Rain has finally blanketed the region this week, beforehand, the East Fork Lewis River’s low-flowing state showed off scenes for geology lovers.
Not only were the trees flashing vibrant autumn colors, but signs of erosion along the rocky riverbank around the waterfalls of the East Fork were also on full display.
On Saturday, Oct. 24, smooth rocks where water flows over and around for the majority of the year were fully exposed. At the same time, deep puddles from previous high-flow events were left over, per usual, in rocky areas where slight erosion was present at both Sunset Falls and Lucia Falls as water reaches high levels a handful of times per year.
On Thursday, Oct. 22 at 8 a.m., the Heisson river gauge on the East Fork measured at 10.02 feet. After a day of rain on Sunday, Oct. 25, the river gauge measured at 10.91 feet at 1:15 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 26, before dropping to 10.74 feet later in the morning.
Low river totals this deep into fall are not an unfamiliar sight, however.
In 2025 around the same time last year, the East Fork measured at 10.34 feet. By Halloween in 2025, the river rose a foot in height. As more rain hits the region this week, the river totals could nearly mirror the same calendar week as last year.
