2025-12-20T00:00:00-07:00
...THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR IN AND IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE FOOTHILLS, BETWEEN 5500 AND 9000 FEET, FOR BOULDER AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES ON FRIDAY... Strong west winds, sustained 45-55 mph with gusts upwards of 85- 105 mph, are expected in the foothills of Larimer, Boulder and Jefferson Counties beginning early Friday morning. Relative humidity values are expected to drop into the low teens, possibly upper single digits. While Red Flag conditions, critical fire weather, are expected across a larger area in northern Colorado, the most extreme conditions are expected to be along Highway 93 from Jefferson County into Boulder County and along US-36 north of Boulder to the Larimer County line and westward. There will be a high potential for fast moving wildfires, should any new starts occur. Winds toward I-25 and eastward will be slower to develop, and also speeds will be considerably lighter. That said, gusts of 25- 40 mph are still expected to combine with very low humidity and cured grasses to support critical fire weather conditions. Such conditions may be a longer duration than usual, with potential for low humidity to extend well into the evening hours. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 238, 240, 241, 242 and 243. * TIMING...From 10 AM this morning to midnight MST tonight. * WINDS...West 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 60 mph possible west of I-25, and gusts to 40 mph possible along and east of I- 25. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 12 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.
Summary
Total streamflow across the
Little Lost River
was last observed at
36
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
71
acre-ft of water today; about 100%
of normal.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
36 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2019-06-15 when daily discharge volume was observed at
393 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Little Lost River Bl Wet Creek Nr Howe Id
reporting a streamflow rate of 53.5 cfs.
However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the
Little Lost River Nr Howe Id
with a gauge stage of 1.55 ft.
This river is monitored from 2 different streamgauging stations along the Little Lost River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 5,878 ft, the
Little Lost River Bl Wet Creek Nr Howe Id.
River Details
| Last Updated | 2025-12-16 |
| Discharge Volume | 71 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
35.9 cfs
+0.9 cfs (+2.57%) |
| Percent of Normal | 100.0% |
| Maximum |
393.0 cfs
2019-06-15 |
| Seasonal Avg | 36 cfs |
River Streamflow Levels
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Little Lost River Bl Wet Creek Nr Howe Id
USGS 13118700 |
54 cfs | 1.24 ft | 87.72 | |||||
|
Little Lost River Nr Howe Id
USGS 13119000 |
1 cfs | 1.55 ft | 12 |
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile
The Little Lost River is a river in the central part of the U.S. state of Idaho. The river is about 49 miles (79 km) long and drains an arid farming valley, the Little Lost River Valley, bordered by the Lost River Range on the west and Lemhi Range on the east. Instead of emptying into a larger body of water, it disappears into the ground at the edge of the Snake River Plain, a phenomenon that gives it its name. The water feeds into the Snake River Aquifer, eventually reaching the Snake River through a series of springs farther west.
It rises at the confluence of two similarly sized streams, Summit Creek and Sawmill Creek, 10 miles (16 km) north of Hawley Mountain, in the middle of the Little Lost River Valley. The river flows generally south-southeast receiving many tributaries such as Wet (the largest), Badger, Deer, Uncle Ike, Sands, Cedarville, South, and Hurst creeks. Along its course the Little Lost is used for irrigation, but the only settlement of any size is Howe, situated near the mouth. A few miles past Howe, the river disappears into the earth at about 4,806 feet (1,465 m) above sea level.
The river drains about 963 square miles (2,490 km2) of land entirely in Butte County. Its valley is about 50 miles (80 km) long and 20 miles (32 km) wide, with a floor width of 7 miles (11 km). Precipitation is generally very low and mostly in the form of snow.