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M F Flathead River near West Glacier MT water level

River gauge, M F Flathead River, Montana, United States

Directions

Right now

Below flood stage

Water level

1.77ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
533 cfs
0 13 25 38 Highest onrecord 36.46 ft Minor floodstage 10.00 ft

History

History
1.751.80ftOct 16Oct 19Oct 23Oct 26Oct 301.751.80ftOct 16Oct 23Oct 30
Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.72 ft by Thursday, October 29 at 06:00 PM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 10:19 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The M F Flathead River near West Glacier MT is at 1.77 ft, in the normal range.

It is 8.23 ft below the flood stage of 10.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.72 ft by Thursday, October 29 at 06:00 PM. In the last month it has stayed between 1.76 ft and 1.83 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record
36.46 ftJune 9, 1964
Forecast peak
1.77 ftTuesday, October 20 at 12:00 PM

Floating and fishing near M F Flathead River near West Glacier MT

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

Flood stage here is 10.00 ft, 8.23 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

18.00 ft
Flooding affecting low lying areas adjacent to the river will occur. Many roads will be inundated with flood water and become impassable.
14.00 ft
Flooding to low lying areas adjacent to the river will occur. Roads and homes may experience flooding due to backwater.
10.00 ft
Flooding to low lying areas adjacent to the river is possible. Flooding to homes and agricultural lands is also possible.
1.77 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 %.

RankLevelDate
136.46 ftJune 9, 1964
219.42 ftJune 20, 1975
313.01 ftMay 20, 1954
412.40 ftMay 19, 1991
512.40 ftMay 23, 1948
612.07 ftNovember 12, 1989
711.96 ftMay 17, 1997
811.60 ftJune 18, 1974
911.28 ftMay 22, 1956
1011.23 ftMay 19, 2008

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 08:04 AM Sunset 06:39 PM Daylight 10 hr, 35 min Waxing gibbous 71%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
N F Flathead River near Columbia Falls MTRiver gauge, N F Flathead River 1.77 ft Below flood stage −0.01 ft 5.3 mi
S F Flathead River near Columbia Falls MTRiver gauge, S F Flathead River 2,420 cfs Normal −40.0 cfs 10 mi
Hungry Horse ReservoirReservoir 3,541.38 ft Normal 11 mi
Flathead River at Columbia Falls MTRiver gauge, Flathead River 3.80 ft Below flood stage −0.02 ft 12 mi
Whitefish River near Kalispell MTRiver gauge, Whitefish River 1.45 ft Below flood stage ±0 17 mi
Stillwater River at Lawrence Park, at KalispellRiver gauge, Stillwater River 2.77 ft Below flood stage −0.01 ft 24 mi
Swiftcurrent Creek at Many Glacier MTRiver gauge, Swiftcurrent Creek 28.1 cfs Low ±0 26 mi
Lake SherburneLake 4,744.95 ft Normal 32 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the M F Flathead River near West Glacier MT?

The official flood stage is 10.00 ft. The level is currently 8.23 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 M F Flathead River near West Glacier MT today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 12:45 PM MDT, the water level was 1.77 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is M F Flathead River near West Glacier MT rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of M F Flathead River near West Glacier MT normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at M F Flathead River near West Glacier MT?

The highest level on record is 36.46 ft on June 9, 1964.

Is M F Flathead River near West Glacier MT expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 1.72 ft by Thursday, October 29 at 06:00 PM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:12358500 (Agency page)
Coordinates
48.49552, -114.01021 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 1.77 ft 2026-10-20 18:45 Provisional
Flow 533 cfs 2026-10-20 18:45 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: M F Flathead River near West Glacier MT (usgs:12358500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/montana/m-f-flathead-river-near-west-glacier-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.