Salmon River at White Bird: Level & Flow Today
River flow & level · USGS gauge 13317000 · Idaho · drains 13,421 sq mi
Latest reading Nov 4, 6:45 AM · streamflow
The Salmon River at White Bird is running 4,290 cfs, 90% of the median flow for November 4 (4,780 cfs, 114 years). Gage height is 12.71 ft, 19.3 ft below flood stage (32.0 ft). Flow is about the same as 24 hours ago.
Whitewater: Salmon River
for rafters & kayakersLower Salmon: Riggins area (Carey Creek to Riggins)
RunnableClass III–IV · 23 mi · Put-in: Carey Creek Boat Ramp · Take-out: Riggins City Park, Take-Out
Low from 1,000 · too high above 100,000 cfs
Now: 4,290 cfs on this gauge. Runnable range: American Whitewater, reach 1464.
Riggins to White Bird
RunnableClass III · 30 mi · Put-in: Riggins City Ramp, Put-In · Take-out: White Bird Gravel Pit, Take-Out
Low from 3,000 · too high above 80,000 cfs
Now: 4,290 cfs on this gauge. Runnable range: American Whitewater, reach 613.
46°F water: cold-shock range. Wear a wetsuit or drysuit sized for immersion; most people feel maximum-intensity cold shock in 50–60°F water without one. Reading Nov 4, 6:45 AM at this gauge.
Flow on this section is natural (snowmelt and rain), not set by a dam release schedule, so check the live reading above before you go. Commercial rafting season depends on runoff. Source.
Below dams the river can rise suddenly and turn violent when releases start; stay out of tailrace areas and off the river outside scheduled windows unless you know the flow. Ranges are for experienced paddlers at the gauge shown; rapids change after floods, so scout and check for new wood. Wear a PFD, never boat alone, and follow the American Whitewater Safety Code. New to whitewater? Go with a licensed outfitter.
Streamflow
cubic feet per secondReadingNormal range for the date (25th–75th pct.)Median for the date
Gage height & flood stages
ft above gauge datumAction (30.0 ft) is 17.3 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMinor (32.0 ft) is 19.3 ft above the latest reading, off this chartModerate (33.0 ft) is 20.3 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMajor (35.0 ft) is 22.3 ft above the latest reading, off this chart
Reading
About Salmon River at White Bird
Over the past 12 months, daily mean flow at this gauge ranged from 3,240 cfs (Sep 1, 2026) to 44,800 cfs (May 14, 2026). USGS daily records for this gauge start in 1911; on November 4 the flow has ranged from 2,870 cfs (2003) to 8,240 cfs (1951). The river drains 13,421 square miles above this gauge. The nearest gauges we track are Lochsa River near Lowell (45 mi northeast). See all 7 Idaho river gauges on the Idaho lake & river levels page.
Salmon River at White Bird fishing report & conditions
updated Nov 4, 10:34 AM ETWater 46°F and cooling, flow 90% of normal, flow steady — fair fall fishing day (4/10), best window 7:01 AM–9:01 AM (moon overhead near sunrise).
- Water temp46°Fmeasured Nov 4, 6:45 AM · this gauge · −1° in 24 h
- Flow90% of normalFlow steady (+0% in 24 h)
Official Idaho fishing info: Idaho Fish and Game — Idaho Fishing Planner
Best fishing times today
Today is a fair fishing day (solunar + local conditions)
4/10
Waning crescent · 21% lit · New moon Sun, Nov 8 · Sunrise 6:30 AM · Sunset 4:26 PM
Major fishing times
- Moon overhead7:01 AM–9:01 AMSunrise
- Moon underfoot7:23 PM–9:23 PM
Minor fishing times
- Moonrise1:00 AM–2:00 AM
- Moonset1:49 PM–2:49 PM
Fishing times for the next 7 days
| TodayNov 4 | 4/10Fair | Major 7:01 AM–9:01 AM · 7:23 PM–9:23 PM Minor 1:00 AM–2:00 AM · 1:49 PM–2:49 PM |
|---|---|---|
| ThuNov 5 | 2/10Poor | Major 7:45 AM–9:45 AM · 8:07 PM–10:07 PM Minor 2:12 AM–3:12 AM · 2:06 PM–3:06 PM |
| FriNov 6 | 3/10Poor | Major 8:29 AM–10:29 AM · 8:51 PM–10:51 PM Minor 3:22 AM–4:22 AM · 2:25 PM–3:25 PM |
| SatNov 7 | 4/10Fair | Major 9:14 AM–11:14 AM · 9:37 PM–11:37 PM Minor 4:32 AM–5:32 AM · 2:45 PM–3:45 PM |
| SunNov 8 | 5/10Fair | Major 10:00 AM–12:00 PM · 10:24 PM–12:24 AM Minor 5:43 AM–6:43 AM · 3:08 PM–4:08 PM |
| MonNov 9 | 5/10Fair | Major 10:48 AM–12:48 PM · 11:13 PM–1:13 AM Minor 6:53 AM–7:53 AM · 3:37 PM–4:37 PM |
| TueNov 10 | 4/10Fair | Major 11:38 AM–1:38 PM Minor 8:00 AM–9:00 AM · 4:13 PM–5:13 PM |
How this rating works
Solunar theory says fish feed more when the moon is overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 hours) and around moonrise and moonset (minor periods, about 1 hour). On a lake or river there is no tide, so instead of tide changes we score the local conditions anglers watch: the barometric pressure trend, the wind, whether the river is steady, and the water temperature where it is measured.
| Base | every day starts at 1 | 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Sunrise / sunset | a period overlaps sunrise or sunset ±1 h: major +2, minor +1 (max 3) (Moon overhead × sunrise +2) | 2 |
| Moon phase | within 2 days of a new or full moon +2, within 4 days +1 (today: 4.6 days) | 0 |
| Local conditions | pressure 6 AM→6 PM: falling +2, steady or slowly rising +1, rising fast 0 · daytime wind 4–15 mph +1, over 20 mph (or gusts over 30) −1 · flow within ±15% in 24 h +1, rising over 25% −1 · water 55–75°F +1, below 45°F or above 85°F −1 (0 to 4 in total)
| 1 |
| Today | 4, rounded | 4/10 |
1–3 poor · 4–5 fair · 6–7 good · 8–10 excellent. Pressure and wind are the NOAA National Weather Service hourly forecast for this spot; the level/flow trend is the latest 24 hours of readings on this page; water temperature measured at this gauge. Days 2–7 score sun, moon, forecast pressure and forecast wind only (level and water temperature aren’t forecast). Solunar times are a rule of thumb, not a guarantee.
Solunar periods calculated for 45.75, -116.32 (moon times from astronomical equations, Salmon River at White Bird local time).
Flood stages
NOAA NWS gauge WHBI1- Action stage30 ft+17.3 ft from now
- Minor stage32 ft+19.3 ft from now
- Moderate stage33 ft+20.3 ft from now
- Major stage35 ft+22.3 ft from now
- Record crest37.5 ft1894
November 4 in history
114 years of flow records- Today4,290 cfs
- Same date last year4,680 cfs2025
- Median4,780 cfs
- Normal range4,220 cfs – 5,470 cfs25th–75th percentile
- Highest since 19118,240 cfs1951
- Lowest since 19112,870 cfs2003
Last 10 days
| Date | Mean flow (cfs) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Wed Nov 4 (today) | 4,296 | -0% |
| Tue Nov 3 | 4,310 | +3% |
| Mon Nov 2 | 4,180 | +3% |
| Sun Nov 1 | 4,070 | +1% |
| Sat Oct 31 | 4,040 | -2% |
| Fri Oct 30 | 4,120 | -2% |
| Thu Oct 29 | 4,200 | -1% |
| Wed Oct 28 | 4,250 | -2% |
| Tue Oct 27 | 4,340 | -4% |
| Mon Oct 26 | 4,510 | +2% |
Daily mean of all readings that day; today is the average so far.
Nearby lakes & rivers
Guides
All guides →- Best time to go whitewater rafting, river by riverTypical flow each month against American Whitewater’s ranges, for 40+ rafting runs.
- What river flow is best for rafting?How to read cfs and our Too low / Good / High bands before a raft trip, with live examples.
- What CFS is safe for kayaking and rafting?Live flows against American Whitewater ranges for classic Eastern runs.
About this data
- Gauge
- USGS 13317000 — Salmon River At White Bird Id
- Location
- 45.7503, -116.3239 · Idaho
- Drainage area
- 13,421 sq mi
- Measures
- Streamflow (discharge), cubic feet per second
- Daily statistics
- 1911–2025 (approved daily values)
- Latest reading
- Nov 4, 6:45 AM local time (provisional)
- Page built
- Nov 4, 2026 10:34 AM ET
- Flood stages
- NWS gauge WHBI1 — National Water Prediction Service
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Water Data for the Nation (USGS monitoring location page). Readings every 15–60 minutes; the newest values are provisional. Percentiles compare today’s reading with every past year’s daily mean for the same calendar date. Weather: NOAA National Weather Service.