Sun River at Simms MT water level

Name: Sun River at Simms 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, Sun River, Montana, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.86ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 17, 2026, 06:30 PM MDT (27 min ago)

Flow: 313 cfs
Water temperature: 51 °F

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Sun River at Simms MT reads 2.86 ft, a normal level.

It is 4.64 ft below the flood stage of 7.50 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.86 ft and 2.90 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns. The water temperature at the gauge is 51 °F.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 13.70 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 7.50 ft, still 4.64 ft away.

What happens at each level

12.00 ft: Major flooding. More than 100,000 acres flood.
10.80 ft: At 10.8 Feet - June 20 2018 - Flooding in the city of Sun River similar to 2011. Most streets under water. Photos estimate water 2 to 4 feet deep. Highway 200 Closed from the 89 Junction all the way to the 287 Junction. Roger's Pass had a culvert washout which closed that section.
10.70 ft: June 2018 - 1st and 2nd street flood in Sun River. Gravel washed away roadway, exposing optic cables. In Fort Shaw - North Fort Shaw Road completely destroyed. Culverts under roadway were exposed.
9.10 ft: May 27, 2019 - At 9.1 feet - Streets and homes in Sun River flooded. Not as bad as the 2018 flood. Highway 200 had water over the highway, with flaggers. Water around homes. Fields did flood.
9.00 ft: Much of the valley is flooded. Highway 200 flooded. Many homes as well as agricultural land floods.
8.50 ft: Hwy 200 through town of Sun River, between 1st St and 3rd St, under water. Significant inundation of town between river to W, N, and E of town to beyond W Carroll St/Steell St. Sun River-Cascade Rd inundated for approx 1/3 mile to south of town.
8.00 ft: Water starting to cover Hwy 200 between 1st St and 2nd ST. River well out of banks W, N and E of town and filling old oxbows near town and Hwy 200.
7.50 ft: River out of banks and across highway at Sun River (town). Water over Fairfield Road. River within banks at Simms and Fort Shaw. About two dozen homes in Sun River (town) become isolated.
7.00 ft: Minor overflow between Fort Shaw and Sun River (town) where the river meanders and gets into the old river bed.
6.50 ft: Some overflow between Fort Shaw and Sun Siver (town) where the river meanders and gets into the old river bed.
6.00 ft: River is bankfull.
2.86 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	13.70 ft	June 9, 1964
2	12.48 ft	June 20, 1975
3	10.75 ft	June 20, 2018
4	9.87 ft	June 8, 2011
5	9.15 ft	May 27, 2019
6	8.30 ft	June 4, 1953
7	8.10 ft	May 12, 2018
8	8.08 ft	May 26, 2008
9	8.04 ft	June 2, 1972
10	7.90 ft	May 22, 1981

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:51 AM Sunset 06:36 PM Daylight 10 hr, 44 min First quarter 45%

Map

Other gauges on the Sun River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Sun River below Diversion Dam near Augusta MTRiver gauge, Sun River	214 cfs	High	−3.0 cfs	36 mi
Sun River below Willow Cr near Augusta MTRiver gauge, Sun River	219 cfs	High	±0	21 mi
Sun River near Vaughn MTRiver gauge, Sun River	2.49 ft	Below flood stage	±0	20 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Muddy Creek at Vaughn MTRiver gauge, Muddy Creek	3.35 ft	Below flood stage	±0	19 mi
Missouri River at Cascade MTRiver gauge, Missouri River	3,360 cfs	Normal	+20.0 cfs	19 mi
Dearborn River near Craig MTRiver gauge, Dearborn River	3.45 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	22 mi
Willow Creek ReservoirReservoir	4,128.99 ft	Normal		23 mi
Missouri River near Ulm MTRiver gauge, Missouri River	3.00 ft	Below flood stage	+0.04 ft	26 mi
Pishkun Reservoir and DikesReservoir	4,349.24 ft	Low		29 mi
Smith River near Eden MTRiver gauge, Smith River	121 cfs	Normal	+2.0 cfs	33 mi
Little Prickly Pear Cr at Wolf Cr MTRiver gauge, Little Prickly Pear Cr	50.4 cfs	Normal	±0	35 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Sun River at Simms MT?

The official flood stage is 7.50 ft. The level is currently 4.64 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 Sun River at Simms MT today?

On Oct 17, 2026, 06:30 PM MDT, the water level was 2.86 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Sun River at Simms MT rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Sun River at Simms MT normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Sun River at Simms MT?

The highest level on record is 13.70 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:06085800 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 47.50163, -111.93191 (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	2.86 ft	2026-10-18 00:30	Provisional
Flow	313 cfs	2026-10-18 00:30	Provisional
Water temperature	51 °F	2026-10-18 00:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Sun River at Simms MT (usgs:06085800). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/montana/sun-river-at-simms-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