Red Flag Warning
2025-12-22T17:00:00-07:00

...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER TODAY... .Near record temperatures today, combined with another period of gusty westerly winds in and near the Front Range foothills will lead to critical fire weather conditions, especially from the Boulder county foothills south into South Park and the Palmer Divide. The National Weather Service in Denver has issued a Red Flag Warning for wind and low relative humidity, which is in effect from 8 AM this morning to 5 PM MST this afternoon. The Fire Weather Watch is no longer in effect. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 239 and 241. * TIMING...From 8 AM this morning to 5 PM MST this afternoon. * WINDS...West 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 9 percent. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread. Avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark and start a wildfire.


Clearwater River River Levels

Last Updated: December 22, 2025

The Clearwater River is a major tributary of the Snake River, spanning approximately 74 miles in length.


Summary

Total streamflow across the Clearwater River was last observed at 44,757 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 88,774 acre-ft of water today; about 252% of normal. River levels are high. Average streamflow for this time of year is 17,750 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2022-06-12 when daily discharge volume was observed at 263,553 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Clearwater River At Spalding Id reporting a streamflow rate of 16,400 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Clearwater River Nr Peck Id with a gauge stage of 8.02 ft. This river is monitored from 7 different streamgauging stations along the Clearwater River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 3,909 ft, the Clearwater R Ab Trap Cr Nr T Falls.

River Details

Last Updated 2025-12-22
Discharge Volume 88,774 ACRE-FT
Streamflow 44,756.8 cfs
-8042.0 cfs (-15.23%)
Percent of Normal 252.15%
Maximum 263,553.0 cfs
2022-06-12
Seasonal Avg 17,750 cfs
       
River Streamflow Levels
Streamgauge Streamflow Gauge Stage 24hr Change (%) % Normal Minimum (cfs) Maximum (cfs) Air Temp Elevation
Clearwater R Ab Trap Cr Nr T Falls
USGS 14314500
57 cfs 3.55 ft 17.36
Clearwater R Blw Mowich Creek
USGS 14314700
51 cfs 4.7 ft 1.59
Clearwater River At Plummer
USGS 05078000
49 cfs 3.68 ft 24.36
Clearwater River At Orofino Id
USGS 13340000
13500 cfs 7.28 ft -13.46
Clearwater River At Red Lake Falls
USGS 05078500
98 cfs 4.83 ft 31.68
Clearwater River Nr Peck Id
USGS 13341050
14800 cfs 8.02 ft -12.43
Clearwater River At Spalding Id
USGS 13342500
16400 cfs 6.96 ft -18.81
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile

A clearwater river is classified based on its chemistry, sediments and water colour. Clearwater rivers have a low conductivity, relatively low levels of dissolved solids, typically have a neutral to slightly acidic pH and are very clear with a greenish colour. Clearwater rivers often have fast-flowing sections.The main clearwater rivers are South American and have their source in the Brazilian Plateau or the Guiana Shield. Outside South America the classification is not commonly used, but rivers with clearwater characteristics are found elsewhere.Amazonian rivers fall into three main categories: clearwater, blackwater and whitewater. This classification system was first proposed by Alfred Russel Wallace in 1853 based on water colour, but the types were more clearly defined according to chemistry and physics by Harald Sioli (de) from the 1950s to the 1980s. Although many Amazonian rivers fall clearly into one of these categories, others show a mix of characteristics and may vary depending on season and flood levels.