Kootenai River below Libby Dam near Libby MT water level

Name: Kootenai River below Libby Dam near Libby 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, Kootenai River, Montana, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

18.01ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 08:00 PM PDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 4,510 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 17.90 ft by Friday, October 30 at 05:00 AM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 08:05 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Kootenai River below Libby Dam near Libby MT, where the gauge shows 18.01 ft.

It is 9.49 ft below the flood stage of 27.50 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 17.90 ft by Friday, October 30 at 05:00 AM. The 30-day range is 17.85 ft – 18.05 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 28.50 ftJune 18, 2006
Forecast peak: 18.01 ftTuesday, October 20 at 05:00 PM

Paddling and fishing conditions

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

For reference, flood stage is 27.50 ft.

What happens at each level

27.50 ft: Some home owners living along the banks of the Kootenai River will have flooding to sections of their property.
18.01 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	28.50 ft	June 18, 2006
2	27.61 ft	July 3, 2012
3	27.50 ft	August 5, 1974
4	26.49 ft	June 6, 1981
5	26.46 ft	November 29, 1976
6	26.28 ft	July 1, 2002
7	24.15 ft	December 14, 2017
8	24.15 ft	December 17, 2016
9	23.85 ft	December 11, 2024

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 68° 44° – Wind 3 mph

21 Wed 75° 48° – Wind 5 mph

22 Thu 69° 44° 0.11 in, 49% Wind 5 mph

23 Fri 57° 41° 0.18 in, 49% Wind 7 mph

24 Sat 54° 35° – Wind 4 mph

25 Sun 51° 33° – Wind 5 mph

26 Mon 54° 30° – Wind 5 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:11 AM Sunset 05:42 PM Daylight 10 hr, 32 min Waxing gibbous 74%

Map

Other gauges on the Kootenai River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Kootenai River at LeoniaRiver gauge, Kootenai River	10.51 ft	Low	+0.01 ft	37 mi
Kootenai River at Bonners FerryRiver gauge, Kootenai River	45.33 ft	Low	+0.09 ft	50 mi
Kootenai River at PorthillRiver gauge, Kootenai River	43.96 ft	Low	±0	68 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Fisher River near Libby MTRiver gauge, Fisher River	2.76 ft	Below flood stage	±0	3.1 mi
Libby Wetland Site below Schrieber Lake near LibbyRiver gauge, Libby Wetland Site	0.6 cfs	Normal	±0	21 mi
Yaak River near Troy MTRiver gauge, Yaak River	2.88 ft	Below flood stage	±0	32 mi
Tobacco River at EurekaRiver gauge, Tobacco River	80.8 cfs	Normal	±0	35 mi
Clark Fork River below Cabinet Gorge DamRiver gauge, Clark Fork River	16,200 cfs	Very high	+9,620 cfs	41 mi
Lightning Creek at Clark ForkRiver gauge, Lightning Creek	7.72 ft	Lowest on record	−0.05 ft	43 mi
Kootenai River Bel Moyie River near Bonners FerryRiver gauge, Kootenai River Bel Moyie River	5,220 cfs	Normal	+100.0 cfs	45 mi
Moyie River at EastportRiver gauge, Moyie River	3.30 ft	Very low	±0	57 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Kootenai River below Libby Dam near Libby MT?

The official flood stage is 27.50 ft. The level is currently 9.49 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 Kootenai River below Libby Dam near Libby MT today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 08:00 PM PDT, the water level was 18.01 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Kootenai River below Libby Dam near Libby MT rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Up 0.14 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Kootenai River below Libby Dam near Libby MT normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Kootenai River below Libby Dam near Libby MT?

The highest level on record is 28.50 ft on June 18, 2006.

Is Kootenai River below Libby Dam near Libby MT expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 17.90 ft by Friday, October 30 at 05:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:12301933 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 48.40066, -115.31872 (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	18.01 ft	2026-10-21 03:00	Provisional
Flow	4,510 cfs	2026-10-21 03:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Kootenai River below Libby Dam near Libby MT (usgs:12301933). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/montana/kootenai-river-below-libby-dam-near-libby-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