Owyhee River at Owyhee Dam, OR
River level and flood forecast · Malheur County
Forecast to hold near 0.0 ft through Mon, Oct 19, 6 PM.
Flow: 31 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Mon, Oct 12, 1:08 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 Owyhee River at Owyhee Dam to flood, when it floods, and when it's over.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 11.78 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 10.71 ft |
| Flood stage | 6.6 ft |
| Action stage | 3.9 ft |
| Record crest (April 15, 1952) | 15.7 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 13500 ftFloodwater will cover roads near Owyhee Junction. Some houses near Owyhee Junction will be flooded. Floodwater will cover portions of Highway 201 near Owyhee Junction cutting off access between Adrian and Nyssa. Extensive flooding of farmland will occur.
- 12500 ftFloodwater will approach houses near Owyhee Junction. Widespread flooding of farmland will occur between the mouth of the canyon and the Snake River confluence. Flood water will be about 1 foot deep across Overstreet Road near the bridge crossing.
- 10000 ftWidespread field flooding will occur downstream from the dam with farmland adjacent to the river underwater. Water will cover portions of Overstreet Road near the bridge crossing. Water will approach the bottom of the Highway 201 Bridge near the town of Owyhee Junction.
- 8000 ftSignificant field flooding will occur from the mouth of the canyon to the confluence with the Snake River. Low lying roads near the river will flood. Road banks near the river may become unstable. Water will encroach on homes near River Road and Highway 201. Water will be flowing across Overstreet Road near the bridge crossing.
- 6000 ftField flooding will occur near the river from the mouth of the canyon to the confluence with the Snake River. Shallow water will begin to flow across Overstreet Road near the bridge crossing.
- 3000 ftLow lying roads, river access and recreation sites adjacent to the river will flood. Farm equipment near the river may need to be moved.
- 1000 ftThe low water bridge crossing immediately below Owyhee Dam will be impacted by high water and access to the church camp may be cut off. River access roads and recreation sites below the dam to the mouth of the canyon will be impacted by high water. Low water crossings including Borge Lane and Bob Rice Road will flood. Minor field flooding will occur.
Highest crests on record
- 15.7 ft — April 15, 1952
- 15.1 ft — February 25, 1986
- 14.6 ft — April 17, 1984
- 12.7 ft — April 3, 1972
- 11.8 ft — April 16, 1983
Recent crests: 7.94 ft (March 14, 2025) · 10.6 ft (April 10, 2024) · 2.03 ft (August 23, 2023) · 1.97 ft (August 4, 2022) · 2.06 ft (August 10, 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 (OWYO3); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.