The Malad River is a tributary

Tributary

A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...

 of the Snake River

Snake River

The Snake is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean...

 in Idaho

Idaho

Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....

 in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. It is formed by the confluence of the Big Wood River

Big Wood River

The Big Wood River is a river in central Idaho. It is a tributary of the Malad River, which in turn is tributary to the Snake River and Columbia River.-Course:...

 and the Little Wood River

Little Wood River

Little Wood River is a river in south-central Idaho in the United States. It is a tributary of the Malad River, which in turn is tributary to the Snake River and Columbia River....

 near Gooding

Gooding, Idaho

Gooding is the county seat and largest city of Gooding County, Idaho, United States. Its population was 3,384 at the 2000 census.The city is named for Frank R. Gooding, a local sheep rancher who became a prominent political figure in Idaho in the early 20th Century, serving as both Governor of...

. From there the river flows south and west for 12 miles (19.3 km) to join the Snake River near Hagerman

Hagerman, Idaho

Hagerman is a town in Gooding County, Idaho, United States. The population was 768 at the 2007 census.-Geography:Hagerman is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....

.

The river flows through Malad Gorge State Park

Malad Gorge State Park

Thousand Springs State Park is a state park of Idaho, USA, comprising 5 units in the Hagerman Valley. In 2005 as part of a master planning process, it was decided to combine 4 existing state parks under a single new entity. A fifth unit has since been added. The units as they currently stand are...

, where it tumbles down a stairstep waterfall. The Malad Gorge is 250 feet (76.2 m) deep and 2.5 miles (4 km) long.

The river's flow is affected by numerous reservoirs and irrigation works on its tributaries. The Malad River itself is largely diverted into a power flume that enters the Snake below the mouth of the Malad, via a powerhouse. Below the diversion the Malad River is replenished by numerous springs, yet the average flow above the diversion is higher than at the river's mouth.

The Malad River is part of the Columbia River

Columbia River

The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...

basin, being a tributary of the Snake River, which is a tributary to the Columbia River.