Big Wood River near Ketchum water level

Name: Big Wood River near Ketchum water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Big Wood River, Idaho, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

4.93ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 05:45 PM MDT (2 hours ago)

Flow: 53.5 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to rise to 5.61 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 06:00 AM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 09:20 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The Big Wood River near Ketchum is at 4.93 ft, in the normal range.

It is 3.07 ft below the flood stage of 8.00 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 5.61 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 06:00 AM. In the last month it has stayed between 4.92 ft and 4.94 ft.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 9.89 ftMay 7, 2017
Forecast peak: 5.61 ftSaturday, October 24 at 06:00 AM

Floating and fishing near Big Wood River near Ketchum

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 8.00 ft, 3.07 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

10.00 ft: Widespread lowland flooding from Easley Hot Springs dowriver to Ketchum. Numerous properties will have water inundation. Sun Peak Picnic area flooded; Idaho Highwyat 75 may have erosion problems in several locations.
9.00 ft: Widespread lowland flooding from Easley Hot Springs downriver to Ketchum. Many properties will have water inundation. Sun Peak Picnic area flooded; Idaho Highway 75 may have bank erosion from Cottonwood Lane to Glassford Drive.
8.00 ft: Lowland flooding from near the SNRA building downriver into Ketchum. Property near Chocolate Gulch Road downstream to Ketchum will have flooding; Sun Peak Picnic Area flooded; Fox Creek Trailhead may be closed
7.50 ft: Near bankfull from Easley Hot Springs downriver to Ketchum.
4.93 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	9.89 ft	May 7, 2017
2	8.74 ft	April 26, 2012
3	7.61 ft	June 24, 2011
4	7.52 ft	June 12, 2022
5	7.49 ft	June 6, 2019
6	7.35 ft	May 27, 2018
7	7.17 ft	June 6, 2016
8	6.87 ft	May 14, 2013
9	6.75 ft	May 29, 2014
10	6.52 ft	May 31, 2020

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

17 Sat 63° 34° – Wind 14 mph

18 Sun 62° 44° – Wind 15 mph

19 Mon 62° 44° – Wind 9 mph

20 Tue 59° 44° 0.16 in, 37% Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 56° 44° 0.22 in, 24% Wind 8 mph

22 Thu 60° 45° 0.23 in, 79% Wind 8 mph

23 Fri 52° 36° 0.02 in, 79% Wind 10 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 08:00 AM Sunset 06:46 PM Daylight 10 hr, 46 min Waxing gibbous 73%

Map

Other gauges on the Big Wood River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Big Wood River at Hailey Id Total FlowRiver gauge, Big Wood River	1.57 ft	Below flood stage	±0	19 mi
Big Wood River at S Broadford Bridge near BellevueRiver gauge, Big Wood River	5.65 ft	Below flood stage	±0	23 mi
Big Wood River at Stanton Crossing near BellevueRiver gauge, Big Wood River	15.6 cfs	Low	±0	32 mi
Big Wood River below Magic Dam near RichfieldRiver gauge, Big Wood River	1.77 ft	Below flood stage	±0	37 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Nf Big Wood River near Sawtooth Nra Hq near KetchumRiver gauge, Nf Big Wood River	4.91 ft	Below flood stage	±0	0.3 mi
Trail Creek near Sun ValleyRiver gauge, Trail Creek	15.5 cfs	Normal	±0	7 mi
Warm Springs Creek at Gates Road near KetchumRiver gauge, Warm Springs Creek	29.4 cfs	Very low	±0	7 mi
Trail Creek at KetchumRiver gauge, Trail Creek	4.96 ft	Below flood stage	+0.04 ft	8 mi
East Fork Big Wood River at GimletRiver gauge, East Fork Big Wood River	4.90 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	14 mi
Nf Big Lost River at Wild Horse near ChillyRiver gauge, Nf Big Lost River	1.50 ft	Below flood stage	±0	19 mi
Big Lost River at Howell Ranch near ChillyRiver gauge, Big Lost River	1.00 ft	Below flood stage	±0	25 mi
Little Wood River above High Five Creek near CareyRiver gauge, Little Wood River	1.42 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	27 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Big Wood River near Ketchum?

The official flood stage is 8.00 ft. The level is currently 3.07 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 near Ketchum today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 05:45 PM MDT, the water level was 4.93 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Big Wood River near Ketchum rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Big Wood River near Ketchum 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 near Ketchum?

The highest level on record is 9.89 ft on May 7, 2017.

Is Big Wood River near Ketchum expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to rise to 5.61 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 06:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:13135500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 43.78626, -114.42506 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NAVD88
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	4.93 ft	2026-10-20 23:45	Provisional
Flow	53.5 cfs	2026-10-20 23:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Big Wood River near Ketchum (usgs:13135500). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/idaho/big-wood-river-near-ketchum

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