Blackfoot River near Shelley water level

Name: Blackfoot River near Shelley 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, Blackfoot River, Idaho, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

5.48ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 01:30 AM MDT (49 min ago)

Flow: 80.7 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The Blackfoot River near Shelley is at 5.48 ft, in the normal range.

It is 3.02 ft below the flood stage of 8.50 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 5.46 ft and 5.51 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: 9.10 ftMay 16, 1987

Floating and fishing near Blackfoot River near Shelley

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

Flood stage here is 8.50 ft, 3.02 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

8.50 ft: From the mouth of Wolverine Canyon upstream to the Blackfoot Dam, water flooding may be possible. Unimproved campgrounds may have water seeping or ponding in them along with strong flows at river's edge. Flat areas along the river and croplands may have water ponding.
7.50 ft: From the mouth of Wolverine Canyon upstream to the Blackfoot Dam, water within 1 foot of bankfull in many locations.
5.48 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	9.10 ft	May 16, 1987
2	8.59 ft	May 15, 1984
3	8.42 ft	June 5, 1983
4	8.17 ft	April 28, 2017
5	8.14 ft	May 17, 1976
6	8.10 ft	May 27, 1996
7	8.08 ft	May 29, 1997
8	8.03 ft	April 17, 1985
9	7.94 ft	June 13, 1982
10	7.89 ft	July 1, 2011

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

17 Sat 69° 36° – Wind 15 mph

18 Sun 67° 42° – Wind 12 mph

19 Mon 69° 43° – Wind 11 mph

20 Tue 67° 52° – Wind 19 mph

21 Wed 70° 51° – Wind 13 mph

22 Thu 70° 53° 0.06 in, 53% Wind 10 mph

23 Fri 53° 40° 1.65 in, 74% Wind 12 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:49 AM Sunset 06:39 PM Daylight 10 hr, 50 min First quarter 66%

Map

Other gauges on the Blackfoot River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Blackfoot River above Reservoir near HenryRiver gauge, Blackfoot River	1.63 ft	Below flood stage	±0	41 mi
Blackfoot River below North Canal at BlackfootRiver gauge, Blackfoot River	89.9 cfs	Very low	−80.1 cfs	16 mi
Blackfoot River near BlackfootRiver gauge, Blackfoot River	2.62 ft	Below flood stage	−0.45 ft	23 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Snake River near ShelleyRiver gauge, Snake River	5.62 ft	Below flood stage	+0.06 ft	11 mi
Snake River at BlackfootRiver gauge, Snake River	5.28 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	17 mi
Blackfoot River Bypass near BlackfootRiver gauge, Blackfoot River Bypass	14.3 cfs	Low	−39.9 cfs	18 mi
Willow Creek below Tex Creek near RirieRiver gauge, Willow Creek	14.2 cfs	Very low	−0.5 cfs	20 mi
Willow Creek Floodway Channel at Mouth near Id FallsRiver gauge, Willow Creek Floodway Channel	0.0 cfs	Low	−1.5 cfs	22 mi
Willow Creek below Floodway Channel near UconRiver gauge, Willow Creek	0.0 cfs	Low	±0	23 mi
Willow Creek Floodway Channel near UconRiver gauge, Willow Creek Floodway Channel	0.0 cfs	Low	±0	23 mi
Sand Creek near UconRiver gauge, Sand Creek	0.0 cfs	Very low	±0	23 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Blackfoot River near Shelley?

The official flood stage is 8.50 ft. The level is currently 3.02 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 Blackfoot River near Shelley today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 01:30 AM MDT, the water level was 5.48 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Blackfoot River near Shelley rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Blackfoot River near Shelley normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Blackfoot River near Shelley?

The highest level on record is 9.10 ft on May 16, 1987.

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:13066000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 43.26278, -112.04778 (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	5.48 ft	2026-10-20 07:30	Provisional
Flow	80.7 cfs	2026-10-20 07:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Blackfoot River near Shelley (usgs:13066000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/idaho/blackfoot-river-near-shelley

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