivers like the Spokane River depends on a gradual melting of mountain snow over the summer months.

The Spokane River basin currently has just over 70% of the snowpack that is typical for the region in March, U.S. Department of Agriculture data shows, though Mellor cautions that this data includes outliers that can make it seem like there is more snow to go around than there really is. As a state, she said, Washington is at 58% of its normal snowpack.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s prediction for a hot, dry, El Niño summer directly after the region’s recent warm winter leaves Scott doubtful for that gradual melt off into the Spokane River this year.

“Typically in hot, dry years, we see that runoff end quicker. The peak is much sharper and it declines really quickly in the spring, and then we spend most of the summer beginning in late July with extremely low flows in the river,” she said. “And we anticipate that happening this year based on the climate predictions for 2026.”

Last year, conditions aligned to leave stretches of the Spokane River nearly dry. Mellor said that Washington as a whole has experienced snowpack-driven droughts annually since 2023, and she anticipates a fourth this summer. The state declares a drought when water supply is less than 75% of normal levels.

“It’s definitely concerning seeing this occur more often,” she said.

A water shortage along the river impacts agriculture, Native American cultural events, outdoor recreation and wildlife too. Fish in Washington’s rivers can be particularly sensitive to changing water levels.

“Similar to when you’re making tea, if you have less water in your kettle, it boils faster,” Mellor said. “And one thing we know for fish here in Washington, especially salmon, is that they don’t like warm water and they won’t move when the water is too warm.”

Scott said that a late snowstorm could change the summer outlook for the Spokane River, adding that the recent snow that blanketed Spokane’s streets in March likely saved the river system from being in “a much worse position.” But Mellor said that any developments at this point would be unlikely to make up for months of snowpack deficits.

“I think it is important that folks start to understand that this is not just a fluke, but we fully expect to have more of these warm winters more often,” Mellor said.