Big Lost River at Howell Ranch near Chilly water level

Name: Big Lost River at Howell Ranch near Chilly 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 Lost River, Idaho, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.00ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 08:00 PM MDT (36 min ago)

Flow: 102 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to rise to 1.19 ft by Friday, October 23 at 06:00 AM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 09:05 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Big Lost River at Howell Ranch near Chilly, where the gauge shows 1.00 ft.

It is 3.05 ft below the flood stage of 4.05 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 1.19 ft by Friday, October 23 at 06:00 AM. The 30-day range is 0.99 ft – 1.01 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 6.02 ftMay 25, 1967
Forecast peak: 1.19 ftFriday, October 23 at 06:00 AM

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 4.05 ft.

What happens at each level

4.05 ft: Widespread lowland flooding from Howell Ranch downriver to the top of Mackay Reservoir. Fish Hatchery Road near Donahue Ranch may have water flowing over it. Canals and headgates may have problems.
3.51 ft: Near bankfull from Howell Ranch downriver to the top of Mackay Reservoir. Some lowland flooding of fields possible.
1.00 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	6.02 ft	May 25, 1967
2	6.00 ft	June 26, 1954
3	5.94 ft	June 12, 1921
4	5.73 ft	June 12, 1965
5	5.68 ft	May 21, 2006
6	5.52 ft	June 11, 1983
7	5.50 ft	June 15, 1922
8	5.48 ft	June 4, 1986
9	5.47 ft	June 22, 1982
10	5.41 ft	June 16, 1974

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

17 Sat 64° 34° – Wind 9 mph

18 Sun 63° 41° – Wind 13 mph

19 Mon 62° 40° – Wind 10 mph

20 Tue 59° 42° 0.04 in, 33% Wind 9 mph

21 Wed 58° 42° 0.02 in Wind 12 mph

22 Thu 61° 42° 0.09 in, 70% Wind 13 mph

23 Fri 44° 35° 0.09 in, 70% Wind 11 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:58 AM Sunset 06:45 PM Daylight 10 hr, 48 min First quarter 64%

Map

Other gauges on the Big Lost River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Big Lost River below Mackay Reservoir near MackayRiver gauge, Big Lost River	1.60 ft	Below flood stage	−0.07 ft	19 mi
Big Lost River near LeslieRiver gauge, Big Lost River	73.5 cfs	Normal	−4.4 cfs	29 mi
Big Lost River below Moore Diversion near MooreRiver gauge, Big Lost River	0.0 cfs	Low	±0	36 mi
Big Lost River at Arco at Sunset RoadRiver gauge, Big Lost River	0.0 cfs	Normal	±0	43 mi
Big Lost River near ArcoRiver gauge, Big Lost River	2.01 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	47 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Nf Big Lost River at Wild Horse near ChillyRiver gauge, Nf Big Lost River	1.50 ft	Below flood stage	±0	6 mi
Thousand Springs Creek near ChillyRiver gauge, Thousand Springs Creek	5.1 cfs	Normal	−0.6 cfs	10 mi
Warm Springs Creek below Diversion near MackayRiver gauge, Warm Springs Creek	43.4 cfs	High	±0	11 mi
Lower Cedar Creek above Divs near MackayRiver gauge, Lower Cedar Creek	10.8 cfs	Normal	±0	22 mi
Trail Creek near Sun ValleyRiver gauge, Trail Creek	15.5 cfs	Normal	±0	24 mi
Nf Big Wood River near Sawtooth Nra Hq near KetchumRiver gauge, Nf Big Wood River	4.91 ft	Below flood stage	±0	25 mi
Big Wood River near KetchumRiver gauge, Big Wood River	4.93 ft	Below flood stage	±0	25 mi
Trail Creek at KetchumRiver gauge, Trail Creek	4.93 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	28 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Big Lost River at Howell Ranch near Chilly?

The official flood stage is 4.05 ft. The level is currently 3.05 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 Lost River at Howell Ranch near Chilly today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 08:00 PM MDT, the water level was 1.00 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Big Lost River at Howell Ranch near Chilly rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Big Lost River at Howell Ranch near Chilly normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Big Lost River at Howell Ranch near Chilly?

The highest level on record is 6.02 ft on May 25, 1967.

Is Big Lost River at Howell Ranch near Chilly expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to rise to 1.19 ft by Friday, October 23 at 06:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:13120500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 43.99833, -114.02111 (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	1.00 ft	2026-10-20 02:00	Provisional
Flow	102 cfs	2026-10-20 02:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Big Lost River at Howell Ranch near Chilly (usgs:13120500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/idaho/big-lost-river-at-howell-ranch-near-chilly

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