Musselshell River at Harlowton MT water level

Name: Musselshell River at Harlowton 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, Musselshell River, Montana, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.06ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 09:00 AM MDT (51 min ago)

Flow: 61.5 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Musselshell River at Harlowton MT reads 3.06 ft, a normal level.

It is 3.94 ft below the flood stage of 7.00 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 3.06 ft and 3.10 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: 10.25 ftMay 25, 2011

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 7.00 ft, still 3.94 ft away.

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	10.25 ft	May 25, 2011
2	9.84 ft	March 7, 2014
3	9.14 ft	June 20, 1979
4	8.25 ft	June 12, 1997
5	7.55 ft	May 11, 2018
6	7.52 ft	June 15, 1967
7	7.26 ft	June 6, 1991
8	7.19 ft	May 24, 1981
9	6.90 ft	June 5, 2023
10	6.76 ft	January 27, 2015

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:43 AM Sunset 06:27 PM Daylight 10 hr, 44 min First quarter 60%

Map

Other gauges on the Musselshell River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Musselshell River near MartinsdaleRiver gauge, Musselshell River	27.0 cfs	Low	−21.9 cfs	20 mi
Musselshell River above Mud Cr near Shawmut MTRiver gauge, Musselshell River	2.44 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	20 mi
Musselshell River above Big Coulee Creek at Lavina MTRiver gauge, Musselshell River	1.30 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	44 mi
Musselshell River near Roundup MTRiver gauge, Musselshell River	1.30 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	61 mi
Musselshell River at Musselshell MTRiver gauge, Musselshell River	2.03 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	83 mi
Musselshell River at Mosby MTRiver gauge, Musselshell River	2.49 ft	Below flood stage	−0.09 ft	100 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Shields River below SF Shields River near WilsallRiver gauge, Shields River	5.90 ft	No reference yet	±0	36 mi
Judith River above Carr Creek near Utica MTRiver gauge, Judith River	6.9 cfs	Very low	−0.4 cfs	38 mi
Boulder River at Big Timber MTRiver gauge, Boulder River	1.17 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	41 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Musselshell River at Harlowton MT?

The official flood stage is 7.00 ft. The level is currently 3.94 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 Musselshell River at Harlowton MT today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 09:00 AM MDT, the water level was 3.06 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Musselshell River at Harlowton MT rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Musselshell River at Harlowton MT normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Musselshell River at Harlowton MT?

The highest level on record is 10.25 ft on May 25, 2011.

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:06120500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 46.42880, -109.84119 (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	3.06 ft	2026-10-19 15:00	Provisional
Flow	61.5 cfs	2026-10-19 15:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Musselshell River at Harlowton MT (usgs:06120500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/montana/musselshell-river-at-harlowton-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