Humboldt River River Levels

Last Updated: December 4, 2025

The Humboldt River is a 290-mile long river in northern Nevada that was named after the famous explorer, Alexander von Humboldt.


Summary

Total streamflow across the Humboldt River was last observed at 177 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 350 acre-ft of water today; about 58% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 303 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2019-06-11 when daily discharge volume was observed at 22,830 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Humboldt River At Old Us 40 Bridge reporting a streamflow rate of 54.6 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Humboldt R At Battle Mountain with a gauge stage of 3.85 ft. This river is monitored from 8 different streamgauging stations along the Humboldt River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 5,144 ft, the Humboldt R Nr Elko.

River Details

Last Updated 2025-12-04
Discharge Volume 350 ACRE-FT
Streamflow 176.6 cfs
-4.2 cfs (-2.32%)
Percent of Normal 58.37%
Maximum 22,830.0 cfs
2019-06-11
Seasonal Avg 303 cfs
       
River Streamflow Levels
Streamgauge Streamflow Gauge Stage 24hr Change (%) % Normal Minimum (cfs) Maximum (cfs) Air Temp Elevation
Humboldt R Nr Elko
USGS 10318500
12 cfs 1.11 ft -18.92
Humboldt R Nr Carlin
USGS 10321000
27 cfs 0.83 ft 8.54
Humboldt R At Palisade
USGS 10322500
45 cfs 1.13 ft 0
Humboldt River At Old Us 40 Bridge
USGS 10323425
55 cfs 2.45 ft -2.33
Humboldt R At Battle Mountain
USGS 10325000
38 cfs 3.85 ft -5.46
Humboldt R At Comus
USGS 10327500
0 cfs 2.02 ft 0
Humboldt R Nr Imlay
USGS 10333000
6 cfs 1.11 ft 3.93
Humboldt R Nr Rye Patch
USGS 10335000
0 cfs 3.83 ft None
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile

The Humboldt River runs through northern Nevada in the western United States. At approximately 290 miles (470 km) long it is the third longest river in the Great Basin, after the Bear and Sevier Rivers. It has no outlet to the ocean, but instead empties into the Humboldt Sink. It is the fifth largest river in the United States, in terms of discharge, that does not ultimately reach the ocean, while it is the largest in terms of area drained. Through its tributaries, the river drains most of sparsely populated northern Nevada, traversing the state roughly east to west, and passing through repeated gaps in the north–south running mountain ranges. It furnishes the only natural transportation artery across the Great Basin and has provided a route for historic westward migrations and subsequent railroads and highways. The river is named for the German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt.