Kayak Love

Idaho · river

Big Wood River below Magic Dam near Richfield

USGS monitoring location. Launch access and paddling suitability have not been verified.

Weather comparison · not a safety rating

88

Favorable weather

Weather score out of 100

Weather only. This is a monitoring station, not a verified launch. Access, hazards and suitable flow are unknown.

Weather observation: Wed, 21 Oct 2026 20:45:00 GMT.

River observation: Wed, 21 Oct 2026 20:30:00 GMT.

Page checked: Wed, 21 Oct 2026 20:49:47 GMT. Readings older than one hour are not used for the current score.

Photograph taken near Big Wood River below Magic Dam near Richfield
Nearby on Wikimedia Commons — Sagebrush steppe near Magic Reservoir (9675591316).jpg by Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0. Taken within 10km of this location — it may not show the launch itself.

Wind

11 mph

gusting to 15 mph

Air temp

68°F

4% chance of rain

River flow

2.41 cfs

low for this date

Weather outlook

Tuesday · 100

  • Wed

    79

  • Thu

    14

  • Fri

    4

  • Sat

    85

  • Sun

    94

  • Mon

    97

  • Tue

    100

    Best

Compares forecast wind, air temperature and rain. Does not assess river flow, swell, currents, water temperature or launch access. All times are local to this location.

Wind, next 12 hours

mph
Hourly wind forecast
HourWind (mph)Gusts (mph)
2p1316
3p1215
4p1216
5p1117
6p914
7p711
8p812
9p814
10p813
11p612
12a28
1a39

Is this flow normal for October 21?

Today's 2.41 cfs is 71% below the median for this date — which counts as low water here.

The median flow on this date is 8 cfs, across 114 years of USGS record at this gauge. Whether that is runnable depends on the stretch — this is context, not a recommendation.

Why this score

  • Wind — 11 mph — moderate wind at the forecast location-12

We don't have launch notes for this one

This page is built from the USGS gauge at this location, and uses available public readings. We haven't verified where to put in, what the hazards are, or whether this stretch is legal or sensible to paddle. We'd rather say that than invent it. The links below are where to find out.

We also don't have a verified safe-flow range here, so the Paddle Score reflects weather only. Judge the flow number against local knowledge, not against our score.

Do your own homework

We show you live conditions. For local knowledge — where to put in, what the hazards are, whether it's worth the drive — here's where paddlers actually talk about this water. We don't vet these sources; check the dates and judge for yourself.

Nearby water

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