Idaho · Riggins, ID
Salmon River float season
Gauge 13317000 on the Riggins day stretches into the Lower Salmon gorge. Riggins' big-volume desert canyon day stretches deliver rolling waves and white-sand beaches on the River of No Return.
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 Salmon River. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Riggins gauge, the Salmon River runs fullest Apr–Jun and leanest Dec–Feb. 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 June days at this gauge ran above 35,900 CFS; the January median is 3,900 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 3,900 | |
| February | 4,150 | |
| March | 4,980 | |
| April | 10,450 | |
| May | 30,400 | |
| June | 35,900 | |
| July | 10,300 | |
| August | 4,900 | |
| September | 4,215 | |
| October | 4,650 | |
| November | 4,695 | |
| December | 4,150 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 1910 — 116 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 129,000 CFS, in June 1974. 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
-
Boise River
Barber Park to Ann Morrison Park, Boise Greenbelt
Fullest: May–Jul
-
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
-
South Fork Payette
Canyon and Staircase runs below Lowman
Fullest: Apr–Jun
Common questions
When is the Salmon River usually at its fullest?
At the Riggins gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Apr–Jun, with the single highest monthly median in June (about 35,900 CFS). The leanest months are usually Dec–Feb.
What is a typical summer flow on the Salmon River?
The July median at this gauge is about 10,300 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 Salmon 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 113 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 13317000 (SALMON RIVER AT WHITE BIRD ID), chosen because it best represents the Riggins day stretches into the Lower Salmon gorge. Daily records here reach back to 1910.
Data: USGS gauge 13317000, approved daily records 1910–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.