Sun River near Vaughn MT water level

Name: Sun River near Vaughn 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

2.45ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 11:00 PM MDT (54 min ago)

Flow: 524 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The Sun River near Vaughn MT is at 2.45 ft, in the normal range.

It is 3.55 ft below the flood stage of 6.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 2.45 ft and 2.51 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: 13.66 ftMarch 19, 1969

Floating and fishing near Sun River near Vaughn MT

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

Flood stage here is 6.00 ft, 3.55 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

24.00 ft: Stage at old gage site. Extensive flooding in great falls westside with most of the homes flooded. Country club was flooded before the levee was built.
22.00 ft: Stage at old gage site. Extensive flooding in great falls west side. Great falls country club flooded before the levee was built.
17.00 ft: Current gage site. Stage estimated. Extensive flooding in great falls westside with most of the homes flooded. Country club was flooded before the levee was built.
15.00 ft: Current gage site. Stage estimated. Extensive flooding in great falls west side. Great falls country club flooded before the levee was built.
13.00 ft: Stage at old gage site. Lower lying agricultural areas flood.
9.60 ft: At 9.6 4 Feet - June 21 2018 Flooding around Vaughn.
6.00 ft: Current gage site. Lower lying agricultural areas flood.
2.45 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	13.66 ft	March 19, 1969
2	12.77 ft	March 11, 1989
3	12.42 ft	March 17, 1978
4	11.80 ft	June 19, 1967
5	11.45 ft	June 13, 1997
6	11.41 ft	May 15, 1976
7	10.92 ft	June 13, 1958
8	10.55 ft	May 22, 1991
9	10.48 ft	June 16, 1943
10	10.33 ft	May 22, 1957

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:51 AM Sunset 06:32 PM Daylight 10 hr, 41 min First quarter 56%

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	Normal	+11.0 cfs	55 mi
Sun River below Willow Cr near Augusta MTRiver gauge, Sun River	214 cfs	High	±0	40 mi
Sun River at Simms MTRiver gauge, Sun River	2.83 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	20 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Muddy Creek at Vaughn MTRiver gauge, Muddy Creek	3.27 ft	Below flood stage	−0.05 ft	2.8 mi
Missouri River near Ulm MTRiver gauge, Missouri River	2.98 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	8 mi
Missouri River at Cascade MTRiver gauge, Missouri River	3,390 cfs	Normal	−20.0 cfs	20 mi
Missouri River near Great Falls MTRiver gauge, Missouri River	4,120 cfs	Low	+190 cfs	21 mi
Smith River near Eden MTRiver gauge, Smith River	126 cfs	Normal	+7.0 cfs	24 mi
Belt Creek near Monarch MTRiver gauge, Belt Creek	2.22 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	35 mi
Dearborn River near Craig MTRiver gauge, Dearborn River	3.46 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	35 mi
Missouri River below Holter Dam near Wolf Cr MTRiver gauge, Missouri River	2,950 cfs	Very low	−20.0 cfs	44 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Sun River near Vaughn MT?

The official flood stage is 6.00 ft. The level is currently 3.55 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 near Vaughn MT today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 11:00 PM MDT, the water level was 2.45 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Sun River near Vaughn MT rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Sun River near Vaughn 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 near Vaughn MT?

The highest level on record is 13.66 ft on March 19, 1969.

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:06089000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 47.52578, -111.51104 (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	2.45 ft	2026-10-19 05:00	Provisional
Flow	524 cfs	2026-10-19 05:00	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Sun River near Vaughn MT (usgs:06089000). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/montana/sun-river-near-vaughn-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