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SwedenBig Wood River below Magic Dam near Richfield water level
River gauge, Big Wood River, Idaho, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 2.2 cfs
History
The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.76 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 12:00 PM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 09:20 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
The Big Wood River below Magic Dam near Richfield is at 1.77 ft, in the normal range.
It is 7.23 ft below the flood stage of 9.00 ft.
It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.76 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 12:00 PM. In the last month it has stayed between 1.76 ft and 1.77 ft.
Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Highest on record
- 15.68 ftApril 26, 1952
- Forecast peak
- 1.76 ftTuesday, October 20 at 12:00 PM
Floating and fishing near Big Wood River below Magic Dam near Richfield
Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.
Flood stage here is 9.00 ft, 7.23 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.
What happens at each level
- 12.00 ft
- Major flooding will occur near Shoshone in Lincoln County and in the city of Gooding in Gooding County. The flooding will come from both the Big Wood and Little Wood Rivers with water crossing over land from the Big Wood River into the Little Wood River. Highway 75 in Lincoln County will be flooded where it crosses the Big Wood River. The Big and Little Wood Rivers will flood Highway 46 in Gooding County.
- 11.00 ft
- Water will spill from the Big Wood River over land upstream from Shoshone and enter the Little Wood River causing flooding in Lincoln and Gooding Counties on the Little Wood River. Floodwater will also spill over portions of the Highway 75 and Highway 46 where they cross the Big Wood River in Lincoln and Gooding Counties.
- 10.50 ft
- Water will reach the level of Highway 75 in Lincoln County and Highway 46 in Gooding County. Water will reach a stage of 9.0 feet at the Highway 46 bridge about 24 hours after exceeding a stage of 10.5 feet just below Magic Reservoir. Water will also spill from the Big Wood Channel over land through Cottonwood Slough and enter the Little Wood River upstream from Shoshone. Water will pond behind the railroad embankment near Shoshone.
- 9.50 ft
- Floodwater will spread downstream from Magic Reservoir along the banks of the Big Wood River in Lincoln and Gooding Counties. Floodwater will be about 1 foot below the surface of Highway 75 and Highway 46. Water levels between 8.0 and 8.5 feet will occur at the Highway 46 bridge north of Gooding about 24 hours after discharge reaches 5300 cfs at Magic Reservoir, with minor flooding occurring upstream from the bridge. This will be similar to the flooding, which occurred in 2006.
- 9.00 ft
- Floodwater will spread downstream from Magic Reservoir along the banks of the Big Wood River in Lincoln and Gooding Counties. Floodwater will be about 1 foot below the surface of Highway 75 and Highway 46. Water levels between 8.0 and 8.5 feet will occur at the Highway 46 bridge north of Gooding about 24 hours after discharge reaches 4669 cfs at Magic Reservoir, with minor flooding occurring upstream from the bridge. This will be similar to the flooding, which occurred in 2006.
- 1.77 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15.68 ft | April 26, 1952 |
| 2 | 13.31 ft | April 13, 1943 |
| 3 | 11.89 ft | March 31, 2017 |
| 4 | 11.55 ft | April 21, 1938 |
| 5 | 10.69 ft | May 31, 1983 |
| 6 | 10.26 ft | May 21, 2006 |
| 7 | 10.07 ft | April 16, 1984 |
| 8 | 9.33 ft | April 12, 1951 |
| 9 | 9.30 ft | May 30, 1986 |
| 10 | 8.94 ft | May 19, 1997 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the Big Wood River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Wood River near KetchumRiver gauge, Big Wood River | 4.93 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 37 mi |
| Big Wood River at Hailey Id Total FlowRiver gauge, Big Wood River | 1.57 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 19 mi |
| Big Wood River at S Broadford Bridge near BellevueRiver gauge, Big Wood River | 5.67 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 16 mi |
| Big Wood River at Stanton Crossing near BellevueRiver gauge, Big Wood River | 16.1 cfs | Low | ±0 | 5.9 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camas Creek near BlaineRiver gauge, Camas Creek | 1.1 cfs | Very low | ±0 | 11 mi |
| Silver Creek at Sportsman Access near PicaboRiver gauge, Silver Creek | 6.64 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 14 mi |
| Little Wood River near CareyRiver gauge, Little Wood River | 0.80 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 20 mi |
| Little Wood River ReservoirReservoir | 5,180.97 ft | Normal | 21 mi | |
| Little Wood River above High Five Creek near CareyRiver gauge, Little Wood River | 1.44 ft | Below flood stage | +0.01 ft | 23 mi |
| East Fork Big Wood River at GimletRiver gauge, East Fork Big Wood River | 4.89 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 25 mi |
| Trail Creek at KetchumRiver gauge, Trail Creek | 4.92 ft | Below flood stage | +0.02 ft | 29 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the Big Wood River below Magic Dam near Richfield?
The official flood stage is 9.00 ft. The level is currently 7.23 ft below it.
Is gage height the same as water depth?
No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.
What is the water level of Big Wood River below Magic Dam near Richfield today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 03:00 PM MDT, the water level was 1.77 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Big Wood River below Magic Dam near Richfield rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Big Wood River below Magic Dam near Richfield normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Big Wood River below Magic Dam near Richfield?
The highest level on record is 15.68 ft on April 26, 1952.
Is Big Wood River below Magic Dam near Richfield expected to rise?
The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.76 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 12:00 PM.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:13142500(Agency page)- Coordinates
43.24806, -114.35667(WGS84)- Vertical datum
- NGVD29
- Update interval
- every 15 minutes
- Licence
- Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision
Published series
| Parameter | Last value | Time (UTC) | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water level | 1.77 ft | 2026-10-20 21:00 | Provisional |
| Flow | 2.2 cfs | 2026-10-20 20:45 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Big Wood River below Magic Dam near Richfield (usgs:13142500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/idaho/big-wood-river-below-magic-dam-near-richfield
How we check values
Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.
Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer