Lemhi River
title: "Lemhi River" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["rivers-of-idaho", "rivers-of-lemhi-county,-idaho", "tributaries-of-the-salmon-river-(idaho)"] topic_path: "general/rivers-of-idaho" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemhi_River" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox river"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Lemhi River |
| image | Reenactment on Lemhi River Nez Perce National Historic Trail (23723417842).jpg |
| image_caption | Historical reenactment on the Lemhi River |
| image_size | 300 |
| pushpin_map | USA Idaho#USA |
| pushpin_map_size | 300 |
| pushpin_map_caption | Location of the mouth of the Lemhi River in Idaho |
| subdivision_type1 | Country |
| subdivision_name1 | United States |
| subdivision_type2 | State |
| subdivision_name2 | Idaho |
| subdivision_type3 | Counties |
| subdivision_name3 | Lemhi |
| subdivision_type5 | Cities |
| subdivision_name5 | Leadore, Salmon |
| length | 60 mi |
| discharge1_location | near mouth at Salmon, ID |
| discharge1_min | 0.75 cuft/s |
| discharge1_avg | 251 cuft/s |
| discharge1_max | 2610 cuft/s |
| source1_coordinates | |
| source1_elevation | 5954 ft |
| mouth | Salmon River |
| mouth_location | Salmon |
| mouth_coordinates | |
| mouth_elevation | 3900 ft |
| basin_size | 1216 sqmi |
| :: |
| name = Lemhi River | native_name = | native_name_lang = | name_other = | name_etymology = | image = Reenactment on Lemhi River Nez Perce National Historic Trail (23723417842).jpg | image_caption = Historical reenactment on the Lemhi River | image_size = 300 | map = | map_size = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = USA Idaho#USA | pushpin_map_size = 300 | pushpin_map_caption= Location of the mouth of the Lemhi River in Idaho | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = United States | subdivision_type2 = State | subdivision_name2 = Idaho | subdivision_type3 = Counties | subdivision_name3 = Lemhi | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = | subdivision_type5 = Cities | subdivision_name5 = Leadore, Salmon | length = 60 mi | width_min = | width_avg = | width_max = | depth_min = | depth_avg = | depth_max = | discharge1_location= near mouth at Salmon, ID | discharge1_min = 0.75 cuft/s | discharge1_avg = 251 cuft/s | discharge1_max = 2610 cuft/s | source1 = | source1_location = | source1_coordinates= | source1_elevation = 5954 ft | mouth = Salmon River | mouth_location = Salmon | mouth_coordinates = | mouth_elevation = 3900 ft | progression = | river_system = | basin_size = 1216 sqmi | tributaries_left = | tributaries_right = | custom_label = | custom_data = | extra = The Lemhi River is a 60 mi river in Idaho in the United States. It is a tributary of the Salmon River, which in turn is a tributary to the Snake River and Columbia River.
Course
From its source near Leadore and the confluence of several headwater streams, the Lemhi River flows generally northwest, through the Lemhi Valley, between the Lemhi Range to the west, and the Bitterroot Range and Beaverhead Mountains to the east. The Lemhi River flows into the Salmon River at the city of Salmon.
River modification
The water of the Lemhi River and its tributaries is used for irrigation agriculture. Of the river's mainstem tributaries, only 7% are not totally disconnected year round due to diversion for irrigation.
History
In August 1805 Lewis and Clark crossed the continental divide at the Lemhi Pass 10 mi to the east of the Lemhi River. There, the group encountered a tribe of Shoshone Indians, one of whom turned out to be Cameahwait, brother of Sacagawea. The expedition sent a reconnaissance party, guided by Swooping Eagle, north along the Lemhi to the Salmon River attempting to find a navigable path, but turned back when they found that the Salmon was not passable by boat or on land.
References
References
- {{Gnis. 384571. Lemhi River, [[United States Geological Survey. USGS]], [[Geographic Names Information System. GNIS]]
- [[Google Earth]] elevation for [[Geographic Names Information System. GNIS]] coordinates.
- [https://pubs.usgs.gov/wdr/2005/wdr-id-05-1/ Water Resource Data, Idaho, 2005], USGS.
- U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. [http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ The National Map] {{webarchive. link. (2012-03-29 , accessed May 3, 2011)
- [http://www.nwcouncil.org/fw/subbasinplanning/salmon/plan/ Salmon Subbasin Plan], Northwest Power and Conservation Council
- link. (2011-06-16)
- [http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/lewisandclark/site1.htm Cameahwait's Village]{{dead link. (June 2025)
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