Owyhee River near Mountain City water level

Name: Owyhee River near Mountain City 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, Owyhee River, Nevada, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.85ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 01:55 PM PDT (30 min ago)

Flow: 20.9 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to rise to 4.15 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

Water levels are unremarkable at Owyhee River near Mountain City, where the gauge shows 3.85 ft.

It is 4.15 ft below the flood stage of 8.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 4.15 ft by Friday, October 23 at 11:00 AM. The 30-day range is 3.83 ft – 3.85 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 9.81 ftMarch 17, 1993
Forecast peak: 4.15 ftFriday, October 23 at 11:00 AM

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 8.00 ft.

What happens at each level

10.00 ft: Major flooding along the river channel, affecting businesses on the west side of Nevada State highway 225 in Mountain City. Impacts to highway 225 possible along the reach from Allegheny Creek south of Mountain City to Owyhee.
9.00 ft: Moderate flooding occurs along the river channel. River embankment erosion occurs. Rodeo grounds are flooded. Low-lying hay fields and pasture flooding occurs. Businesses located along the river in Mountain City experience water seepage. Water has to be pumped from the Visitor Center. River level is nearing the road level of Nevada State Highway 225 between Mountain City and Owyhee. Access to Pleasant Valley is impacted.
8.00 ft: Minor flooding along the river channel.
3.85 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	9.81 ft	March 17, 1993
2	9.38 ft	February 9, 2017
3	9.18 ft	April 19, 2011
4	9.14 ft	May 1, 2006
5	9.07 ft	May 16, 2005
6	8.48 ft	May 30, 2019
7	7.89 ft	May 16, 1998

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:00 AM Sunset 05:59 PM Daylight 10 hr, 59 min First quarter 53%

Map

Other gauges on the Owyhee River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Owyhee River near Gold CreekRiver gauge, Owyhee River	0.92 ft	Below flood stage	±0	14 mi
Owyhee River near RomeRiver gauge, Owyhee River	87.6 cfs	Very low	±0	110 mi
Owyhee River below Owyhee DamRiver gauge, Owyhee River	1.15 ft	Below flood stage	±0	140 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Wild Horse Reservoir near Gold CreekReservoir, Wild Horse Reservoir	6,182.37 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	14 mi
Bruneau River at RowlandRiver gauge, Bruneau River	1.96 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	17 mi
Jarbidge River below JarbidgeRiver gauge, Jarbidge River	3.35 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	29 mi
Beaver Creek above Confluence North Fork Humboldt River near HalleckRiver gauge, Beaver Creek	0.0 cfs	Normal	±0	43 mi
Hanks Creek at Marys River Ranch Road near DeethRiver gauge, Hanks Creek	7.6 cfs	Very high	±0	45 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Owyhee River near Mountain City?

The official flood stage is 8.00 ft. The level is currently 4.15 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 Owyhee River near Mountain City today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 01:55 PM PDT, the water level was 3.85 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Owyhee River near Mountain City rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Owyhee River near Mountain City normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Owyhee River near Mountain City?

The highest level on record is 9.81 ft on March 17, 1993.

Is Owyhee River near Mountain City expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to rise to 4.15 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:13175100 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 41.86046, -115.98926 (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	3.85 ft	2026-10-18 20:55	Provisional
Flow	20.9 cfs	2026-10-18 20:55	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Owyhee River near Mountain City (usgs:13175100). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/nevada/owyhee-river-near-mountain-city

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