South Fork Clearwater River at Stites, ID
North Idaho (Clearwater, St. Joe, Coeur d'Alene) · USGS gauge 13338500 · Updated Oct 24, 2:37 PM PDT · USGS data, provisional
Reading time: Oct 24, 2:15 PM PDT · Provisional data
Flow is in a typical range for the date. Rivers are generally easiest to fish and float when they are near their normal flow, but this status says nothing about water clarity, hatches, hazards such as wood in the river, or dam releases.
- Vs. normal for this date
- 53rd percentile
- Typical range (25th–75th)
- 188–309 cfs
- Median for this date
- 240 cfs
- 7-day low / high
- 135 / 259 cfs
Plain-language explanation
South Fork Clearwater River at Stites is flowing at 246 cubic feet per second (cfs) as of Oct 24, 2:15 PM PDT. That is in the normal range for this time of year: higher than about 53% of the daily flows this gauge has recorded for this date (give or take 7 days) over 64 years of record (1911–2026).
The middle half of those historical flows runs from 188 to 309 cfs, with a median of 240 cfs; the lowest 10% of days are at or below 157 cfs and the highest 10% at or above 420 cfs.
Over the last 24 hours the flow has been rising (+57.7%). In the last 7 days it ranged from 135 to 259 cfs.
Why this status: Flow is within the range this gauge normally sees at this time of year (or the deviation is too small in absolute terms to matter).
Quick answers
Is the South Fork Clearwater River at Stites fishable today?
Flowcast's status for the South Fork Clearwater River at Stites is “Fishable/Floatable”: flow is 246 cfs, within the range this gauge normally sees at this time of year, at the 53rd percentile for this date (as of Oct 24, 2:15 PM PDT). That describes flow only. It says nothing about water clarity, temperature, fish activity, access or fishing regulations.
What is the current flow of the South Fork Clearwater River at Stites?
246 cubic feet per second at USGS gauge 13338500 as of Oct 24, 2:15 PM PDT, provisional data.
Is the South Fork Clearwater River at Stites too high or too low right now?
Neither: it is inside the typical range for the date (188 to 309 cfs).
Is the South Fork Clearwater River at Stites rising or falling?
Over the last 24 hours the flow has been rising (+57.7%).
What is a normal flow for the South Fork Clearwater River at Stites in October?
For this date (give or take 7 days) the median is 240 cfs and the middle half of days runs 188 to 309 cfs, over 64 years of USGS record.
7-day trend
Hourly flow in cfs, Pacific time. The shaded band is the typical range (25th–75th percentile) for this date, shown when it falls within the chart.
| Day (Pacific) | Mean cfs | Percentile | Status that day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun Oct 18 | 144 | 9th | Too low |
| Mon Oct 19 | 141 | 8th | Too low |
| Tue Oct 20 | 139 | 7th | Too low |
| Wed Oct 21 | 136 | 5th | Too low |
| Thu Oct 22 | 136 | 5th | Too low |
| Fri Oct 23 | 155 | 9th | Too low |
| Sat Oct 24 (so far) | 232 | 46th | Fishable/Floatable |
Seasonal context
Shaded band: 10th–90th percentile of daily flows through the year; dashed line: median. Log scale. Dot: today's flow. Based on 64 years of USGS daily data (1911–2026).
Guide, outfitter or fly shop on this river? List your service on Flowcast (free early listings, launching).
Official resources
- USGS site page for gauge 13338500 (USGS: live readings, history, station details)
- Idaho Fishing Planner: waters, rules, access (IDFG)
Links go to the agencies' own websites and were checked as working. Flowcast does not summarize fishing or boating rules: regulations and closures change, and the agency pages are the authority.
About this gauge
- USGS site
- USGS-13338500
- USGS name
- Sf Clearwater River At Stites Id
- Drainage area
- 1,168 sq mi
- Location
- 46.0864, -115.9767
- Record in this analysis
- 1911–2026
Nearby gauges
- Lochsa River near Lowell, ID Fishable/Floatable 421 cfs · about 19 mi away (straight line)
- Salmon River at White Bird, ID Fishable/Floatable 4,040 cfs · about 29 mi away (straight line)
- Clearwater River at Spalding, ID Fishable/Floatable 3,200 cfs · about 48 mi away (straight line)
Browse this region
Questions about what the status means? How to read a status · FAQ.