I recieved the following info from the Idaho Statesman
Lochsa River
Stream-flow forecast: 103 percent of average.
Floating outlook: Expect peak high-water flows at the end of May if you're an adrenaline junkie looking for thrills. High water will continue at least through mid-June. For a more moderate float, try a trip at the end of June through July.
Type of float: Excellent scenery and continuous exciting rapids along U.S. 12 in northern Idaho.
Selway
Stream-flow forecast: 107 percent of average.
Floating outlook: Expect a peak in flows somewhere from May 15 to June 10. Some rafters won't even get on the river at peak flows. That will be the adrenaline season.
For something a little more moderate, try a float trip from late June through July. The river is probably going to be runnable into August, past the permit season, because of extra snow.
Type of float: Four to five days in what is considered one of the most pristine river trips in the country, flowing through the heart of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness in northern Idaho. Your best bet is to book a trip with an outfitter.
Main Salmon River
Stream-flow forecast: 123 percent of average.
Floating outlook: The river in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness may peak to 80,000 cubic feet per second, which is very high.
A peak in flows could come somewhere around June 10. It will be high water season until it settles down in late June or early July.
For more moderate flows, try July through August.
Type of float: The wilderness stretch of the Main Salmon River takes 5-6 days. It goes through the River of No Return Wilderness.
The Riggins stretch of the Main Salmon is a popular day trip with many outfitters in the Riggins area.
The Lower Salmon River is another 3-5 day trip, depending on flows.
The Upper Salmon River near Stanley is a popular day float trip.
Middle Fork Salmon River
Stream-flow forecast: 141 percent of average.
Floating outlook: The peak is expected around May 25 at 7.5 feet, according to Dave Mills of Rocky Mountain River Tours. He's a long-time outfitter on the Middle Fork.
He expects good water and good flows mid-June to mid-August.
If you want an adrenaline rush, book trips in early June.
If you're looking for moderate trips, try July and August.
Type of float: It's one of the premier rivers in the country flowing through the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area.
A trip, depending on flows, takes anywhere from 5 to 8 days. The river has about 100 rapids in 100 miles and is an excellent family adventure and fishing trip for cutthroat trout.
North Fork Payette (Cabarton)
Stream-flow forecast: 140 percent of average.
Floating outlook: The North Fork will run high in June and into July. That will be a big water adrenaline flow.
The river will mellow out with excellent moderate flows through August and September.
Type of float: A day trip through the Cabarton stretch of the North Fork of the Payette river is an excellent family float June through September.
South Fork of the Payette
Stream-flow forecast: 122 percent of average.
Floating outlook: Expect big water in late May and early June, big enough to keep floaters off the Canyon stretch of the South Fork.
Expect more moderate flows July through August. There should be a longer season through August on the Canyon stretch.
Type of float: The Canyon stretch of the South Fork is an adrenaline day trip through a remote canyon, which is more than 600 feet deep. It is between Garden Valley and Lowman.
Main Payette
Stream-flow forecast: 136 percent of average.
Floating outlook: Rafters may see the 10,000 to 16,000 cfs flows of the past in May and June, which are very high for this river.
Expect high water from late spring through June. It will be an excellent float season in the summer with high to moderate flows.
The float season will be excellent through September.
Type of float: It's a day trip from Banks downstream to Beehive Bend. It's a good family adventure all summer.
Boise River
Stream-flow forecast: 140 percent of average.
Floating outlook: Expect high flows this winter and spring. The start of the tubing season will be delayed until July 4 or later by the higher flows.
Moderate flows will last mid-July through the whole summer.
Type of float: A tubing, rafting or canoeing day trip through town.
South Fork Boise River
Stream-flow forecast: 145 percent of average.
Floating outlook: If you're a drift-boat angler, expect high flows for the opening of trout season in May and through June. Flows should taper off but will be fairly moderate and runnable into August.
This should mean a perfect float season.
Type of float: It's typically a day trip for fly fishing below Anderson Ranch Dam or a whitewater adventure in the canyon.
Bruneau
Stream-flow forecast: 134 percent of average.
Floating outlook: This is a tricky river and depends on how long the snow holds in the high country. Expect high flows throughout May and early June. Expect a longer season through June.
Type of float: It takes about four days. The Bruneau River is an excellent float trip through a remote desert canyon that few people ever see. Go with an outfitter.
Owyhee
Stream-flow forecast: 128 percent of average.
Floating outlook: Anything can happen with this desert river. The Owyhee is already runnable (but inaccessible) and could be runnable through June for a long season.
Type of float: It's a 4- to 7-day trip in remote desert canyons of Southwest Idaho. Outfitters run several sections of the Owyhee in Idaho and Oregon.
Snake River in Hells Canyon
Stream-flow forecast: 110 to 132 percent of average.
Floating outlook: Expect moderately high water in the spring of about 30,000 to 35,000 cfs, said Jerry Hughes of Hughes River Expeditions. High water will last into early summer with perfect summer flows. The float season will be excellent through fall.
Type of float: It takes 3 to 5 days, to go through the deepest river gorge in North America. Several outfitters run this river in jet boats and rafts.
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