Bitterroot River near Darby MT water level

Name: Bitterroot River near Darby MT water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Bitterroot River, Montana, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.64ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 04:15 AM MDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 207 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to rise to 1.80 ft by Friday, October 23 at 06:00 PM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 09:24 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Bitterroot River near Darby MT, where the gauge shows 1.64 ft.

It is 5.86 ft below the flood stage of 7.50 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 1.80 ft by Friday, October 23 at 06:00 PM. The 30-day range is 1.64 ft – 1.74 ft.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 8.55 ftMay 17, 1997
Forecast peak: 1.80 ftFriday, October 23 at 06:00 PM

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 7.50 ft.

What happens at each level

8.00 ft: Flooding to low lying areas adjacent to the river will occur.
7.50 ft: Flooding to low lying areas adjacent to the river is possible. Many county roads that are prone to flooding will also be impacted.
1.64 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	8.55 ft	May 17, 1997
2	8.45 ft	May 31, 2003
3	8.26 ft	June 9, 1996
4	8.18 ft	May 20, 2009
5	8.05 ft	May 20, 2008
6	7.88 ft	May 10, 2018
7	7.84 ft	May 24, 2014
8	7.65 ft	June 8, 2011
9	7.37 ft	June 8, 1964
10	7.29 ft	May 11, 1976

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

18 Sun 60° 38° – Wind 9 mph

19 Mon 76° 47° – Wind 13 mph

20 Tue 66° 46° – Wind 12 mph

21 Wed 70° 45° – Wind 5 mph

22 Thu 70° 46° 0.08 in, 90% Wind 8 mph

23 Fri 52° 33° 0.06 in, 90% Wind 11 mph

24 Sat 56° 31° – Wind 4 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 08:01 AM Sunset 06:43 PM Daylight 10 hr, 42 min First quarter 68%

Map

Other gauges on the Bitterroot River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Bitterroot River at Bell Crossing near Victor MTRiver gauge, Bitterroot River	4.52 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	33 mi
Bitterroot River near Missoula MTRiver gauge, Bitterroot River	3.24 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	60 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Lake Como and ComoLake	4,205.52 ft	High		8 mi
West Fork Bitterroot River near Conner MTRiver gauge, West Fork Bitterroot River	57.5 cfs	Very low	±0	18 mi
Middle Fork Rock Cr near Philipsburg MTRiver gauge, Middle Fork Rock Cr	54.2 cfs	High	−1.8 cfs	34 mi
Nf Salmon River at North ForkRiver gauge, Nf Salmon River	4.08 ft	No reference yet	±0	40 mi
Big Hole River below Big Lake Cr at Wisdom MTRiver gauge, Big Hole River	63.5 cfs	Normal	±0	41 mi
Big Hole River below Mudd Cr near Wisdom MTRiver gauge, Big Hole River	167 cfs	Normal	−9.0 cfs	41 mi
Flint Creek near Southern Cross MTRiver gauge, Flint Creek	10.7 cfs	Low	−0.4 cfs	44 mi
Georgetown Lake near PhilipsburgLake, Georgetown Lake	6,428.69 ft	High	±0	45 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Bitterroot River near Darby MT?

The official flood stage is 7.50 ft. The level is currently 5.86 ft below it.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of Bitterroot River near Darby MT today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 04:15 AM MDT, the water level was 1.64 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Bitterroot River near Darby MT rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Bitterroot River near Darby MT normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Bitterroot River near Darby MT?

The highest level on record is 8.55 ft on May 17, 1997.

Is Bitterroot River near Darby MT expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to rise to 1.80 ft by Friday, October 23 at 06:00 PM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:12344000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 45.97205, -114.14123 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NGVD29
Update interval: every 15 minutes
Licence: Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

Parameter	Last value	Time (UTC)	Quality
Water level	1.64 ft	2026-10-20 10:15	Provisional
Flow	207 cfs	2026-10-20 10:15	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Bitterroot River near Darby MT (usgs:12344000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/montana/bitterroot-river-near-darby-mt

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer