Nf Big Lost River at Wild Horse near Chilly water level

Name: Nf Big Lost River at Wild Horse 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, Nf Big Lost River, Idaho, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.48ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 07:15 AM MDT (44 min ago)

Flow: 27.4 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Nf Big Lost River at Wild Horse near Chilly, where the gauge shows 1.48 ft.

It is 3.63 ft below the flood stage of 5.11 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 1.47 ft – 1.53 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: 6.41 ftMay 21, 2006

About this gauge

Location: Custer County
Elevation above sea level: 6,862 ft

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 5.11 ft.

What happens at each level

5.11 ft: Homes along the East Fork of the Big Lost River from Wildhorse Creek to Star Hope Creek may see flooding along with lowland flooding from the confluence of Big Lost River North Fork upsteram of the East Fork of Big Lost River to the Copper Basin Airstrip.
4.75 ft: Near bankfull from confluence of Big Lost River North Fork upstream of the East Fork of Big Lost River to the Copper Basin Airstrip.
1.48 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	6.41 ft	May 21, 2006
2	6.39 ft	June 12, 1965
3	6.23 ft	May 25, 1967
4	6.18 ft	May 24, 1956
5	6.02 ft	June 5, 2017
6	5.92 ft	June 17, 1974
7	5.85 ft	May 30, 1986
8	5.84 ft	May 22, 1958
9	5.78 ft	May 30, 1983
10	5.65 ft	June 5, 1997

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

21 Wed 59° 38° – Wind 14 mph

22 Thu 59° 40° 0.34 in, 97% Wind 19 mph

23 Fri 44° 37° 1.87 in, 97% Wind 8 mph

24 Sat 39° 26° – Wind 8 mph

25 Sun 44° 25° – Wind 8 mph

26 Mon 43° 26° – Wind 16 mph

27 Tue 42° 24° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:59 AM Sunset 06:44 PM Daylight 10 hr, 45 min Waxing gibbous 77%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Big Lost River at Howell Ranch near ChillyRiver gauge, Big Lost River	0.99 ft	Below flood stage	±0	6 mi
Warm Springs Creek below Diversion near MackayRiver gauge, Warm Springs Creek	42.7 cfs	High	±0	16 mi
Thousand Springs Creek near ChillyRiver gauge, Thousand Springs Creek	5.1 cfs	Normal	±0	16 mi
Trail Creek near Sun ValleyRiver gauge, Trail Creek	15.2 cfs	Normal	−0.3 cfs	18 mi
Nf Big Wood River near Sawtooth Nra Hq near KetchumRiver gauge, Nf Big Wood River	4.92 ft	Below flood stage	±0	18 mi
Big Wood River near KetchumRiver gauge, Big Wood River	4.92 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	19 mi
Trail Creek at KetchumRiver gauge, Trail Creek	4.96 ft	Below flood stage	+0.04 ft	22 mi
Warm Springs Creek at Gates Road near KetchumRiver gauge, Warm Springs Creek	29.4 cfs	Very low	−1.1 cfs	23 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Nf Big Lost River at Wild Horse near Chilly?

The official flood stage is 5.11 ft. The level is currently 3.63 ft below it.

Where exactly is Nf Big Lost River at Wild Horse near Chilly measured?

The gauge is in Custer County, Idaho. It sits 6,862 ft above sea level.

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 Nf Big Lost River at Wild Horse near Chilly today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 07:15 AM MDT, the water level was 1.48 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Nf Big Lost River at Wild Horse near Chilly rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.03 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Nf Big Lost River at Wild Horse near Chilly normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Nf Big Lost River at Wild Horse near Chilly?

The highest level on record is 6.41 ft on May 21, 2006.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:13120000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 43.93278, -114.11389 (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	1.48 ft	2026-10-21 13:15	Provisional
Flow	27.4 cfs	2026-10-21 13:15	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Nf Big Lost River at Wild Horse near Chilly (usgs:13120000). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/idaho/nf-big-lost-river-at-wild-horse-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