River Levels
Montana river levels
Live streamflow for 162 gauged Montana reaches, highest first. Where a gauge has a long enough record, the reading is placed against its own history for today's date.
65% of gauged Montana rivers are running in their normal range for the date, as of October 26, 2026.
Of 49 gauged reaches with a long enough USGS record, 11 are below normal (5 of them much below), 32 are in the normal range, and 6 are above normal (1 of them much above). Normal means the middle half of that gauge's own history for this calendar date.
To cite: Angling Hubs analysis of USGS streamflow, anglinghubs.com/flows/montana.
| River | Flow | Usually today | Vs normal | NWS flood status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clark ForkClark Fork near Plains MT | 10,400 cfs4.62 ft | 10,200 cfs | Normal52nd percentile · 116 yr record | Below flood stageNWS forecast: 4.68 ft by Tue 6 PM, below flood stage. |
| Flathead RiverFlathead River at Perma MT | 7,580 cfs8.53 ft | 7,570 cfs | Normal50th percentile · 42 yr record | No NWS flood stage |
| Missouri RiverMissouri River near Culbertson MT | 7,380 cfs3.34 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Flathead RiverFlathead River near Polson MT | 7,340 cfs5.51 ft | 7,500 cfs | Normal49th percentile · 88 yr record | Below flood stageNWS forecast: 5.46 ft by Mon 12 AM, below flood stage. |
| Missouri RiverMissouri River near Wolf Point MT | 7,260 cfs10.82 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Clark ForkClark Fork River below Cabinet Gorge Dam ID | 6,500 cfs7.79 ft | 9,550 cfs | Normal28th percentile · 31 yr record | No NWS flood stage |
| Missouri RiverMissouri River near Landusky MT | 5,450 cfs13.47 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Yellowstone RiverYellowstone River at Glendive, MT | 5,270 cfs42.84 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Yellowstone RiverYellowstone River at Forsyth MT | 5,250 cfs1.67 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Yellowstone RiverYellowstone River at Miles City, MT | 5,240 cfs3.06 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | Below flood stageFlood stage 14 ft. NWS reads 3.06 ft here. |
| Kootenai RiverKootenai River Bel Moyie River near Bonners Ferry ID | 5,170 cfs71.56 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Missouri RiverMissouri River at Virgelle MT | 5,170 cfs3.07 ft | 5,840 cfs | Normal34th percentile · 91 yr record | Below flood stageFlood stage 17 ft. NWS reads 3.06 ft here. |
| Missouri RiverMissouri River at Fort Benton MT | 4,830 cfs2.10 ft | 5,030 cfs | Normal43rd percentile · 136 yr record | Below flood stageFlood stage 13.5 ft. NWS reads 2.12 ft here. |
| Missouri RiverMissouri River near Great Falls MT | 4,480 cfs3.11 ft | 5,330 cfs | Below normal22nd percentile · 70 yr record | No NWS flood stage |
| Kootenai RiverKootenai River bl Libby Dam nr Libby MT | 4,240 cfs17.87 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Missouri RiverMissouri River at Toston MT | 4,090 cfs4.52 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | Below flood stageFlood stage 10.5 ft. NWS reads 4.53 ft here. |
| Missouri RiverMissouri River near Ulm MT | 3,990 cfs3.35 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | Below flood stageFlood stage 13.5 ft. NWS reads 3.35 ft here. |
| Flathead RiverFlathead River at Columbia Falls MT | 3,620 cfs3.81 ft | 3,990 cfs | Normal25th percentile · 74 yr record | Below flood stageNWS forecast: 3.81 ft by Mon 11 AM, below flood stage. |
| Clark ForkClark Fork at St. Regis MT | 3,330 cfs5.71 ft | 3,290 cfs | Normal52nd percentile · 97 yr record | Below flood stageNWS forecast: 5.7 ft by Mon 12 AM, below flood stage. |
| Yellowstone RiverYellowstone River at Billings MT | 3,170 cfs2.94 ft | 3,900 cfs | Below normal24th percentile · 97 yr record | Below flood stageFlood stage 13.5 ft. NWS reads 2.94 ft here. |
| Missouri RiverMissouri River bl Holter Dam nr Wolf Cr MT | 2,900 cfs3.00 ft | 4,260 cfs | Much below normal5th percentile · 81 yr record | No NWS flood stage |
| Bighorn RiverBighorn River at Two Leggins Bridge, near Hardin | 1,810 cfs9.28 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Jefferson RiverJefferson River near Three Forks MT | 1,680 cfs3.85 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Yellowstone RiverYellowstone River near Livingston, MT | 1,640 cfs-0.05 ft | 1,870 cfs | Normal28th percentile · 129 yr record | Below flood stageFlood stage 10 ft. NWS reads -0.07 ft here. |
| Jefferson RiverJefferson River near Twin Bridges, MT | 1,480 cfs4.12 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Madison RiverMadison River bl Ennis Lake nr McAllister MT | 1,250 cfs3.69 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Yellowstone RiverYellowstone River at Corwin Springs MT | 1,200 cfs1.30 ft | 1,360 cfs | Normal33rd percentile · 137 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Clark ForkClark Fork at Turah Bridge nr Bonner MT | 1,120 cfs2.28 ft | 884 cfs | Above normal83rd percentile · 41 yr record | No NWS flood stage |
| Madison RiverMadison River at Ennis, MT | 1,010 cfs4.53 ft | 969 cfs | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Bitterroot RiverBitterroot River near Missoula MT | 969 cfs3.43 ft | 931 cfs | Normal53rd percentile · 128 yr record | Below flood stageNWS forecast: 3.34 ft by Mon 12 AM, below flood stage. |
| West Fork Madison RiverMadison River at Kirby Ranch nr Cameron MT | 799 cfs1.74 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Big Hole RiverBig Hole River at Maiden Rock nr Divide MT | 788 cfs3.55 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Clark ForkClark Fork near Drummond MT | 724 cfs3.47 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| North Fork Flathead RiverN F Flathead River nr Columbia Falls MT | 711 cfs1.77 ft | 934 cfs | Below normal22nd percentile · 87 yr record | Below flood stageNWS forecast: 1.78 ft by Mon 12 AM, below flood stage. |
| Big Hole RiverBig Hole R bl Hamilton Ditch nr Twin Bridges, MT | 618 cfs1.95 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Yellowstone RiverYellowstone River at Yellowstone Lk Outlet YNP | 596 cfs2.87 ft | 685 cfs | Normal30th percentile · 100 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Sun RiverSun River near Vaughn MT | 561 cfs2.49 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | Below flood stageFlood stage 6 ft. NWS reads 2.49 ft here. |
| Big CreekBitterroot River at Bell Crossing nr Victor MT | 536 cfs4.80 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Middle Fork Flathead RiverM F Flathead River near West Glacier MT | 494 cfs1.72 ft | 771 cfs | Below normal22nd percentile · 87 yr record | Below flood stageNWS forecast: 1.73 ft by Mon 12 AM, below flood stage. |
| Marias RiverMarias River near Loma MT | 490 cfs1.17 ft | 500 cfs | Normal44th percentile · 67 yr record | No NWS flood stage |
| South Fork Flathead RiverS F Flathead R ab Twin C nr Hungry Horse MT | 467 cfs4.91 ft | 438 cfs | Normal54th percentile · 62 yr record | NWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Clarks Fork Yellowstone RiverClarks Fork Yellowstone River at Edgar MT | 450 cfs1.87 ft | 532 cfs | Normal31st percentile · 105 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Swan RiverSwan River near Bigfork, MT | 430 cfs2.24 ft | 511 cfs | Normal33rd percentile · 103 yr record | Below flood stageNWS forecast: 2.41 ft by Wed 12 AM, below flood stage. |
| Stillwater RiverStillwater River near Absarokee, MT | 430 cfs1.60 ft | 478 cfs | Normal33rd percentile · 91 yr record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Big Hole RiverBig Hole River bl Mudd Cr nr Wisdom MT | 412 cfs3.23 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Judith RiverJudith River nr mouth, nr Winifred MT | 377 cfs5.19 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Gallatin RiverGallatin River near Gallatin Gateway, MT | 376 cfs1.42 ft | 418 cfs | Normal27th percentile · 137 yr record | Below flood stageFlood stage 6 ft. NWS reads 1.42 ft here. |
| Rock CreekRock Creek near Clinton MT | 366 cfs5.48 ft | 238 cfs | Much above normal95th percentile · 54 yr record | Below flood stageNWS forecast: 5.36 ft by Mon 12 AM, below flood stage. |
| Madison RiverMadison River near West Yellowstone, MT | 322 cfs1.67 ft | 419 cfs | Much below normal6th percentile · 113 yr record | No NWS flood stage |
| Sun RiverSun River at Simms MT | 307 cfs2.85 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Marias RiverMarias River near Shelby MT | 300 cfs2.89 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | Below flood stageFlood stage 9 ft. NWS reads 2.9 ft here. |
| Birch CreekBirch Cr bl Heart Butte Road, nr Heart Butte, MT | 296 cfs2.41 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Beaverhead RiverBeaverhead River near Twin Bridges MT | 254 cfs3.55 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | Below flood stageNWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| East Fork Bitterroot RiverBitterroot River near Darby MT | 251 cfs1.77 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Gallatin RiverGallatin River above Deer Creek, near Big Sky, MT | 250 cfs4.83 ft | 311 cfs | No historical record | NWS issues forecasts here only during high water. |
| Clark ForkClark Fork at Deer Lodge MT | 248 cfs2.89 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Clark ForkClark Fork ab Little Blackfoot R nr Garrison MT | 247 cfs3.42 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Blackfoot RiverBlackfoot R ab Nevada Cr nr Helmville MT | 211 cfs3.92 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Sun River Slope CanalSun River bl Willow Cr nr Augusta MT | 193 cfs2.17 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
| Sun RiverSun River bl Diversion Dam nr Augusta MT | 188 cfs3.98 ft | Not recorded | No historical record | No NWS flood stage |
Streamflow from the U.S. Geological Survey, updated hourly. "Usually today" is the median for this calendar date over the gauge's full record. A gauge tells you how much water is moving, not whether it is fishing well or safe to wade: check the regulations and a current local report before you go. Flood stages and forecasts: NOAA National Weather Service; "Vs normal" is our comparison with the USGS record, not a National Weather Service product.
By state
Other states
Alabama
104 gauges
Alaska
20 gauges
Arizona
106 gauges
Arkansas
83 gauges
California
293 gauges
Colorado
176 gauges
Connecticut
41 gauges
Florida
120 gauges
Georgia
168 gauges
Hawaii
12 gauges
Idaho
128 gauges
Illinois
115 gauges
Indiana
131 gauges
Iowa
99 gauges
Kansas
130 gauges
Kentucky
112 gauges
Louisiana
55 gauges
Maine
49 gauges
Maryland
66 gauges
Massachusetts
60 gauges
Michigan
137 gauges
Minnesota
96 gauges
Mississippi
70 gauges
Missouri
156 gauges
Nebraska
96 gauges
Nevada
64 gauges
New Hampshire
37 gauges
New Jersey
76 gauges
New Mexico
85 gauges
New York
190 gauges
North Carolina
157 gauges
North Dakota
78 gauges
Ohio
127 gauges
Oklahoma
108 gauges
Oregon
152 gauges
Pennsylvania
179 gauges
Rhode Island
14 gauges
South Carolina
82 gauges
South Dakota
80 gauges
Tennessee
91 gauges
Texas
369 gauges
Utah
117 gauges
Vermont
44 gauges
Virginia
142 gauges
Washington
165 gauges
West Virginia
78 gauges
Wisconsin
103 gauges
Wyoming
89 gauges





