River Report

Boise River river

5 streamgauges 36% of normal Last updated 2026-05-30
Aggregate flow
2,650cfs
% of normal
36%
Daily volume
5,256AF
Seasonal avg
7,401cfs

Total streamflow across the Boise River was last observed at 2,650 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 5,256 acre-ft of water today; about 36% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 7,401 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2017-06-05 when daily discharge volume was observed at 27,530 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Boise River Nr Twin Springs Id reporting a streamflow rate of 2,330 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Boise River Nr Parma Id with a gauge stage of 9.81 ft. This river is monitored from 5 different streamgauging stations along the Boise River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 3,257 ft, the Boise River Nr Twin Springs Id.

Max discharge

Boise River Nr Twin Springs Id

2,330cfs
Highest stage

Boise River Nr Parma Id

9.81ft
Highest-elevation gauge

Boise River Nr Twin Springs Id

3,257ft
Aggregate trend

River streamflow levels

Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Boise River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.

Total streamflow

Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily

Per-gauge breakdown

Every streamgauge along the Boise River

All 5 USGS gauges Snoflo tracks for this river, with current flow, stage, recent change, percent of normal, and the gauge's all-time min / max. Click any header to sort. Cells are heatmapped relative to the column min/max -- darker blue = higher.

Streamgauge Streamflow (cfs) Gauge stage (ft) 24h Δ (%) % Normal Min (cfs) Max (cfs) Elevation (ft)
Boise River Nr Twin Springs Id ID
USGS 13185000
2,330 8.16 -12.5 62% 148 14,800 3,257
Boise River At Glenwood Bridge Nr Boise Id ID
USGS 13206000
1,990 6.05 0.5 131% 143 9,810 2,612
Boise River South Channel At Eagle Id ID
USGS 13206305
1,250 4.44 0.8 124% 60 4,200 2,556
Boise River At Caldwell ID
USGS 13211205
1,660 8.28 -2.4 113% 104 6,630 2,350
Boise River Nr Parma Id ID
USGS 13213000
1,950 9.81 -1.5 128% 163 9,820 2,210
Annual peaks

Maximum streamflow discharge by year

The single highest aggregate discharge recorded each year. Spotting the multi-year trend reveals droughts vs. wet cycles long before the headline daily flow does.

Annual peak discharge

From the river's full record · one point per water year

Profile

Streamflow elevation profile

Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by current streamflow (x-axis) vs elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-to-bottom traces the river from headwaters down to its mouth -- you can see flow accumulate as elevation drops.

Elevation vs streamflow

One point per monitored gauge · bubble size = gauge stage

About this river

Boise River

The Boise River is a 102-mile-long river in Idaho that flows through Boise and empties into the Snake River. The river played a crucial role in the development of the area, as it was used for irrigation and transportation. The river is fed by many tributaries, including the Payette River, and has several major reservoirs, including Lucky Peak, Arrowrock, and Anderson Ranch. These reservoirs were built to store water for irrigation and flood control. The river is also used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and rafting. The river provides water for agriculture, helping to sustain crops in the region. Despite challenges related to pollution and development, efforts have been made to preserve and protect the river's natural resources.

Track the Boise River in the Snoflo app

Set per-gauge push alerts (e.g. "alert me when flow at the Russian R Nr Healdsburg crosses 5,000 cfs"), and Snoflo's iOS app pushes the moment USGS reports the crossing.

FAQ

About the Boise River

Where does the data for the Boise River come from?

Streamflow and gauge stage data are sourced from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information System. The aggregate flow shown at the top of the page is computed by Snoflo as the sum of all monitored gauges along the river.

How is "percent of normal" calculated?

Today's aggregate streamflow is compared to the historical average aggregate streamflow on this calendar day across the river's full record. 100% means right on average; values above 100% indicate above-normal flow (wet year); values below indicate below-normal (dry year or drought).

Why are some gauges showing very different flows?

Gauges along a river measure flow at different points: headwater gauges read what's coming off the snowpack or mountain runoff; downstream gauges integrate everything upstream, including tributary inputs. Wide spreads usually mean a tributary is contributing significantly between gauges.

What's the elevation profile chart showing?

Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by streamflow (x-axis) and elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-down traces the river from headwaters to mouth -- you can see flow build as elevation drops.

Can I get alerts when a specific gauge crosses a threshold?

Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app on a per-gauge basis. Open any individual streamgauge from the table above and favorite it to set a discharge threshold.