Whitefish River near Kalispell MT water level

Name: Whitefish River near Kalispell 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, Whitefish River, Montana, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.45ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 09:45 AM MDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 56.9 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.40 ft by Thursday, October 29 at 06:00 AM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 10:08 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The Whitefish River near Kalispell MT is at 1.45 ft, in the normal range.

It is 3.95 ft below the flood stage of 5.40 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.40 ft by Thursday, October 29 at 06:00 AM. In the last month it has stayed between 1.44 ft and 1.47 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 4.95 ftJune 15, 2022
Forecast peak: 1.44 ftTuesday, October 20 at 06:00 AM

Floating and fishing near Whitefish River near Kalispell MT

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

Flood stage here is 5.40 ft, 3.95 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

5.60 ft: Bank erosion downstream of the town of Whitefish threatens homes along the river bank.
5.40 ft: Water from the Whitefish River begins flooding homeowners yards and driveways along River Road in Kalispell.
1.45 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	4.95 ft	June 15, 2022
2	4.13 ft	June 2, 2020
3	3.62 ft	May 27, 2021
4	3.27 ft	May 18, 2025

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 61° 30° – Wind 9 mph

20 Tue 68° 39° – Wind 9 mph

21 Wed 63° 39° – Wind 8 mph

22 Thu 66° 41° – Wind 4 mph

23 Fri 52° 42° 0.48 in, 65% Wind 12 mph

24 Sat 50° 36° 0.04 in, 49% Wind 8 mph

25 Sun 48° 32° – Wind 3 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 08:05 AM Sunset 06:40 PM Daylight 10 hr, 35 min Waxing gibbous 70%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Flathead River at Columbia Falls MTRiver gauge, Flathead River	3.82 ft	Below flood stage	±0	5.2 mi
Stillwater River at Lawrence Park, at KalispellRiver gauge, Stillwater River	2.77 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	7 mi
S F Flathead River near Columbia Falls MTRiver gauge, S F Flathead River	2,380 cfs	Normal	−30.0 cfs	11 mi
Hungry Horse ReservoirReservoir	3,541.38 ft	Normal		12 mi
N F Flathead River near Columbia Falls MTRiver gauge, N F Flathead River	1.77 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	14 mi
M F Flathead River near West Glacier MTRiver gauge, M F Flathead River	1.77 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	17 mi
Swan River near BigforkRiver gauge, Swan River	2.27 ft	Below flood stage	+0.03 ft	25 mi
S F Flathead R above Twin C near Hungry Horse MTRiver gauge, S F Flathead R	416 cfs	Normal	−5.0 cfs	41 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Whitefish River near Kalispell MT?

The official flood stage is 5.40 ft. The level is currently 3.95 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 Whitefish River near Kalispell MT today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 09:45 AM MDT, the water level was 1.45 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Whitefish River near Kalispell MT rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Whitefish River near Kalispell MT normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Whitefish River near Kalispell MT?

The highest level on record is 4.95 ft on June 15, 2022.

Is Whitefish River near Kalispell MT expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.40 ft by Thursday, October 29 at 06:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:12366000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 48.32019, -114.27859 (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	1.45 ft	2026-10-20 15:45	Provisional
Flow	56.9 cfs	2026-10-20 15:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Whitefish River near Kalispell MT (usgs:12366000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/montana/whitefish-river-near-kalispell-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