Stations Most automated river gages in Idaho are maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Bureau of Reclamation. These gages record the river stage every 15 minutes. Communication with these automated gages is done in one of two ways. Data from these sites is downloaded via a modem, generally about once an hour.
Some river gaging sites depend entirely on humans to visually inspect the data.
One way is through the use of wire weight gages which are generally installed on bridges. These gages have a weight which can be lowered from a measured height down to the surface of the water. The distance from the gage to the top of the river determines the stage. The simplest way to gage a river is by using a staff gage. This is essentially a board with increments of feet inscribed on it.