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Hungry Horse Reservoir water level

Reservoir, Montana, United States

Directions

Right now

Normal for mid-October

Surface elevation

3,541.58ft Down 1.13 ft over the last 7 days

Water stored
3,046,770 acre‑ft
3,530 3,540 3,550

History

History
3,5303,5403,550ftOct 13Oct 14Oct 15Oct 16Oct 183,5303,5403,550ftOct 13Oct 15Oct 18
3,5303,5403,550ftSep 20Sep 27Oct 4Oct 11Oct 183,5303,5403,550ftSep 20Oct 4Oct 18
3,5003,550ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 20263,5003,550ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
3,5003,550ftOct 2016Apr 2019Oct 2021Apr 2024Oct 20263,5003,550ftNov 2016Oct 2021Oct 2026
3,5003,550ftJanMarMayJulSepNov20263,5003,550ftJanAprJulOct2026

202120222023202420252026

Surface elevation Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

The lake level at Hungry Horse Reservoir reads 3,541.58 ft, about where it usually sits at this time of year.

The median for mid-October is 3,539.11 ft, based on 36 years of readings, so the lake level is 2.47 ft above typical. On the same day last year the reading was 3,543.21 ft, a difference of −1.63 ft.

It is still going down, by 1.13 ft over the past week. The 30-day range is 3,541.58 ft – 3,546.63 ft.

Many reservoirs are drawn down through summer and fall; most of the refill comes later, with winter rain or spring snowmelt.

Compared with 36 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
3,539.11 ft2.47 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
3,524.73 ft – 3,548.82 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (36 years of records)
Same day last year
3,543.21 ft−1.63 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
3,541.58 ft – 3,546.63 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
3,538.54 ft – 3,559.81 ft

Boating and fishing at Hungry Horse Reservoir

A lake in its usual range is what most ramps, docks and swimming areas are built for.

Conditions at the shore change with the level, so check with the agency that runs the lake before a trip.

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 61° 31° – Wind 6 mph
20 Tue 66° 44° – Wind 7 mph
21 Wed 63° 41° – Wind 8 mph
22 Thu 68° 45° – Wind 4 mph
23 Fri 54° 43° 0.20 in, 80% Wind 5 mph
24 Sat 49° 37° – Wind 5 mph
25 Sun 53° 34° – Wind 6 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 08:02 AM Sunset 06:41 PM Daylight 10 hr, 39 min First quarter 63%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
S F Flathead River near Columbia Falls MTRiver gauge, S F Flathead River 2,410 cfs Normal +60.0 cfs 1.5 mi
Flathead River at Columbia Falls MTRiver gauge, Flathead River 3.83 ft Below flood stage +0.03 ft 8 mi
M F Flathead River near West Glacier MTRiver gauge, M F Flathead River 1.78 ft Below flood stage −0.01 ft 11 mi
N F Flathead River near Columbia Falls MTRiver gauge, N F Flathead River 1.78 ft Below flood stage −0.01 ft 12 mi
Whitefish River near Kalispell MTRiver gauge, Whitefish River 1.45 ft Below flood stage −0.01 ft 12 mi
Stillwater River at Lawrence Park, at KalispellRiver gauge, Stillwater River 2.78 ft Below flood stage ±0 16 mi
Swan River near BigforkRiver gauge, Swan River 2.21 ft Below flood stage −0.01 ft 22 mi
S F Flathead R above Twin C near Hungry Horse MTRiver gauge, S F Flathead R 421 cfs Normal ±0 33 mi

Questions and answers

Is Hungry Horse Reservoir higher than last year?

No, it is 1.63 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3,543.21 ft.

What is a normal level for Hungry Horse Reservoir in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3,539.11 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 3,524.73 ft and 3,548.82 ft, based on 36 years of records.

Is Hungry Horse Reservoir really 3,541.58 ft deep?

No. 3,541.58 ft is the height of the water surface above sea level (or the agency's vertical datum), not the depth of the water.

What is the water level of Hungry Horse Reservoir today?

On Oct 18, 2026, the surface elevation was 3,541.58 ft. Down 1.13 ft over the last 7 days.

Is Hungry Horse Reservoir rising or falling?

Down 1.13 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Hungry Horse Reservoir normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 36 years of daily readings for this time of year.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation publishes a new reading once a day. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
Station code
usbr:7181 (Agency page)
Coordinates
48.34108, -114.01353 (WGS84)
Update interval
once a day
Licence
Public domain. Data: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (RISE), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Surface elevation 3,541.58 ft 2026-10-18 06:00 Provisional
Water stored 3,046,770 acre‑ft 2026-10-18 06:00 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation: Hungry Horse Reservoir (usbr:7181). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/montana/hungry-horse-reservoir

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.