Flathead River in Montana
Around here
Around Flathead River
Before you go
Data Source: Recreation.gov · Public land: USGS PAD-US
About this river
Flathead River is a 53.1 mile river. Streamflow is measured at the USGS gauge Flathead River at Columbia Falls MT (site 12363000). The National Hydrography Dataset places it at stream order 7. Reach geometry comes from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset.
Typical flow by month
1952 to 2025
Flathead River typically runs highest in June, at a median 23,850 cfs, and lowest in October, at 3,940 cfs. The highest flow on record for any single day is 158,000 cfs, in 1964.
Show the numbers
| Month | Typical (cfs) | Usual range (cfs) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 4,100 | 3,630 to 8,510 |
| February | 3,960 | 3,580 to 7,990 |
| March | 4,180 | 3,460 to 7,860 |
| April | 11,000 | 6,210 to 15,800 |
| May | 21,200 | 16,200 to 29,500 |
| June | 23,850 | 17,000 to 31,550 |
| July | 10,100 | 7,890 to 14,400 |
| August | 4,880 | 4,040 to 7,170 |
| September | 4,050 | 3,485 to 6,730 |
| October | 3,940 | 3,620 to 6,640 |
| November | 4,075 | 3,630 to 6,440 |
| December | 4,530 | 3,650 to 7,940 |
Typical is the median of each month’s daily median values, and the usual range runs from the median 25th to the median 75th percentile, across about 73 years of record. Statistics published by the US Geological Survey for Flathead River at Columbia Falls MT (site 12363000). Conditions on any given day can fall well outside the usual range. Check the current reading before you go.
Boat access nearby
8 mapped launches sit in the mapped area of Flathead River, all of them public access. Ramp data comes from the USGS national boat-ramp inventory.
- Eagle Bend Yacht HarbourFlathead LakePublic
- Somers Yacht ClubFlathead LakePublic
- SomersFlathead LakePublic
- Sportsmans BridgeFlathead RiverPublic
- Old Steel BridgeFlathead RiverPublic
- PressentineFlathead RiverPublic
- Kokanee BendFlathead RiverPublic
- TeakettleFlathead RiverPublic
Embed this gauge on your site
Paste this snippet anywhere, an outfitter page, a club site, a trip report, to show Flathead River's live streamflow, water level and 7-day trend. It reads the USGS gauge directly, updates itself, and links back here.
See every free widget you can put on your site, including live conditions and a 7 day forecast.
