Idaho · Lowman, ID

South Fork Payette float season

Gauge 13235000 on the Canyon and Staircase runs below Lowman. A cold, clear staircase of granite rapids through the Boise National Forest with natural hot springs steaming at the put-ins.

raftkayak Fullest: Apr–Jun Leanest: Dec–Feb
South Fork Payette — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 300 1.5k 3k 5k
median flow for the date middle half of years (25th–75th percentile) most years (10th–90th)

Right now at this gauge

loading CFS

Checking the live gauge…

Live reading from the USGS gauge page for South Fork Payette. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Lowman gauge, the South Fork Payette 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 2,510 CFS; the January median is 305 CFS.

Median of daily flows in each month across this gauge's full record — half of past days ran above these figures, half below.
Month Typical flow (CFS)
January 305
February 310
March 395
April 946
May 2,070
June 2,510
July 934
August 462
September 363
October 342
November 345
December 315

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1942 — 84 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 8,900 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

Common questions

When is the South Fork Payette usually at its fullest?

At the Lowman gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Apr–Jun, with the single highest monthly median in June (about 2,510 CFS). The leanest months are usually Dec–Feb.

What is a typical summer flow on the South Fork Payette?

The July median at this gauge is about 934 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 South Fork Payette 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 84 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 13235000 (SOUTH FORK PAYETTE RIVER AT LOWMAN, ID), chosen because it best represents the Canyon and Staircase runs below Lowman. Daily records here reach back to 1942.

Data: USGS gauge 13235000, approved daily records 1942–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.