Flathead River at Perma MT water level

Name: Flathead River at Perma 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, Flathead River, Montana, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

8.52ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 04:30 AM PDT (59 min ago)

Flow: 7,560 cfs
Water temperature: 53 °F

History

7 days

Water level

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Flathead River at Perma MT, where the gauge shows 8.52 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 8.51 ft – 8.55 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The sensor also reports a water temperature of 53 °F.

Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:02 AM Sunset 05:47 PM Daylight 10 hr, 45 min First quarter 49%

Map

Other gauges on the Flathead River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Flathead River at Columbia Falls MTRiver gauge, Flathead River	3.80 ft	Below flood stage	±0	71 mi
Flathead River near Polson MTRiver gauge, Flathead River	5.48 ft	Below flood stage	±0	27 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Clark Fork near Plains MTRiver gauge, Clark Fork	4.57 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	13 mi
Clark Fork at St. Regis MTRiver gauge, Clark Fork	5.43 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	24 mi
St. Regis River near St. RegisRiver gauge, St. Regis River	1.71 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	26 mi
Mission Creek above reservoir near St. Ignatius MTRiver gauge, Mission Creek	12.4 cfs	Very low	±0	28 mi
Flathead Lake at Polson MTLake, Flathead Lake	2,891.96 ft	High	−0.06 ft	30 mi
Thompson River near Thompson Falls MTRiver gauge, Thompson River	2.73 ft	Below flood stage	±0	34 mi
South Fork Jocko River near Arlee MTRiver gauge, South Fork Jocko River	18.4 cfs	Low	−0.5 cfs	36 mi
Prospect Creek at Thompson Falls MTRiver gauge, Prospect Creek	0.39 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	39 mi

Questions and answers

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 Flathead River at Perma MT today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 04:30 AM PDT, the water level was 8.52 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Flathead River at Perma MT rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Flathead River at Perma MT normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

Where does this data come from?

The values come directly from the U.S. Geological Survey, the official operator of this gauge, and are in the public domain. We do not estimate or model live values.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:12388700 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 47.36679, -114.58500 (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	8.52 ft	2026-10-18 11:30	Provisional
Flow	7,560 cfs	2026-10-18 11:30	Provisional
Water temperature	53 °F	2026-10-18 11:30	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Flathead River at Perma MT (usgs:12388700). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/montana/flathead-river-at-perma-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