Clark Fork above Missoula MT water level

Name: Clark Fork above 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, Clark Fork, Montana, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.65ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 06:00 AM MDT (12 min ago)

Flow: 1,470 cfs
Water temperature: 46 °F

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.63 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 12:00 AM. Issued Sunday, October 18 at 10:22 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

Clark Fork above Missoula MT is at 2.65 ft, in the normal range.

It is 4.85 ft below the flood stage of 7.50 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.63 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 12:00 AM. In the last month it has stayed between 2.64 ft and 2.69 ft.

The sensor also reports a water temperature of 46 °F.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 17.40 ftJune 1, 1908
Forecast peak: 2.68 ftSaturday, October 24 at 06:00 AM

Floating and fishing near Clark Fork above Missoula MT

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

Flood stage here is 7.50 ft, 4.85 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

13.00 ft: Wide spread flooding from East Missoula to the Bitterroot River is possible. Flood prone areas include, Streets and homes in the lower South Third Street area. Extensive flooding in the Orchard Homes area continues.
12.00 ft: Flood waters are now flooding numerous streets and homes in the Orchard Homes area. The following streets are being flooded, Kehrwald Drive, Channel Drive, Tower Street, Nancy Lou Drive, Keck Street and Stone Street. Flood water may also flood the southern end of Schmidt Road which is adjacent to the Clark Fork River.
11.00 ft: Flooding from the Clark Fork River is impacting the Orchard Homes residential area. Flood waters are now flooding Tower Street, Kehrwald Drive and Channel Drive with 10 to 15 homes being flooded.
8.00 ft: Flooding of low lying areas adjacent to the river is possible. Flood waters begin to flood streets in the Orchard Homes area, specifically the north end of Tower Street including Kehrwald Drive.
7.50 ft: Flooding of low lying areas adjacent to the river is possible. Flood waters begin to flood streets in the Orchard Homes area, specifically the north end of Tower Street including Kehrwald Drive.
2.65 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	17.40 ft	June 1, 1908
2	13.82 ft	May 11, 2018
3	13.75 ft	June 21, 1975
4	13.38 ft	May 24, 1981
5	13.35 ft	June 10, 1964
6	13.07 ft	May 23, 1948
7	12.72 ft	June 9, 2011
8	12.60 ft	May 18, 1997
9	12.34 ft	June 4, 1953
10	12.27 ft	June 1, 1972

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 59%

Map

Other gauges on Clark Fork

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Clark Fork near Galen MTRiver gauge, Clark Fork	83.2 cfs	Normal	±0	72 mi
Clark Fork at Deer Lodge MTRiver gauge, Clark Fork	2.71 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	65 mi
Clark Fork above Little Blackfoot R near Garrison MTRiver gauge, Clark Fork	185 cfs	Low	−5.0 cfs	60 mi
Clark Fork at Goldcreek MTRiver gauge, Clark Fork	291 cfs	Low	−8.0 cfs	51 mi
Clark Fork near Drummond MTRiver gauge, Clark Fork	3.10 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	31 mi
Clark Fork at Turah Bridge near Bonner MTRiver gauge, Clark Fork	861 cfs	Normal	±0	7 mi
Clark Fork below Missoula MTRiver gauge, Clark Fork	1.22 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	9 mi
Clark Fork at St. Regis MTRiver gauge, Clark Fork	5.41 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	62 mi
Clark Fork near Plains MTRiver gauge, Clark Fork	4.56 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	58 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Bitterroot River near Missoula MTRiver gauge, Bitterroot River	3.26 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	7 mi
Blackfoot River near Bonner MTRiver gauge, Blackfoot River	2.10 ft	Below flood stage	±0	8 mi
Rock Creek near Clinton MTRiver gauge, Rock Creek	5.31 ft	Below flood stage	±0	16 mi
South Fork Jocko River near Arlee MTRiver gauge, South Fork Jocko River	18.0 cfs	Normal	−0.4 cfs	22 mi
Mission Creek above reservoir near St. Ignatius MTRiver gauge, Mission Creek	12.4 cfs	Very low	±0	31 mi
Bitterroot River at Bell Crossing near Victor MTRiver gauge, Bitterroot River	4.51 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	31 mi
NF Blackfoot R above Dry Gulch near Ovando MTRiver gauge, NF Blackfoot R	163 cfs	Normal	±0	40 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for Clark Fork above Missoula MT?

The official flood stage is 7.50 ft. The level is currently 4.85 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 Clark Fork above Missoula MT today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 06:00 AM MDT, the water level was 2.65 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Clark Fork above Missoula MT rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Clark Fork above Missoula MT normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Clark Fork above Missoula MT?

The highest level on record is 17.40 ft on June 1, 1908.

Is Clark Fork above Missoula MT expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 2.63 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 12:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:12340500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 46.87676, -113.93212 (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	2.65 ft	2026-10-19 12:00	Provisional
Flow	1,470 cfs	2026-10-19 12:00	Provisional
Water temperature	46 °F	2026-10-19 12:00	Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.

<iframe src="https://nivelmap.com/embed/10136?lang=en" width="360" height="230" style="border:0;max-width:100%" loading="lazy" title="Clark Fork above Missoula MT water level"></iframe>

How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Clark Fork above Missoula MT (usgs:12340500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/montana/clark-fork-above-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