River Report

Little Salmon River river

2 streamgauges 62% of normal Last updated 2026-05-30
Aggregate flow
1,840cfs
% of normal
62%
Daily volume
3,650AF
Seasonal avg
2,953cfs

Total streamflow across the Little Salmon River was last observed at 1,840 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 3,650 acre-ft of water today; about 62% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 2,953 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2012-04-27 when daily discharge volume was observed at 6,870 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Little Salmon River At Riggins Id reporting a streamflow rate of 1,540 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Little Salmon River, with a gauge stage of 5.07 ft at this location. This river is monitored from 2 different streamgauging stations along the Little Salmon River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 1,779 ft, the Little Salmon River At Riggins Id.

Max discharge

Little Salmon River At Riggins Id

1,540cfs
Highest stage

Little Salmon River At Riggins Id

5.07ft
Highest-elevation gauge

Little Salmon River At Riggins Id

1,779ft
Aggregate trend

River streamflow levels

Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Little Salmon 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 Salmon 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 Salmon River At Riggins Id ID
USGS 13316500
1,540 5.07 -18.9 69% 92 9,420 1,779
Little Salmon River At Bombay Ny NY
USGS 04270200
107 3.03 5.2 78% 15 2,790 184
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 Salmon River

The Little Salmon River is a tributary of the Salmon River, which is located in Idaho, USA. The river stretches for about 84 miles, with its source in the mountains of the Bitterroot Range, flowing through the Salmon-Challis National Forest. The river is known for its abundance of fish, including Chinook, Coho, and Steelhead that spawn in its clear waters.
The Little Salmon River is of significant agricultural importance, where it provides irrigation water for the surrounding farms, supporting the growth of crops like potatoes, wheat, and corn.
The river is also home to several dams and reservoirs such as the Riggins Dam and The Salmon River Diversion Dam that provide hydroelectric power to the surrounding communities. The river also offers a range of recreational activities such as kayaking, fishing, and camping for enthusiasts.

Track the Little Salmon 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 Salmon River

Where does the data for the Little Salmon 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.