Web Portal Changes: The Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS) hosted at https://water.weather.gov will be replaced by the National Water Prediction Service (NWPS), with a target of March 2024. Existing AHPS content and features will be preserved and expanded within NWPS.

Experimental National Water Center Products: The National Hydrologic Discussion, Area Hydrologic Discussion, and Flood Hazard Outlook, and real-time geospatial services depicting River Forecast Center and National Water Model forecasts, continue to be accessible via https://www.weather.gov/owp/operations, as described in the StoryMap here.

Weather Forecast Office Boise, ID

Northwest River Forecast Center

Flood Watch

Hydrograph

River at a Glance

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Probability Information Weekly Chance of Exceeding Levels Not Available Chance of Exceeding Levels During Entire Period Not Available Short-term Probabilistic Guidance (Experimental)

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Printable Image About this graph Tabular Data (UTC) Tabular Data (MDT) Datum: NGVD29 Metadata

Reliability of the Forecast: Based on current and forecast river, weather and reservoir conditions NOTE: Forecasts for the Malheur River at Vale are issued routinely year-round. Vertical datum height surveyed by the USGS

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Upstream Gauge

Downstream Gauge

Flood Categories (in feet) Major Flood Stage: 23 Moderate Flood Stage: 21 Flood Stage: 19.5 Action Stage: 19 Low Stage (in feet): -9999 Historic Crests (1) 24.58 ft on 02/24/1957 (2) 23.80 ft on 02/22/1982 (3) 23.31 ft on 03/19/1993 (4) 22.58 ft on 01/18/2011 (5) 22.05 ft on 01/01/2006 Show More Historic Crests (P): Preliminary values subject to further review. Recent Crests (1) 21.56 ft on 04/12/2023 (P) (2) 12.35 ft on 10/28/2021 (3) 12.14 ft on 10/21/2020 (4) 12.53 ft on 11/01/2019 (5) 16.45 ft on 03/25/2019 Show More Recent Crests (P): Preliminary values subject to further review. Low Water Records Currently none available. For more information on your flood risk go to www.floodsmart.gov. Show FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layers FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layers not showing? Why aren't the FEMA National Flood Hazard Layers showing on the ESRI Map? Possible reasons: There are no FEMA National Flood Hazard Layers for the location which you are viewing on ESRI Maps. The FEMA Web Mapping Service (WMS) is down. Note: Your zoom level may have changed. ESRI's zoom levels must be between 14 and 16 to show National Flood Hazard layers.

Zoom Level:14 Legend FEMA Layer Gauge Location Disclaimer Latitude/Longitude Disclaimer: The gauge location shown in the above map is the approximate location based on the latitude/longitude coordinates provided to the NWS by the gauge owner.

Flood Impacts & Photos

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24	The river level will be about three feet from overtopping the levee which protects the city of Vale from major flooding. Even though there is still approximately three feet between the surface of the river and the top of the levee, any rise above 24 feet will exceed the safe design capacity of the levee. Major flooding of other areas within the 100 year flood plain between Harper and Ontario is likely.
23	Water may begin flowing over Highway 20 near Harper. Numerous roads crossing the river between Harper and Ontario will be flooded with water entering houses near the 36th Street Bridge in Ontario. Foothill and Lagoon Drive near Vale may flood if Willow Creek is running high. Extensive inundation of farmland will occur between Harper and Ontario.
22	Extensive flooding of farmland between Harper and Ontario will occur. Numerous roads near the river will be flooded including Harper Bridge Road near Harper, Airport Road and Russel Road near Vale, Butte Drive between Vale and Ontario, and the 36th Street Bridge area just upstream from Ontario including Malheur Drive. Some houses may be surrounded by water. The river crest will take about 12 hours to move downstream from Harper to Vale, and another 8 hours to move from Vale to Ontario.
21	Flood waters will rise above low spots on Copeland Road near Harper. Butte Drive will be flooded with water greater than 1 foot deep between the bridge and Foothill Drive. The area near the 36th Street Bridge upstream from Ontario will flood with water flowing over low spots on Malheur Drive. Debris damming on the 36th Street Bridge may be a problem. Flood waters will cover portions of Airport Road and Russel Road southwest of Vale when Bully Creek is contributing little water.
20.5	Flooding of some county roads near the river will occur, including Westfall Road near Harper.
19.5	The river will begin spilling over its bank flooding farmland between Vale and Ontario. Water will begin approaching low spots on Butte Drive. Water will approach the 36th Street Bridge upstream from Ontario about 8 hours after flood stage is exceeded near Vale.
Photos (1) VALO3 gauge equipment. (2) Cross channel view from right bank. (3) Downstream view from gauge. (4) Upstream view from gauge. (5) Upstream view toward Nevada Canal diversion.

About This Location

Latitude: 43.987500° N, Longitude: 117.218889° W, Horizontal Datum: NAD83/WGS84 River Stage Reference Frame Gauge Height Flood Stage Uses NWS stage 0 ft 19.5 ft Interpreting hydrographs and NWS watch, warnings, and forecasts, and inundation maps Vertical Datum Elevation (gauge height = 0) Elevation (gauge height = flood stage) Elevation information source NAVD88 Not Available Not Available Survey grade GPS equipment, FEMA flood plain maps, newer USGS topographic maps NGVD 29 2220 ft 2239.5 ft Older USGS topographic maps, NGVD29 benchmarks MSL Not Available Not Available Older USGS topographic maps, MSL benchmarks Other Not Available Not Available   Current/Historical Observations: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Data and Site Info for Vale

Additional Information

The vertical datum for this gauge was lowered 10 feet on February 12, 2015 to avoid negative gauge heights.

Resources

Hydrologic Resources Text Products Past Precipitation Forecast Precipitation River Forecast Centers River Stage Summary Inundation Mapping Locations

Additional Resources Area Hydrographs NWS Precipitation and River Forecasting AHPS Iframes for Developers Mobile iNWS for emergency management Snow Information FEMA National Flood Insurance Program USGS Water Resources

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