Salmon River below Yankee Fork near Clayton water level

Name: Salmon River below Yankee Fork near Clayton 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, Salmon River, Idaho, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.15ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 06:45 AM PDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 460 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The Salmon River below Yankee Fork near Clayton is at 2.15 ft, in the normal range.

It is 7.35 ft below the flood stage of 9.50 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 2.15 ft and 2.18 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 10.64 ftJune 5, 2017

Floating and fishing near Salmon River below Yankee Fork near Clayton

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

Flood stage here is 9.50 ft, 7.35 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

9.50 ft: Flooding of lowland areas and ponding from the Sunbeam area downstream through Challis to the Ellis region. Campgrounds near Challis and Ellis will have water in them. Side roads from Challis to Sunbeam may be washed out or have water over them.
9.00 ft: Salmon River will be within one foot of bankfull in many locations between the Sunbeam area downstream through Challis to the Ellis region. Localized lowland seep and ponding is possible.
2.15 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	10.64 ft	June 5, 2017
2	10.59 ft	June 8, 1972
3	10.55 ft	June 1, 1986
4	10.55 ft	June 11, 1965
5	10.22 ft	May 21, 2006
6	10.19 ft	June 20, 1982
7	10.17 ft	June 5, 1957
8	10.08 ft	June 5, 2010
9	9.81 ft	May 24, 1958
10	9.74 ft	May 31, 2003

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:01 AM Sunset 05:48 PM Daylight 10 hr, 47 min First quarter 69%

Map

Other gauges on the Salmon River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Salmon River at SalmonRiver gauge, Salmon River	2.31 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	75 mi
Salmon River near ShoupRiver gauge, Salmon River	1,530 cfs	Low	−10.0 cfs	74 mi
Salmon River at White BirdRiver gauge, Salmon River	12.38 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	129 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Yankee Fork Salmon River near ClaytonRiver gauge, Yankee Fork Salmon River	6.09 ft	Below flood stage	±0	0.7 mi
Valley Creek at StanleyRiver gauge, Valley Creek	0.78 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	10 mi
Thompson Creek near ClaytonRiver gauge, Thompson Creek	2.6 cfs	Very low	±0	11 mi
Bruno Creek near ClaytonRiver gauge, Bruno Creek	0.2 cfs	Normal	±0	13 mi
Paasasikwana Naokwaide below Bruno CreekRiver gauge, Paasasikwana Naokwaide	3.42 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	13 mi
Mf Salmon River at Mf Lodge near Yellow PineRiver gauge, Mf Salmon River	485 cfs	Low	−7.0 cfs	34 mi
Big Wood River near KetchumRiver gauge, Big Wood River	4.93 ft	Below flood stage	±0	37 mi
Nf Big Wood River near Sawtooth Nra Hq near KetchumRiver gauge, Nf Big Wood River	4.92 ft	Below flood stage	±0	37 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Salmon River below Yankee Fork near Clayton?

The official flood stage is 9.50 ft. The level is currently 7.35 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 Salmon River below Yankee Fork near Clayton today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 06:45 AM PDT, the water level was 2.15 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Salmon River below Yankee Fork near Clayton rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Salmon River below Yankee Fork near Clayton normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Salmon River below Yankee Fork near Clayton?

The highest level on record is 10.64 ft on June 5, 2017.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:13296500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 44.26833, -114.73278 (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	2.15 ft	2026-10-20 13:45	Provisional
Flow	460 cfs	2026-10-20 13:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Salmon River below Yankee Fork near Clayton (usgs:13296500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/idaho/salmon-river-below-yankee-fork-near-clayton

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