Payette River river
Total streamflow across the Payette River was last observed at 6,680 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 13,250 acre-ft of water today; about 76% of normal. Average streamflow for this time of year is 8,776 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2019-04-10 when daily discharge volume was observed at 68,500 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Payette River Nr Horseshoe Bend Id reporting a streamflow rate of 6,340 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Payette River Nr Letha Id with a gauge stage of 9.46 ft. This river is monitored from 4 different streamgauging stations along the Payette River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 2,638 ft, the Payette River Nr Horseshoe Bend Id.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Payette River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Payette River
All 4 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Payette River Nr Horseshoe Bend Id
ID
USGS 13247500
|
6,340 | 8.25 | -3.9 | 88% | 598 | 17,600 | 2,638 |
|
Payette River Nr Emmett Id
ID
USGS 13249500
|
5,660 | 5.76 | -1.7 | 83% | 49 | 17,900 | 2,430 |
|
Payette River Nr Letha Id
ID
USGS 13250000
|
4,630 | 9.46 | -9.1 | 79% | 105 | 19,300 | 2,290 |
|
Payette River Nr Payette Id
ID
USGS 13251000
|
5,400 | 7.08 | -4.0 | 83% | 312 | 19,200 | 2,152 |
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
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
Payette River
The Payette River is a popular river in Idaho that is approximately 82 miles in length and runs through the Payette National Forest. The river has a long history of providing water for agricultural purposes in the region. It also has several reservoirs and dams, including the Cascade Dam and the Black Canyon Dam, which generate hydroelectric power for the area. The river offers recreational activities such as kayaking, rafting, and fishing for its visitors. The Payette River is considered a Class II-III river, which means it is suitable for intermediate kayakers and rafters. The river is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts and provides a beautiful backdrop for camping and hiking in the area.
Recreation along the Payette River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Track the Payette 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.
About the Payette River
Where does the data for the Payette 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.