South Fork Payette River at Lowman, ID
River level and flood forecast · Boise County
The river is 4.2 ft below flood stage (7.5 ft).
Forecast to hold near 3.3 ft through Mon, Oct 19, 6 PM.
Flow: 362 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Mon, Oct 12, 1:09 PM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Get flood alerts for this river
An email when the National Weather Service forecasts South Fork Payette River at Lowman to flood, when it floods, and when it's over.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 9 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 8 ft |
| Flood stage | 7.5 ft |
| Action stage | 7 ft |
| Record crest (June 16, 1974) | 8.36 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 9 ftThe town of Lowman will experience record flooding with significant property damage.
- 8.5 ftHouses on both sides of the river in the lower section Lowman will flood. Sandbagging will be needed to prevent major damage. Portions of North Shore Drive, Ospree Drive and River Front Road will be flooded.
- 8 ftProperties downstream from the Highway 21 Bridge along North Shore Drive and along Osprey Drive on the south bank will flood. Water will reach the first floor of houses along the south bank. Flooding will occur upstream from the Highway 21 bridge along River Front Road. Rock Creek Road and Osprey Drive will be submerged in spots.
- 7.5 ftWater will approach houses on Osprey Drive along the south bank of the river, and sand bags will be needed to protect property. Water will begin seeping into property along North Shore Drive downstream from the Highway 21 bridge. Kirkham Hot Springs Recreational Area will be underwater.
- 7 ftWater will flood portions of the Kirkham Hot Springs Recreational Area and high flows will make recreation on and near the river very hazardous. The river will be filled with logs and other floating debris and bank erosion will occur near Lowman. Residents should be aware of increased river levels and prepare to protect property.
Highest crests on record
- 8.36 ft — June 16, 1974
- 8.12 ft — June 5, 2010
- 7.72 ft — May 20, 2006
- 7.58 ft — June 1, 1986
- 7.56 ft — May 31, 2017
Recent crests: 6.38 ft (May 11, 2025) · 6.32 ft (June 4, 2024) · 6.67 ft (May 23, 2023) · 6.81 ft (June 13, 2022) · 5.03 ft (June 5, 2021)
Up and down the river, and nearby
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (PRLI1); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.