Priest River river
Total streamflow across the Priest River was last observed at 3,120 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 6,188 acre-ft of water today; about 70% of normal. Average streamflow for this time of year is 4,445 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2023-05-09 when daily discharge volume was observed at 12,290 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Priest R Outflow Nr Coolin reporting a streamflow rate of 2,250 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Priest River, with a gauge stage of 17.87 ft at this location. This river is monitored from 2 different streamgauging stations along the Priest River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 2,433 ft, the Priest R Outflow Nr Coolin.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Priest River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Priest 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Priest R Outflow Nr Coolin
ID
USGS 12393501
|
2,250 | 17.87 | 62.8 | 94% | 93 | 5,620 | 2,433 |
|
Priest River Nr Priest River Id
ID
USGS 12395000
|
1,750 | 2.70 | 15.9 | 36% | 134 | 9,380 | 2,083 |
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
Priest River
The Priest River runs for approximately 70 miles through northern Idaho and eastern Washington. The river was named after Father Pierre-Jean De Smet, a Belgian Jesuit missionary who traveled extensively throughout the region in the mid-19th century. Hydrologically, the river is known for its moderate to high flows, with peak runoff occurring in late spring to early summer. The river is home to several reservoirs and dams, including the Boundary Dam, Box Canyon Dam, and Albeni Falls Dam, which provide hydroelectric power to the region. Additionally, the river is used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and camping, and supports agriculture in the surrounding areas. The Priest River is an important part of the regional ecosystem and is managed by the U.S. Forest Service and other federal agencies to ensure its ecological health and sustainability.
Track the Priest 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 Priest River
Where does the data for the Priest 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.