Clearwater River Flow
As of 2026-08-02, the Clearwater River is flowing at a combined 24,148 cfs across 7 USGS streamgauges — 83% of normal for this time of year, versus a seasonal average of 28,937 cfs.
Total streamflow across the Clearwater River was last observed at 24,148 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 47,898 acre-ft of water today; about 83% of normal. Average streamflow for this time of year is 28,937 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 11,000 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Clearwater River Nr Peck Id with a gauge stage of 6.83 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 streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Clearwater River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Clearwater River
All 7 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Clearwater R Ab Trap Cr Nr T Falls
OR
USGS 14314500
|
51 | 3.37 | 0.0 | 105% | 43 | 389 | 3,909 |
|
Clearwater R Blw Mowich Creek
OR
USGS 14314700
|
50 | 4.82 | 0.0 | 101% | 43 | 1,230 | 3,207 |
|
Clearwater River At Plummer
MN
USGS 05078000
|
94 | 3.59 | 22.0 | 120% | 8 | 4,350 | 1,105 |
|
Clearwater River At Orofino Id
ID
USGS 13340000
|
1,920 | 2.94 | -3.8 | 97% | 848 | 70,700 | 997 |
|
Clearwater River At Red Lake Falls
MN
USGS 05078500
|
89 | 5.44 | -3.4 | 66% | 2 | 10,800 | 955 |
|
Clearwater River Nr Peck Id
ID
USGS 13341050
|
10,600 | 6.83 | -0.9 | 87% | 2,310 | 93,200 | 943 |
|
Clearwater River At Spalding Id
ID
USGS 13342500
|
11,000 | 5.74 | 0.0 | 90% | 2,430 | 99,100 | 776 |
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
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
Clearwater River
The Clearwater River is a major tributary of the Snake River, spanning approximately 74 miles in length. It begins in the Bitterroot Mountains of western Montana and flows through Idaho before joining the Snake River. The river played a significant role in the region's history, as it was used by the Nez Perce tribe for fishing and transportation. Today, the river is used for agricultural purposes, including irrigation and hydroelectric power, with several dams and reservoirs along its length. The most notable of these is the Dworshak Dam, which is the third tallest dam in the United States. The river is also a popular recreational destination, offering fishing, kayaking, and white-water rafting opportunities. The Clearwater National Forest is located along the river and provides ample opportunities for hiking, camping, and wildlife viewing.
Recreation along the Clearwater River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Track the Clearwater 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.
About the Clearwater River
How is the Clearwater River flowing right now?
As of 2026-08-02, the Clearwater River is flowing at a combined 24,148 cfs across its USGS streamgauges, about 83% of normal for this date. The live per-gauge breakdown and 24-hour trend are shown above.
Is the Clearwater River running high or low right now?
Check the percent-of-normal figure on this page: above 100% means the river is running higher than its seasonal average for the date, below 100% means lower. The per-gauge table shows which reaches are highest and lowest.
Where does the data for the Clearwater 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.