River Report

Little Lost River river

2 streamgauges 74% of normal Last updated 2026-05-30
Aggregate flow
126cfs
% of normal
74%
Daily volume
250AF
Seasonal avg
171cfs

Total streamflow across the Little Lost River was last observed at 126 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 250 acre-ft of water today; about 74% of normal. Average streamflow for this time of year is 171 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 139 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Little Lost River Nr Howe Id with a gauge stage of 3.47 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.

Highest stage

Little Lost River Nr Howe Id

3.47ft
Highest-elevation gauge

Little Lost River Bl Wet Creek Nr Howe Id

5,878ft
Aggregate trend

River streamflow levels

Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Little Lost 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 Little Lost River

All 2 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)
Little Lost River Bl Wet Creek Nr Howe Id ID
USGS 13118700
139 1.89 -3.8 84% 14 332 5,878
Little Lost River Nr Howe Id ID
USGS 13119000
117 3.47 0.0 80% 0 209 5,080
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

Little Lost River

The Little Lost River is a small river located in the Snake River Plain of Idaho. It is approximately 74 miles long and flows into the Big Lost River. The river was once a source of irrigation for the surrounding agricultural land, but due to frequent droughts, it has been mostly dry since the early 1900s. There are several reservoirs and dams along the river, including the Mackay Reservoir and the Little Lost River Dam. These have been used for irrigation and hydroelectric power production. The area surrounding the river is also popular for recreational activities such as fishing, camping, and hiking. Despite its name, the Little Lost River remains a significant resource for the local community.

Around the river

Recreation along the Little Lost River

Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.

Track the Little Lost 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 Little Lost River

Where does the data for the Little Lost 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.