Clearwater River at Orofino water level

Name: Clearwater River at Orofino 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, Clearwater River, Idaho, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.38ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 02:15 AM PDT (55 min ago)

Flow: 1,180 cfs
Water temperature: 51 °F

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to rise to 2.52 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 11:00 AM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 09:08 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Clearwater River at Orofino, where the gauge shows 2.38 ft.

It is 14.62 ft below the flood stage of 17.00 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 2.52 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 11:00 AM. The 30-day range is 2.37 ft – 2.43 ft.

The water temperature at the gauge is 51 °F.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 21.10 ftMay 29, 1948
Forecast peak: 2.52 ftSaturday, October 24 at 11:00 AM

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 17.00 ft.

What happens at each level

20.00 ft: Flooding affects low lying areas including sections of the Orofino business district, the Riverside residential district and U.S. Route 12.
18.50 ft: Flooding affects low lying areas ajacent to the river. Floodwaters also approach the airport and homes near the mouth of Orofino Creek.
17.00 ft: Flooding affects low lying areas adjacent to the river.
2.38 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	21.10 ft	May 29, 1948
2	20.32 ft	June 8, 1964
3	18.84 ft	June 2, 1972
4	18.51 ft	June 16, 1974
5	17.96 ft	May 17, 1997
6	17.00 ft	June 12, 2022
7	16.97 ft	May 19, 2008
8	16.80 ft	May 11, 1976
9	16.76 ft	November 30, 1995
10	16.71 ft	May 31, 1984

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 74° 50° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 83° 53° – Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 69° 52° 0.03 in, 78% Wind 8 mph

23 Fri 58° 45° 0.13 in, 71% Wind 12 mph

24 Sat 62° 38° – Wind 4 mph

25 Sun 63° 40° – Wind 4 mph

26 Mon 65° 39° – Wind 4 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:10 AM Sunset 05:51 PM Daylight 10 hr, 41 min First quarter 67%

Map

Other gauges on the Clearwater River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Clearwater River near PeckRiver gauge, Clearwater River	3,190 cfs	Normal	+50.0 cfs	7 mi
Clearwater River at SpaldingRiver gauge, Clearwater River	3.24 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	27 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Big Canyon Creek near PeckRiver gauge, Big Canyon Creek	4.5 cfs	Low	±0	8 mi
Lolo Creek near GreerRiver gauge, Lolo Creek	29.6 cfs	Very low	±0	9 mi
Lawyer Creek at KamiahRiver gauge, Lawyer Creek	8.4 cfs	Normal	±0	21 mi
Potlatch River Bel Little Potlatch Creek near SpaldingRiver gauge, Potlatch River Bel Little Potlatch Creek	10.8 cfs	Very low	±0	24 mi
Lapwai Creek near LapwaiRiver gauge, Lapwai Creek	10.5 cfs	Normal	±0	26 mi
Mann Lake and Reservoir AReservoir	1,788.56 ft	Normal		30 mi
Sf Clearwater River at StitesRiver gauge, Sf Clearwater River	2.54 ft	Below flood stage	±0	30 mi
Soldiers Meadow ReservoirReservoir	4,496.11 ft	Low		31 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Clearwater River at Orofino?

The official flood stage is 17.00 ft. The level is currently 14.62 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 Clearwater River at Orofino today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 02:15 AM PDT, the water level was 2.38 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Clearwater River at Orofino rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Clearwater River at Orofino normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Clearwater River at Orofino?

The highest level on record is 21.10 ft on May 29, 1948.

Is Clearwater River at Orofino expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to rise to 2.52 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 11:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:13340000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 46.47833, -116.25750 (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	2.38 ft	2026-10-20 09:15	Provisional
Flow	1,180 cfs	2026-10-20 09:15	Provisional
Water temperature	51 °F	2026-10-20 09:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Clearwater River at Orofino (usgs:13340000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/idaho/clearwater-river-at-orofino

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