Spray River at Banff
Water level and flow at gauge 05BC001, Alberta. The flow is normal for October (91% of the median). In the last 24 hours it has been steady.
Latest reading Oct 25, 9 AM local standard time (2 hours ago) · data checked · we check every 30 minutes
Compared with a normal October
Normal for October (middle half of 115 years of monthly averages): 2.16 m³/s76.3 cfs – 8.16 m³/s288 cfs, median 2.70 m³/s95.3 cfs. Right now it is at 91% of the median.
December 19, 1972 · approved records 1948–2024 (HYDAT). Right now the flow is 1% of that record.
Last 30 days
Hourly readings · shaded: normal range for this month
This year compared with past years
Daily flow
Normal range: monthly averages of 114 years (lighter band: 10th–90th percentile). Past years: approved daily means from HYDAT, the Water Survey of Canada archive (the latest year published is 2025). 2026: daily means of the provisional real-time readings collected by Canada River Levels since October 22, 2026.
Weather near this gauge
A mix of sun and cloud. 30 percent chance of flurries near noon. Wind up to 15 km/h. High plus 1. Wind chill minus 8 this morning. UV index 1 or low.
Partly cloudy. Wind up to 15 km/h. Low minus 6. Wind chill near minus 8.
Mainly sunny. Increasing cloudiness in the afternoon. Wind up to 15 km/h. High 7. Wind chill minus 8 in the morning. UV index 1 or low.
Cloudy periods. Low minus 2.
Forecast for Banff (2 km away) from Environment and Climate Change Canada, issued . Full official forecast ↗ · we check for new forecasts every 2 hours.
Nearby gauges
| Bow RiverBanff · 2 km | 1.97 m6.45 ft | Very low |
| Ghost RiverAbove Waiparous Creek · 45 km | 0.72 m2.37 ft | Normal |
| Kootenay RiverKootenay Crossing · 46 km | 0.22 m0.72 ft | Very low |
| Jumpingpound CreekCox Hill · 46 km | 0.28 m0.93 ft | Below normal |
| Waiparous CreekThe Mouth · 52 km | 0.74 m2.41 ft | Normal |
| Pipestone RiverLake Louise · 53 km | 0.52 m1.70 ft | Very low |
About this gauge
Station: 05BC001 · Spray River at Banff
Location: 51.1602, -115.5545 · Alberta
Water levels are measured from a local reference point at each gauge, not from sea level, so they cannot be compared between gauges.
Official sources
For flood warnings, advisories and approved data, always use these official services:
Questions
What is the water level of the Spray River at Banff today?
The latest reading (Oct 25, 9 AM, local standard time) is 0.99 m (3.25 ft) with a flow of 2.47 m³/s (87.2 cfs).
Is the Spray River at Banff high right now?
The flow is normal for October (91% of the median).
Is the Spray River rising or falling?
In the last 24 hours it has been steady.
What is the highest flow ever recorded on the Spray River at Banff?
181 m³/s (6,392 cfs) on December 19, 1972, the highest instantaneous flow in the approved records of the Water Survey of Canada (1948–2024). Events after 2024 are not yet in the approved archive.
Where does this data come from?
Gauge 05BC001 of the Water Survey of Canada (Environment and Climate Change Canada). Real-time data are provisional and may be revised. We check for new readings every 30 minutes. Canada River Levels is not an official source.