Milk River near Dodson MT water level

Name: Milk River near Dodson 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, Milk River, Montana, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

4.23ft Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 11:15 PM MDT (48 min ago)

Flow: 100 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The Milk River near Dodson MT is at 4.23 ft, in the normal range.

It is 18.77 ft below the flood stage of 23.00 ft.

It has dropped 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 4.13 ft and 4.28 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: 29.79 ftSeptember 26, 1986

Floating and fishing near Milk River near Dodson MT

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

Flood stage here is 23.00 ft, 18.77 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

23.20 ft: Lowland flooding begins.
4.23 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	29.79 ft	September 26, 1986
2	28.14 ft	April 23, 2018
3	26.25 ft	May 23, 2011
4	25.95 ft	June 5, 2013
5	25.76 ft	June 9, 2011
6	24.51 ft	March 14, 1996
7	22.96 ft	August 26, 2014
8	22.93 ft	March 19, 2011
9	22.71 ft	March 17, 1994
10	22.71 ft	March 11, 2004

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:40 AM Sunset 06:18 PM Daylight 10 hr, 38 min First quarter 56%

Map

Other gauges on the Milk River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Milk River at Eastern Crossing of Int BndryRiver gauge, Milk River	2.28 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	105 mi
Milk River at Havre MTRiver gauge, Milk River	0.29 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	65 mi
Milk River at Merrill Rd, near HarlemRiver gauge, Milk River	6.85 ft	No reference yet	−0.03 ft	27 mi
Milk River near Harlem MTRiver gauge, Milk River	2.14 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	22 mi
Milk River at Malta MTRiver gauge, Milk River	1.81 ft	Below flood stage	+0.05 ft	19 mi
Milk River at Juneberg Bridge near Saco MTRiver gauge, Milk River	3.03 ft	Below flood stage	±0	50 mi
Milk River at Tampico MTRiver gauge, Milk River	2.62 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	68 mi
Milk River at Nashua MTRiver gauge, Milk River	1.94 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	91 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Peoples Creek near Hays MTRiver gauge, Peoples Creek	0.0 cfs	Low	±0	23 mi
Peoples Creek near ClevelandRiver gauge, Peoples Creek	3.77 ft	No reference yet	−0.01 ft	28 mi
Lodge Pole Creek at Lodge PoleRiver gauge, Lodge Pole Creek	1.76 ft	No reference yet	±0	28 mi
Beaver Cr below Guston Coulee near Saco MTRiver gauge, Beaver Cr	0.89 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	33 mi
Little Peoples Creek near HaysRiver gauge, Little Peoples Creek	1.8 cfs	Normal	±0	35 mi
Nelson Reservoir and Nelson DikesReservoir	2,216.05 ft	Normal		37 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Milk River near Dodson MT?

The official flood stage is 23.00 ft. The level is currently 18.77 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 Milk River near Dodson MT today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 11:15 PM MDT, the water level was 4.23 ft. Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Milk River near Dodson MT rising or falling?

Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Milk River near Dodson MT normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Milk River near Dodson MT?

The highest level on record is 29.79 ft on September 26, 1986.

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:06155030 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 48.40278, -108.29409 (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	4.23 ft	2026-10-19 05:15	Provisional
Flow	100 cfs	2026-10-19 05:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Milk River near Dodson MT (usgs:06155030). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/montana/milk-river-near-dodson-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