Idaho · Boise, ID
Boise River float season
Gauge 13206000 on the Barber Park to Ann Morrison Park, Boise Greenbelt. Barber Park to Ann Morrison is Boise's summer institution, with tens of thousands of tubers riding the greenbelt current every year.
Right now at this gauge
loading CFS
Checking the live gauge…
Well above typical for this date
Live reading from the USGS gauge page for Boise River. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Boise gauge, the Boise River runs fullest May–Jul and leanest Nov–Jan. Where today's reading falls inside that rhythm matters more than the raw number — the same flow that feels thin in spring can be the summer norm. Half of all past May days at this gauge ran above 1,450 CFS; the November median is 257 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 265 | |
| February | 274 | |
| March | 283 | |
| April | 1,020 | |
| May | 1,450 | |
| June | 1,330 | |
| July | 1,110 | |
| August | 797 | |
| September | 586 | |
| October | 275 | |
| November | 257 | |
| December | 261 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 1982 — 44 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 9,560 CFS, in June 1983. Rivers do that sometimes; it's why the safety panel above isn't decoration.
Planning dates? The trip-window checker shows what flows have historically looked like on any week you pick for this river, or see what a CFS actually looks like.
More Idaho float rivers
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North Fork Coeur d'Alene River
Enaville to Cataldo lazy water
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Payette River
Main Payette, Banks to Beehive Bend
Fullest: Apr–Jun
-
Salmon River
Riggins day stretches into the Lower Salmon gorge
Fullest: Apr–Jun
-
South Fork Payette
Canyon and Staircase runs below Lowman
Fullest: Apr–Jun
Common questions
When is the Boise River usually at its fullest?
At the Boise gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is May–Jul, with the single highest monthly median in May (about 1,450 CFS). The leanest months are usually Nov–Jan.
What is a typical summer flow on the Boise River?
The July median at this gauge is about 1,110 CFS — half of past Julys ran higher, half lower. Check the ribbon chart above to see how summer compares with the rest of the year here.
Is the Boise River safe to float right now?
No flow number can answer that, and this site never labels a river safe. What the data can tell you is how today's reading compares with 44 years of this date's history — well above typical means pushier, colder, faster water. Pair that context with a PFD, a look at the river from the bank, and a call to a local outfitter before you commit.
Which USGS gauge does this page use?
USGS gauge 13206000 (BOISE RIVER AT GLENWOOD BRIDGE NR BOISE ID), chosen because it best represents the Barber Park to Ann Morrison Park, Boise Greenbelt. Daily records here reach back to 1982.
Data: USGS gauge 13206000, approved daily records 1982–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.