Frances River at Watson Lake
Water level and flow at gauge 10AB001, Yukon. The flow is below normal for October (82% of the median). In the last 24 hours it has been falling.
Latest reading Oct 25, 7 AM local standard time (about an hour ago) · data checked · we check every 30 minutes
Compared with a normal October
Normal for October (middle half of 62 years of monthly averages): 120 m³/s4,238 cfs – 169 m³/s5,959 cfs, median 143 m³/s5,032 cfs. Right now it is at 82% of the median.
June 13, 2022 · approved records 1963–2024 (HYDAT). Right now the flow is 9% 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 60 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
Sunny. Fog patches dissipating this morning. Wind up to 15 km/h. High minus 4. Wind chill minus 14 this morning and minus 8 this afternoon. UV index 1 or low.
Clear. Increasing cloudiness after midnight. Wind up to 15 km/h. Low minus 13. Wind chill minus 10 this evening and minus 19 overnight.
Cloudy. Light snow beginning in the afternoon. Wind up to 15 km/h. High minus 4. Wind chill minus 18 in the morning and minus 9 in the afternoon.
Snow. Low minus 8.
Forecast for Watson Lake (51 km away) from Environment and Climate Change Canada, issued . Full official forecast ↗ · we check for new forecasts every 2 hours.
Nearby gauges
| Rancheria RiverThe Mouth · 38 km | 8.27 m27.14 ft | Very low |
| Big CreekKm 1084.8 Alaska Highway · 48 km | 3.32 m10.89 ft | Very low |
| Liard RiverUpper Crossing · 48 km | 2.21 m7.24 ft | Below normal |
| Liard RiverBelow Scurvy Creek · 85 km | 6.60 m21.66 ft | Very low |
| Hyland RiverKilometre 108.5 Nahanni Range Road · 122 km | 0.33 m1.07 ft | Very low |
| Cottonwood RiverAbove Bass Creek · 156 km | 0.69 m2.27 ft | Very low |
About this gauge
Station: 10AB001 · Frances River Near Watson Lake
Location: 60.4739, -129.1189 · Yukon
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 Frances River at Watson Lake today?
The latest reading (Oct 25, 7 AM, local standard time) is 1.46 m (4.79 ft) with a flow of 117 m³/s (4,132 cfs).
Is the Frances River at Watson Lake high right now?
The flow is below normal for October (82% of the median).
Is the Frances River rising or falling?
In the last 24 hours it has been falling.
What is the highest flow ever recorded on the Frances River at Watson Lake?
1,290 m³/s (45,556 cfs) on June 13, 2022, the highest instantaneous flow in the approved records of the Water Survey of Canada (1963–2024). Events after 2024 are not yet in the approved archive.
Where does this data come from?
Gauge 10AB001 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.