Missouri River at Virgelle MT water level

Name: Missouri River at Virgelle 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, Missouri River, Montana, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.01ft Up 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 10:00 PM MDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 5,020 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The Missouri River at Virgelle MT is at 3.01 ft, in the normal range.

It is 13.99 ft below the flood stage of 17.00 ft.

It has risen 0.07 ft over the past 24 hours. There is still 13.99 ft of room before flood stage. In the last month it has stayed between −0.05 ft and 3.14 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: 25.40 ftJune 1, 1908

Floating and fishing near Missouri River at Virgelle MT

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

Flood stage here is 17.00 ft, 13.99 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

20.00 ft: FERRY OPERATOR'S HOME FLOODS. EXTENSIVE AREAS OF AGRICULTURAL LAND UNDER WATER.
17.00 ft: LAND AT VIRGELLE FERRY CROSSING FLOODS.
3.01 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	25.40 ft	June 1, 1908
2	21.30 ft	June 10, 1964
3	20.68 ft	March 23, 1969
4	18.40 ft	February 25, 1986
5	17.12 ft	January 23, 1994
6	17.10 ft	March 21, 1978
7	16.62 ft	June 22, 1975
8	16.22 ft	January 20, 1967
9	14.69 ft	December 22, 1978
10	14.13 ft	December 28, 1967

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

17 Sat 76° 45° – Wind 27 mph

18 Sun 61° 45° – Wind 21 mph

19 Mon 66° 41° – Wind 19 mph

20 Tue 59° 47° – Wind 12 mph

21 Wed 67° 44° – Wind 16 mph

22 Thu 73° 52° – Wind 11 mph

23 Fri 57° 43° 0.54 in, 36% Wind 21 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:48 AM Sunset 06:25 PM Daylight 10 hr, 36 min First quarter 65%

Map

Other gauges on the Missouri River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Missouri River at Toston MTRiver gauge, Missouri River	4.05 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	139 mi
Missouri River below Hauser Dam near Helena MTRiver gauge, Missouri River	3,040 cfs	Low	+120 cfs	115 mi
Missouri River below Holter Dam near Wolf Cr MTRiver gauge, Missouri River	2,980 cfs	Very low	+30.0 cfs	107 mi
Missouri River at Cascade MTRiver gauge, Missouri River	3,410 cfs	Normal	+20.0 cfs	84 mi
Missouri River near Ulm MTRiver gauge, Missouri River	2.99 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	66 mi
Missouri River near Great Falls MTRiver gauge, Missouri River	4,190 cfs	Low	+70.0 cfs	47 mi
Missouri River at Fort Benton MTRiver gauge, Missouri River	2.01 ft	Below flood stage	±0	23 mi
Missouri River near Landusky MTRiver gauge, Missouri River	13.35 ft	Below flood stage	−0.10 ft	77 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Marias River near Loma MTRiver gauge, Marias River	497 cfs	Normal	+13.0 cfs	15 mi
Boxelder Creek at Box ElderRiver gauge, Boxelder Creek	5.8 cfs	High	+0.3 cfs	24 mi
Boxelder Creek near Rocky BoyRiver gauge, Boxelder Creek	8.0 cfs	Normal	±0	28 mi
Big Sandy Cr above Spring Coulee, near LaredoRiver gauge, Big Sandy Cr	18.5 cfs	High	−1.6 cfs	35 mi
Judith River near mouth, near Winifred MTRiver gauge, Judith River	352 cfs	Normal	−8.0 cfs	37 mi
Big Sandy Creek near Havre MTRiver gauge, Big Sandy Creek	2.35 ft	Below flood stage	±0	41 mi
Marias River near Chester MTRiver gauge, Marias River	515 cfs	Normal	±0	43 mi
Lake Elwell and TiberLake	2,987.25 ft	High		44 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Missouri River at Virgelle MT?

The official flood stage is 17.00 ft. The level is currently 13.99 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 Missouri River at Virgelle MT today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 10:00 PM MDT, the water level was 3.01 ft. Up 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Missouri River at Virgelle MT rising or falling?

Up 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Missouri River at Virgelle MT normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Missouri River at Virgelle MT?

The highest level on record is 25.40 ft on June 1, 1908.

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:06109500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 48.00378, -110.25882 (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	3.01 ft	2026-10-20 04:00	Provisional
Flow	5,020 cfs	2026-10-20 04:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Missouri River at Virgelle MT (usgs:06109500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/montana/missouri-river-at-virgelle-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