LOCHSA RIVER
January 1, 2025
TOTAL RIVER DISCHARGE
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the reporting a streamflow rate of cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Lochsa River, with a gauge stage of ft at this location. This river is monitored from 1 different streamgauging stations along the Lochsa River, the highest being situated at an altitude of ft, the .
The Lochsa River is a tributary of the Clearwater River in western Montana and Idaho. It stretches over 70 miles and has a rich history, as it was a key route for the Nez Perce tribe and later used by European fur traders. The river's hydrology is influenced by heavy precipitation and snowmelt, leading to high flow rates during spring and early summer. There are no major reservoirs or dams on the Lochsa River, which remains largely unaltered. The river is popular for whitewater rafting and fishing, with an abundance of native cutthroat trout. The area surrounding the river is also used for timber harvesting and grazing.
YEAR OVER YEAR DISCHARGE (CFS)
Streamflow Conditions
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lochsa River Nr Lowell Id
USGS 13337000 |
1080 cfs | 2.69 ft | -1.82 |
History of the River
The Lochsa River is in the northwestern United States, in the mountains of north central Idaho. It is one of two primary tributaries (with the Selway to the south) of the Middle Fork of the Clearwater River in the Clearwater National Forest. Lochsa is a Nez Perce word meaning rough water. The Salish name is Ep Smɫí, "It Has Salmon."The Lochsa (pronounced "lock-saw") was included by the U.S. Congress in 1968 as part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The Lochsa and Selway rivers and their tributaries have no dams, and their flow is unregulated. In late spring (mid-May to mid-June), the Lochsa River is rated as one of the world's best for continuous whitewater.
The main stem of the Lochsa is seventy miles (110 km) in length from its headwaters near Powell Ranger Station in the Bitterroots to Lowell, where the Lochsa joins the Selway River to form the Middle Fork of the Clearwater. Over this distance, the river drops nearly two thousand feet (600 m), from 3,441 feet (1,049 m) above sea level at Powell to 1,453 feet (443 m) at Lowell.The drainage basin for the Lochsa River system covers 1,180 square miles (3,060 km2) in Idaho County. The river is fed by the melting of the significant snowpack of the Bitterroot Range, among the highest precipitation areas in the state.