Jefferson River near Twin Bridges water level

Name: Jefferson River near Twin Bridges 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, Jefferson River, Montana, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.60ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 01:15 AM MDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 1,040 cfs
Water temperature: 49 °F

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The Jefferson River near Twin Bridges is at 3.60 ft, in the normal range.

It is 6.40 ft below the flood stage of 10.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 3.59 ft and 3.67 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The sensor also reports a water temperature of 49 °F.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 12.42 ftJune 9, 1997

Floating and fishing near Jefferson River near Twin Bridges

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

Flood stage here is 10.00 ft, 6.40 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

10.50 ft: February 2019...River stage near 10.5 feet between Twin Bridges and Silver Star. No flooding reported. Cause is an ice jam. The start of the ice jam was north of Silver Star.
9.30 ft: May 30 2018 - Around 9.3 feet, flooding continues downstream around Cardwell. Cardwell post office has water by it. Cardwell School is surrounded by water. Homes along this portion of the Jefferson River surrounded by water and basements flood.
9.10 ft: May 30 2018 - Around 9.1 feet, flooding begins downstream around Cardwell.
3.60 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	12.42 ft	June 9, 1997
2	12.00 ft	June 11, 1996
3	11.25 ft	December 14, 2000
4	10.50 ft	February 11, 2019
5	10.35 ft	January 7, 1999
6	10.31 ft	June 1, 2003
7	10.08 ft	May 31, 1999
8	9.89 ft	June 11, 2011
9	9.70 ft	June 12, 2011
10	9.66 ft	June 27, 1998

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:53 AM Sunset 06:36 PM Daylight 10 hr, 43 min First quarter 66%

Map

Other gauges on the Jefferson River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Jefferson River near Three Forks MTRiver gauge, Jefferson River	3.32 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	40 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Big Hole R below Hamilton Ditch near Twin BridgesRiver gauge, Big Hole R	386 cfs	Normal	−9.0 cfs	4.6 mi
Ruby River near Twin Bridges MTRiver gauge, Ruby River	160 cfs	Low	±0	7 mi
Big Hole River near Glen MTRiver gauge, Big Hole River	470 cfs	Normal	−17.0 cfs	16 mi
Beaverhead River near Twin Bridges MTRiver gauge, Beaverhead River	4.12 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	17 mi
Big Hole River near Melrose MTRiver gauge, Big Hole River	1.83 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	19 mi
Big Hole River at Maiden Rock near Divide MTRiver gauge, Big Hole River	413 cfs	Normal	−13.0 cfs	21 mi
Ruby River below reservoir near AlderRiver gauge, Ruby River	52.2 cfs	Low	±0	28 mi
Blacktail Creek above Grove Gulch, at ButteRiver gauge, Blacktail Creek	4.74 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	28 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Jefferson River near Twin Bridges?

The official flood stage is 10.00 ft. The level is currently 6.40 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 Jefferson River near Twin Bridges today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 01:15 AM MDT, the water level was 3.60 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Jefferson River near Twin Bridges rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Jefferson River near Twin Bridges normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Jefferson River near Twin Bridges?

The highest level on record is 12.42 ft on June 9, 1997.

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.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:06026500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 45.61328, -112.32940 (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	3.60 ft	2026-10-20 07:15	Provisional
Flow	1,040 cfs	2026-10-20 07:15	Provisional
Water temperature	49 °F	2026-10-20 07:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Jefferson River near Twin Bridges (usgs:06026500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/montana/jefferson-river-near-twin-bridges

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