Kootenai River at Bonners Ferry water level

Name: Kootenai River at Bonners Ferry 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, Kootenai River, Idaho, United States

Directions

Low for mid-October

Water level

45.33ft Up 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 10:15 AM PDT (35 min ago)

Water temperature: 51 °F

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 45.34 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 09:00 AM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 08:10 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

Low water at Kootenai River at Bonners Ferry: the gauge reads 45.33 ft, below normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 47.09 ft, based on 65 years of readings, so the river stage is 1.76 ft below typical. It is 18.67 ft below the flood stage of 64.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 45.26 ft, a difference of +0.07 ft.

It is on the way up, by 0.10 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 45.34 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 09:00 AM. The 30-day range is 45.21 ft – 46.31 ft.

The water temperature at the gauge is 51 °F.

Compared with 65 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 47.09 ft1.76 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 45.20 ft – 52.04 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (65 years of records)
Same day last year: 45.26 ft+0.07 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 45.21 ft – 46.31 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 45.15 ft – 59.05 ft
Highest on record: 80.13 ftMay 29, 1961
Forecast peak: 45.37 ftSaturday, October 24 at 08:00 AM

Paddling and fishing conditions

At low levels, plan for shorter paddling trips and expect to walk your boat through a few shoals.

For reference, flood stage is 64.00 ft.

What happens at each level

74.00 ft: Flooding on Main Street in Bonners Ferry and into the buildings. Seepage through levees increases.
66.00 ft: Water will begin to encroach upon the lawn of the Kootenai River Inn. Some homes downstream of Bonners Ferry will be cut off from accesss roads.
64.00 ft: There will be minor flooding along the agricultural lands of the Kootenai Valley due to seepage and high water tables. Some private roads near the levees may also experience minor flooding from seepage.
45.33 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	80.13 ft	May 29, 1961
2	80.10 ft	May 14, 1956
3	78.55 ft	May 21, 1954
4	78.32 ft	May 28, 1948
5	77.20 ft	June 1, 1894
6	76.98 ft	June 22, 1950
7	76.04 ft	June 11, 1967
8	75.69 ft	June 7, 1959
9	74.98 ft	June 18, 1933
10	74.94 ft	June 10, 1964

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 58° 35° – Wind 6 mph

20 Tue 68° 41° – Wind 6 mph

21 Wed 74° 47° – Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 69° 42° 0.02 in, 49% Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 58° 38° 0.00 in, 38% Wind 12 mph

24 Sat 56° 32° – Wind 7 mph

25 Sun 56° 33° – Wind 3 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:14 AM Sunset 05:48 PM Daylight 10 hr, 34 min Waxing gibbous 70%

Map

Other gauges on the Kootenai River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Kootenai River below Libby Dam near Libby MTRiver gauge, Kootenai River	18.00 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	50 mi
Kootenai River at LeoniaRiver gauge, Kootenai River	10.50 ft	Low	+0.17 ft	13 mi
Kootenai River at PorthillRiver gauge, Kootenai River	44.00 ft	Low	+0.04 ft	22 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Kootenai River Bel Moyie River near Bonners FerryRiver gauge, Kootenai River Bel Moyie River	5,220 cfs	Normal	+260 cfs	5.3 mi
Yaak River near Troy MTRiver gauge, Yaak River	2.88 ft	Below flood stage	±0	18 mi
Moyie River at EastportRiver gauge, Moyie River	3.30 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	22 mi
Boundary Creek near PorthillRiver gauge, Boundary Creek	22.0 cfs	Low	±0	24 mi
Sullivan Creek near CanyonRiver gauge, Sullivan Creek	0.03 m	Very low	±0	46 km
Priest R Outflow near CoolinRiver gauge, Priest R Outflow	1,200 cfs	Normal	−10.0 cfs	31 mi
Arrow Creek near EricksonRiver gauge, Arrow Creek	0.30 m	Normal	±0	52 km
Lightning Creek at Clark ForkRiver gauge, Lightning Creek	7.76 ft	Lowest on record	−0.04 ft	38 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Kootenai River at Bonners Ferry higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.07 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 45.26 ft.

What is flood stage for the Kootenai River at Bonners Ferry?

The official flood stage is 64.00 ft. The level is currently 18.67 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Kootenai River at Bonners Ferry in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 47.09 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 45.20 ft and 52.04 ft, based on 65 years of records.

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 Kootenai River at Bonners Ferry today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 10:15 AM PDT, the water level was 45.33 ft. Up 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Kootenai River at Bonners Ferry rising or falling?

Up 0.10 ft over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Kootenai River at Bonners Ferry normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 65 years of daily readings for this time of year.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:12309500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 48.69806, -116.31250 (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	45.33 ft	2026-10-20 17:15	Provisional
Water temperature	51 °F	2026-10-20 17:15	Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.

<iframe src="https://nivelmap.com/embed/14427?lang=en" width="360" height="230" style="border:0;max-width:100%" loading="lazy" title="Kootenai River at Bonners Ferry water level"></iframe>

How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Kootenai River at Bonners Ferry (usgs:12309500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/idaho/kootenai-river-at-bonners-ferry

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