Bitterroot River near Missoula MT water level

Name: Bitterroot River near 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, Bitterroot River, Montana, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.27ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 11:00 PM MDT (49 min ago)

Flow: 832 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to rise to 3.46 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 12:00 PM. Issued Sunday, October 18 at 10:22 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The gauge at Bitterroot River near Missoula MT reads 3.27 ft, a normal level.

It is 7.73 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 rise to 3.46 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 12:00 PM. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 3.27 ft and 3.29 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 13.11 ftMay 19, 1997
Forecast peak: 3.46 ftSaturday, October 24 at 12:00 PM

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 11.00 ft, still 7.73 ft away.

What happens at each level

15.00 ft: Flooding affecting many lowlying areas adjacent to the river specifically homes in the Target Range and Orchard Homes neighborhoods is possible.
14.00 ft: Flooding affecting low lying areas near Mcclay Bridge and homes in the Target Range area is possible.
12.00 ft: Flooding of farmland and some roads along the Bitterroot River from Lolo to the confluence with the Clark Fork River is possible.
11.00 ft: Flooding to low lying areas adjacent to the river is possible.
3.27 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	13.11 ft	May 19, 1997
2	12.65 ft	June 1, 2003
3	12.23 ft	May 11, 2018
4	11.97 ft	May 21, 2008
5	11.83 ft	June 10, 1996
6	11.40 ft	June 1, 2020
7	11.38 ft	June 13, 2022
8	11.38 ft	June 7, 2009
9	11.37 ft	June 9, 2011
10	11.24 ft	May 21, 2006

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 08:00 AM Sunset 06:43 PM Daylight 10 hr, 43 min First quarter 56%

Map

Other gauges on the Bitterroot River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Bitterroot River near Darby MTRiver gauge, Bitterroot River	1.65 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	60 mi
Bitterroot River at Bell Crossing near Victor MTRiver gauge, Bitterroot River	4.52 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	27 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Clark Fork below Missoula MTRiver gauge, Clark Fork	1.23 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	4.3 mi
Clark Fork above Missoula MTRiver gauge, Clark Fork	2.65 ft	Below flood stage	±0	7 mi
Clark Fork at Turah Bridge near Bonner MTRiver gauge, Clark Fork	855 cfs	Normal	−6.0 cfs	11 mi
Blackfoot River near Bonner MTRiver gauge, Blackfoot River	2.10 ft	Below flood stage	±0	15 mi
Rock Creek near Clinton MTRiver gauge, Rock Creek	5.31 ft	Below flood stage	±0	19 mi
South Fork Jocko River near Arlee MTRiver gauge, South Fork Jocko River	18.4 cfs	Normal	±0	27 mi
Mission Creek above reservoir near St. Ignatius MTRiver gauge, Mission Creek	12.4 cfs	Very low	±0	34 mi
Clark Fork near Drummond MTRiver gauge, Clark Fork	3.12 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	35 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Bitterroot River near Missoula MT?

The official flood stage is 11.00 ft. The level is currently 7.73 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 Missoula MT today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 11:00 PM MDT, the water level was 3.27 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Bitterroot River near Missoula MT rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Bitterroot River near Missoula 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 Missoula MT?

The highest level on record is 13.11 ft on May 19, 1997.

Is Bitterroot River near Missoula MT expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to rise to 3.46 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 12:00 PM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:12352500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 46.83174, -114.05486 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NAVD88
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	3.27 ft	2026-10-19 05:00	Provisional
Flow	832 cfs	2026-10-19 05:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Bitterroot River near Missoula MT (usgs:12352500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/montana/bitterroot-river-near-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