Idaho · Horseshoe Bend, ID
Payette River float season
Gauge 13247500 on the Main Payette, Banks to Beehive Bend. The Main Payette's warm, splashy waves an hour from Boise make it Idaho's most-floated whitewater run.
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 Payette River. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Horseshoe Bend gauge, the Payette River runs fullest Apr–Jun and leanest Oct–Dec. 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 7,205 CFS; the October median is 1,000 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 1,140 | |
| February | 1,270 | |
| March | 1,950 | |
| April | 4,750 | |
| May | 7,200 | |
| June | 7,205 | |
| July | 3,470 | |
| August | 3,080 | |
| September | 1,795 | |
| October | 1,000 | |
| November | 1,020 | |
| December | 1,080 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 1907 — 119 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 21,700 CFS, in June 1921. 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
-
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 Payette River usually at its fullest?
At the Horseshoe Bend gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Apr–Jun, with the single highest monthly median in June (about 7,205 CFS). The leanest months are usually Oct–Dec.
What is a typical summer flow on the Payette River?
The July median at this gauge is about 3,470 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 Payette 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 116 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 13247500 (PAYETTE RIVER NR HORSESHOE BEND ID), chosen because it best represents the Main Payette, Banks to Beehive Bend. Daily records here reach back to 1907.
Data: USGS gauge 13247500, approved daily records 1907–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.