South Fork Payette River at Lowman water level

Name: South Fork Payette River at Lowman 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, South Fork Payette River, Idaho, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.27ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 08:30 AM PDT (53 min ago)

Flow: 319 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to rise to 3.38 ft by Friday, October 23 at 11:00 AM. Issued Sunday, October 18 at 10:08 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The South Fork Payette River at Lowman is at 3.27 ft, in the normal range.

It is 4.23 ft below the flood stage of 7.50 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 3.38 ft by Friday, October 23 at 11:00 AM. In the last month it has stayed between 3.27 ft and 3.32 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 8.36 ftJune 16, 1974
Forecast peak: 3.38 ftFriday, October 23 at 11:00 AM

Floating and fishing near South Fork Payette River at Lowman

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

Flood stage here is 7.50 ft, 4.23 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

9.00 ft: The town of Lowman will experience record flooding with significant property damage.
8.50 ft: Houses on both sides of the river in the lower section Lowman will flood. Sandbagging will be needed to prevent major damage. Portions of North Shore Drive, Ospree Drive and River Front Road will be flooded.
8.00 ft: Properties downstream from the Highway 21 Bridge along North Shore Drive and along Osprey Drive on the south bank will flood. Water will reach the first floor of houses along the south bank. Flooding will occur upstream from the Highway 21 bridge along River Front Road. Rock Creek Road and Osprey Drive will be submerged in spots.
7.50 ft: Water will approach houses on Osprey Drive along the south bank of the river, and sand bags will be needed to protect property. Water will begin seeping into property along North Shore Drive downstream from the Highway 21 bridge. Kirkham Hot Springs Recreational Area will be underwater.
7.00 ft: Water will flood portions of the Kirkham Hot Springs Recreational Area and high flows will make recreation on and near the river very hazardous. The river will be filled with logs and other floating debris and bank erosion will occur near Lowman. Residents should be aware of increased river levels and prepare to protect property.
3.27 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	8.36 ft	June 16, 1974
2	8.12 ft	June 5, 2010
3	7.72 ft	May 20, 2006
4	7.58 ft	June 1, 1986
5	7.56 ft	May 31, 2017
6	7.49 ft	June 11, 1972
7	7.45 ft	May 24, 1956
8	7.27 ft	June 20, 1982
9	7.26 ft	May 29, 1983
10	7.22 ft	May 18, 1997

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

18 Sun 72° 47° – Wind 8 mph

19 Mon 73° 51° – Wind 10 mph

20 Tue 70° 49° 0.05 in Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 70° 47° 0.05 in, 36% Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 67° 47° 0.65 in, 82% Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 62° 44° 0.02 in, 82% Wind 8 mph

24 Sat 61° 39° – Wind 5 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:03 AM Sunset 05:53 PM Daylight 10 hr, 51 min First quarter 60%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Deadwood River below Deadwood Reservoir near LowmanRiver gauge, Deadwood River	4.8 cfs	Normal	±0	14 mi
Deadwood ReservoirReservoir	5,303.62 ft	Normal		14 mi
Middle Fork Payette River near CrouchRiver gauge, Middle Fork Payette River	5.47 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	18 mi
Nf Payette River near BanksRiver gauge, Nf Payette River	242 cfs	Low	±0	24 mi
Boise River near Twin SpringsRiver gauge, Boise River	304 cfs	Low	±0	29 mi
Payette River near Horseshoe BendRiver gauge, Payette River	803 cfs	Low	±0	30 mi
Mores Creek above Robie Creek near Arrowrock DamRiver gauge, Mores Creek	1.84 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	35 mi
Valley Creek at StanleyRiver gauge, Valley Creek	0.79 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	36 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the South Fork Payette River at Lowman?

The official flood stage is 7.50 ft. The level is currently 4.23 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 South Fork Payette River at Lowman today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 08:30 AM PDT, the water level was 3.27 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is South Fork Payette River at Lowman rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of South Fork Payette River at Lowman normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at South Fork Payette River at Lowman?

The highest level on record is 8.36 ft on June 16, 1974.

Is South Fork Payette River at Lowman expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to rise to 3.38 ft by Friday, October 23 at 11:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:13235000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 44.08528, -115.62222 (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	3.27 ft	2026-10-19 15:30	Provisional
Flow	319 cfs	2026-10-19 15:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: South Fork Payette River at Lowman (usgs:13235000). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/idaho/south-fork-payette-river-at-lowman

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