Shields River near Livingston MT water level

Name: Shields River near Livingston 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, Shields River, Montana, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.01ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 06:15 PM MDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 116 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The Shields River near Livingston MT is at 1.01 ft, in the normal range.

It is 4.49 ft below the flood stage of 5.50 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 1.00 ft and 1.07 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: 6.80 ftJune 20, 1979

Floating and fishing near Shields River near Livingston MT

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

Flood stage here is 5.50 ft, 4.49 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

Highest crests on record

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

Rank	Level	Date
1	6.80 ft	June 20, 1979
2	6.70 ft	June 17, 1992
3	6.36 ft	May 25, 2011
4	6.32 ft	May 11, 2018
5	6.24 ft	February 7, 1996
6	6.14 ft	April 12, 2023
7	6.10 ft	May 23, 1981
8	6.08 ft	June 12, 1997
9	5.80 ft	May 21, 1991
10	5.40 ft	May 15, 1993

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:46 AM Sunset 06:29 PM Daylight 10 hr, 43 min First quarter 64%

Map

Other gauges on the Shields River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Shields River below SF Shields River near WilsallRiver gauge, Shields River	5.89 ft	No reference yet	±0	30 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Yellowstone River near LivingstonRiver gauge, Yellowstone River	−0.10 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	11 mi
East Boulder River below Dry Fork Cr near McleodRiver gauge, East Boulder River	8.8 cfs	Very low	−0.4 cfs	25 mi
Boulder River at Big Timber MTRiver gauge, Boulder River	1.15 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	27 mi
E Gallatin R above Water Reclamation Fa near Bozeman MTRiver gauge, E Gallatin R	104 cfs	Very high	+3.0 cfs	28 mi
Hyalite C at Hyalite R S near Bozeman MTRiver gauge, Hyalite C	27.9 cfs	Low	±0	31 mi
Gallatin River near Gallatin GatewayRiver gauge, Gallatin River	1.38 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	42 mi
Gallatin River above Deer Creek, near Big SkyRiver gauge, Gallatin River	232 cfs	Very low	±0	47 mi
West Rosebud Creek near Roscoe MTRiver gauge, West Rosebud Creek	87.5 cfs	Normal	±0	50 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Shields River near Livingston MT?

The official flood stage is 5.50 ft. The level is currently 4.49 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 Shields River near Livingston MT today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 06:15 PM MDT, the water level was 1.01 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Shields River near Livingston MT rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Shields River near Livingston MT normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Shields River near Livingston MT?

The highest level on record is 6.80 ft on June 20, 1979.

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:06195600 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 45.73836, -110.47947 (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	1.01 ft	2026-10-20 00:15	Provisional
Flow	116 cfs	2026-10-20 00:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Shields River near Livingston MT (usgs:06195600). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/montana/shields-river-near-livingston-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