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

1.66ft Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 07:15 AM MDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 213 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to rise to 1.96 ft by Friday, October 23 at 12:00 PM. Issued Saturday, October 17 at 10:00 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Bitterroot River near Darby MT, where the gauge shows 1.66 ft.

It is 5.84 ft below the flood stage of 7.50 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.07 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 1.96 ft by Friday, October 23 at 12:00 PM. The 30-day range is 1.66 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: 1.96 ftFriday, October 23 at 12:00 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.
1.66 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

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:58 AM Sunset 06:47 PM Daylight 10 hr, 49 min First quarter 50%

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	4.55 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	33 mi
Bitterroot River near Missoula MTRiver gauge, Bitterroot River	3.28 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	60 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Lake Como and ComoLake	4,205.75 ft	High		8 mi
West Fork Bitterroot River near Conner MTRiver gauge, West Fork Bitterroot River	55.9 cfs	Low	−24.2 cfs	18 mi
Middle Fork Rock Cr near Philipsburg MTRiver gauge, Middle Fork Rock Cr	59.7 cfs	High	±0	34 mi
Nf Salmon River at North ForkRiver gauge, Nf Salmon River	4.10 ft	No reference yet	±0	40 mi
Big Hole River below Big Lake Cr at Wisdom MTRiver gauge, Big Hole River	68.6 cfs	Normal	−5.2 cfs	41 mi
Big Hole River below Mudd Cr near Wisdom MTRiver gauge, Big Hole River	180 cfs	Normal	−8.0 cfs	41 mi
Flint Creek near Southern Cross MTRiver gauge, Flint Creek	11.5 cfs	Low	−0.3 cfs	44 mi
Georgetown Lake near PhilipsburgLake, Georgetown Lake	6,428.68 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 5.84 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 18, 2026, 07:15 AM MDT, the water level was 1.66 ft. Down 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Bitterroot River near Darby MT rising or falling?

Down 0.07 ft 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 1.96 ft by Friday, October 23 at 12:00 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	1.66 ft	2026-10-18 13:15	Provisional
Flow	213 cfs	2026-10-18 13:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Bitterroot River near Darby MT (usgs:12344000). Accessed October 18, 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