Marias River near Shelby MT water level

Name: Marias River near Shelby 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, Marias River, Montana, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.81ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 10:30 PM MDT (35 min ago)

Flow: 262 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Marias River near Shelby MT reads 2.81 ft, a normal level.

It is 6.19 ft below the flood stage of 9.00 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.81 ft and 2.94 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 23.64 ftJune 9, 1964

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 9.00 ft, still 6.19 ft away.

What happens at each level

14.50 ft: Water encroaches onto Interstate 15. Traffic is blocked. Some ranchers and other residents need to prepare for evacuation.
11.50 ft: A fairway on golf course floods. Williamson Park almost completely innundated.
9.00 ft: Water floods east and northeast portions of Williamson Park. Low spots on golf course flood.
2.81 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	23.64 ft	June 9, 1964
2	18.21 ft	June 20, 1975
3	17.75 ft	June 18, 1948
4	16.05 ft	March 12, 1996
5	13.96 ft	January 27, 2011
6	12.77 ft	June 5, 1953
7	12.58 ft	February 25, 1986
8	12.58 ft	February 24, 1998
9	12.30 ft	June 11, 2002
10	12.11 ft	June 10, 2011

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:56 AM Sunset 06:30 PM Daylight 10 hr, 35 min First quarter 65%

Map

Other gauges on the Marias River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Marias River near Chester MTRiver gauge, Marias River	515 cfs	Normal	±0	38 mi
Marias River near Loma MTRiver gauge, Marias River	497 cfs	Normal	+13.0 cfs	69 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Birch Creek at Bullhead Bridge, near ValierRiver gauge, Birch Creek	31.3 cfs	Normal	−0.9 cfs	20 mi
Willow Creek near GalataRiver gauge, Willow Creek	0.0 cfs	Normal	±0	25 mi
Cut Bank Creek at Cut Bank MTRiver gauge, Cut Bank Creek	55.7 cfs	Normal	−1.8 cfs	25 mi
Two Medicine River above Badger Cr, near PieganRiver gauge, Two Medicine River	67.0 cfs	Normal	−1.7 cfs	34 mi
Cut Bank Cr above Gillam Coulee, near SundanceRiver gauge, Cut Bank Cr	38.7 cfs	Normal	+1.3 cfs	37 mi
Lake Elwell and TiberLake	2,987.25 ft	High		37 mi
Birch Cr below Heart Butte Road, near Heart ButteRiver gauge, Birch Cr	23.8 cfs	Normal	±0	39 mi
Milk River at Western Crossing of International BoundaryRiver gauge, Milk River	0.78 m	Very high	−0.02 m	81 km

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Marias River near Shelby MT?

The official flood stage is 9.00 ft. The level is currently 6.19 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 Marias River near Shelby MT today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 10:30 PM MDT, the water level was 2.81 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Marias River near Shelby MT rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Marias River near Shelby MT normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Marias River near Shelby MT?

The highest level on record is 23.64 ft on June 9, 1964.

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:06099500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 48.42720, -111.88984 (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	2.81 ft	2026-10-20 04:30	Provisional
Flow	262 cfs	2026-10-20 04:30	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/12334?lang=en" width="360" height="230" style="border:0;max-width:100%" loading="lazy" title="Marias River near Shelby MT water level"></iframe>

How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Marias River near Shelby MT (usgs:06099500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/montana/marias-river-near-shelby-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