Thompson River near Thompson Falls MT water level

Name: Thompson River near Thompson Falls 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, Thompson River, Montana, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.73ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 07:45 AM PDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 134 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.73 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 05:00 AM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 09:08 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The gauge at Thompson River near Thompson Falls MT reads 2.73 ft, a normal level.

It is 4.27 ft below the flood stage of 7.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.73 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 05:00 AM. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.72 ft and 2.74 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 8.53 ftJune 9, 1964
Forecast peak: 2.80 ftFriday, October 23 at 11:00 AM

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 7.00 ft, still 4.27 ft away.

What happens at each level

9.00 ft: Flooding affects low lying areas adjacent to the river. Homes in the community of Snider experience flooding and several roads in the community become inundated.
7.00 ft: Flooding affects low lying areas adjacent to the river. Flooding also affects homes in the community of Snider.
2.73 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	8.53 ft	June 9, 1964
2	8.35 ft	May 17, 1997
3	7.84 ft	May 19, 2008
4	7.77 ft	May 21, 1956
5	7.72 ft	February 9, 1996
6	7.67 ft	May 16, 2011
7	7.65 ft	May 23, 2002
8	7.15 ft	March 19, 2017
9	7.07 ft	June 1, 1972
10	7.01 ft	April 25, 2012

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 69° 44° – Wind 7 mph

20 Tue 72° 45° – Wind 7 mph

21 Wed 78° 53° – Wind 8 mph

22 Thu 72° 49° 0.35 in, 62% Wind 8 mph

23 Fri 55° 39° 0.57 in, 68% Wind 8 mph

24 Sat 56° 33° – Wind 5 mph

25 Sun 61° 36° – Wind 3 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:08 AM Sunset 05:45 PM Daylight 10 hr, 38 min Waxing gibbous 69%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Prospect Creek at Thompson Falls MTRiver gauge, Prospect Creek	0.38 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	5.9 mi
Clark Fork near Plains MTRiver gauge, Clark Fork	4.57 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	21 mi
St. Regis River near St. RegisRiver gauge, St. Regis River	1.71 ft	Below flood stage	±0	21 mi
Clark Fork at St. Regis MTRiver gauge, Clark Fork	5.40 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	21 mi
Canyon Creek above Mouth at WallaceRiver gauge, Canyon Creek	10.0 cfs	Very low	±0	33 mi
Ninemile Creek above Mouth at WallaceRiver gauge, Ninemile Creek	2.9 cfs	Normal	±0	33 mi
Sf Coeur D Alene River above Placer Creek at WallaceRiver gauge, Sf Coeur D Alene River	32.1 cfs	Low	+0.8 cfs	34 mi
Flathead River at Perma MTRiver gauge, Flathead River	7,610 cfs	Normal	+50.0 cfs	34 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Thompson River near Thompson Falls MT?

The official flood stage is 7.00 ft. The level is currently 4.27 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 Thompson River near Thompson Falls MT today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 07:45 AM PDT, the water level was 2.73 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Thompson River near Thompson Falls MT rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Thompson River near Thompson Falls MT normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Thompson River near Thompson Falls MT?

The highest level on record is 8.53 ft on June 9, 1964.

Is Thompson River near Thompson Falls MT expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.73 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 05:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:12389500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 47.59186, -115.22954 (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	2.73 ft	2026-10-20 14:45	Provisional
Flow	134 cfs	2026-10-20 14:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Thompson River near Thompson Falls MT (usgs:12389500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/montana/thompson-river-near-thompson-falls-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