Clark Fork below Missoula MT water level

Name: Clark Fork below Missoula 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, Clark Fork, Montana, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.22ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 10:00 AM MDT (2 hours ago)

Flow: 2,240 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.20 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 06:00 PM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 09:24 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

Clark Fork below Missoula MT is at 1.22 ft, in the normal range.

It is 9.78 ft below the flood stage of 11.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.20 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 06:00 PM. In the last month it has stayed between 1.22 ft and 1.27 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 12.14 ftMay 11, 2018
Forecast peak: 1.31 ftSaturday, October 24 at 06:00 AM

Floating and fishing near Clark Fork below Missoula MT

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 11.00 ft, 9.78 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

13.00 ft: Flooding to low lying areas adjacent to the river is likely. Flood prone areas include Target Range and the Orchard Homes neighborhoods.
11.50 ft: Numerous homes along the west end of Harpers Road are surrounded with surface water and ground water. Harpers Road adjacent to the Clark Fork River is flooded and impassable. Flood waters are also threatening Malards Way.
11.00 ft: Flooding of low lying areas adjacent to the river is possible just west of Missoula to Frenchtown.
1.22 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	12.14 ft	May 11, 2018
2	12.10 ft	May 18, 1997
3	12.08 ft	May 23, 1948
4	11.71 ft	June 3, 1972
5	11.67 ft	June 21, 1975
6	11.50 ft	June 18, 1974
7	11.45 ft	June 10, 1964
8	11.33 ft	June 9, 2011
9	11.18 ft	May 16, 1947
10	10.96 ft	May 15, 1976

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 70° 41° – Wind 8 mph

20 Tue 69° 46° – Wind 11 mph

21 Wed 69° 41° – Wind 4 mph

22 Thu 70° 43° 0.02 in, 82% Wind 4 mph

23 Fri 54° 38° 0.19 in, 82% Wind 19 mph

24 Sat 54° 31° – Wind 7 mph

25 Sun 63° 33° 0.04 in, 28% Wind 14 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 08:01 AM Sunset 06:44 PM Daylight 10 hr, 43 min First quarter 61%

Map

Other gauges on Clark Fork

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Clark Fork near Galen MTRiver gauge, Clark Fork	81.3 cfs	Normal	−1.9 cfs	79 mi
Clark Fork at Deer Lodge MTRiver gauge, Clark Fork	2.71 ft	Below flood stage	±0	73 mi
Clark Fork above Little Blackfoot R near Garrison MTRiver gauge, Clark Fork	183 cfs	Low	−2.0 cfs	68 mi
Clark Fork at Goldcreek MTRiver gauge, Clark Fork	291 cfs	Low	−4.0 cfs	60 mi
Clark Fork near Drummond MTRiver gauge, Clark Fork	3.10 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	39 mi
Clark Fork at Turah Bridge near Bonner MTRiver gauge, Clark Fork	855 cfs	Normal	−6.0 cfs	15 mi
Clark Fork above Missoula MTRiver gauge, Clark Fork	2.65 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	9 mi
Clark Fork at St. Regis MTRiver gauge, Clark Fork	5.41 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	54 mi
Clark Fork near Plains MTRiver gauge, Clark Fork	4.57 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	52 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Bitterroot River near Missoula MTRiver gauge, Bitterroot River	3.26 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	4.3 mi
Blackfoot River near Bonner MTRiver gauge, Blackfoot River	2.09 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	18 mi
Rock Creek near Clinton MTRiver gauge, Rock Creek	5.30 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	23 mi
South Fork Jocko River near Arlee MTRiver gauge, South Fork Jocko River	18.0 cfs	Normal	−0.4 cfs	26 mi
Bitterroot River at Bell Crossing near Victor MTRiver gauge, Bitterroot River	4.52 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	29 mi
Mission Creek above reservoir near St. Ignatius MTRiver gauge, Mission Creek	12.4 cfs	Very low	±0	32 mi
Flathead River at Perma MTRiver gauge, Flathead River	7,560 cfs	Normal	−20.0 cfs	41 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Clark Fork below Missoula MT?

The official flood stage is 11.00 ft. The level is currently 9.78 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 Clark Fork below Missoula MT today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 10:00 AM MDT, the water level was 1.22 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Clark Fork below Missoula MT rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Clark Fork below Missoula MT normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Clark Fork below Missoula MT?

The highest level on record is 12.14 ft on May 11, 2018.

Is Clark Fork below Missoula MT expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.20 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 06:00 PM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:12353000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 46.86863, -114.12775 (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	1.22 ft	2026-10-19 16:00	Provisional
Flow	2,240 cfs	2026-10-19 16:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Clark Fork below Missoula MT (usgs:12353000). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/montana/clark-fork-below-missoula-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