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Payette River River Levels

Last Updated: December 16, 2025

The Payette River is a popular river in Idaho that is approximately 82 miles in length and runs through the Payette National Forest.


Summary

Total streamflow across the Payette River was last observed at 5,110 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 10,136 acre-ft of water today; about 152% of normal. River levels are high. Average streamflow for this time of year is 3,361 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 Payette Id reporting a streamflow rate of 1,590 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Payette River Nr Letha Id with a gauge stage of 7.88 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 Details

Last Updated 2025-12-16
Discharge Volume 10,136 ACRE-FT
Streamflow 5,110.0 cfs
-450.0 cfs (-8.09%)
Percent of Normal 152.04%
Maximum 68,500.0 cfs
2019-04-10
Seasonal Avg 3,361 cfs
       
River Streamflow Levels
Streamgauge Streamflow Gauge Stage 24hr Change (%) % Normal Minimum (cfs) Maximum (cfs) Air Temp Elevation
Payette River Nr Horseshoe Bend Id
USGS 13247500
1120 cfs 3.27 ft -4.27
Payette River Nr Emmett Id
USGS 13249500
1130 cfs 2.37 ft -16.91
Payette River Nr Letha Id
USGS 13250000
1270 cfs 7.88 ft -13.01
Payette River Nr Payette Id
USGS 13251000
1590 cfs 5.21 ft 1.27
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile

The Payette River is an 82.7-mile-long (133.1 km) river in southwestern Idaho and is a major tributary of the Snake River.
Its headwaters originate in the Sawtooth and Salmon River Mountains at elevations over 10,000 feet (3,000 m). Drainage in the watershed flows primarily from east to west, with the cumulative stream length to the head of the North Fork Payette River being 180 miles (290 km), while to the head of the South Fork the cumulative length is nearly 163 miles (262 km). The combined Payette River flows into an agricultural valley and empties into the Snake River near the city of Payette at an elevation of 2,125 feet (648 m). The Payette River's drainage basin comprises about 3,240 square miles (8,400 km2). It is a physiographic section of the Columbia Plateau province, which in turn is part of the larger Intermontane Plateaus physiographic division. The South Fork of the Payette has its headwaters in the Sawtooth Wilderness, which is part of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area.