Belle Fourche River below Moorcroft water level

Name: Belle Fourche River below Moorcroft 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, Belle Fourche River, Wyoming, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

1.11ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 10:15 AM MDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 2.7 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Belle Fourche River below Moorcroft reads 1.11 ft, a normal level.

It is 11.89 ft below the flood stage of 13.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.08 ft and 1.13 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: 14.60 ftMay 19, 1978

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 13.00 ft, still 11.89 ft away.

What happens at each level

15.00 ft: Major flood stage. Water will overflow the bridge on County Road 186. Widespread agricultural flooding and flooding of rural roads.
14.00 ft: Moderate flood stage. Flooding of agricultural land and some rural roads.
13.00 ft: Flood stage. Low-lying pasture land along the river begins to flood.
12.00 ft: Action stage. Water begins to overflow the banks.
1.11 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	14.60 ft	May 19, 1978
2	14.33 ft	May 27, 1962
3	14.00 ft	June 23, 1964
4	13.65 ft	March 3, 1994
5	13.32 ft	March 13, 1996
6	13.28 ft	March 7, 2012
7	12.98 ft	May 10, 1995
8	12.90 ft	March 2, 2020
9	12.75 ft	May 7, 2007
10	12.60 ft	April 7, 1924

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:19 AM Sunset 06:12 PM Daylight 10 hr, 53 min First quarter 51%

Map

Other gauges on the Belle Fourche River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Belle Fourche River at Wy-Sd State LineRiver gauge, Belle Fourche River	3.45 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	53 mi
Belle Fourche River near FruitdaleRiver gauge, Belle Fourche River	1.58 ft	Below flood stage	±0	65 mi
Belle Fourche River near SturgisRiver gauge, Belle Fourche River	2.47 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	90 mi
Belle Fourche River near Elm SpringsRiver gauge, Belle Fourche River	3.72 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	117 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Keyhole ReservoirReservoir	4,083.76 ft	Low		9 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Belle Fourche River below Moorcroft?

The official flood stage is 13.00 ft. The level is currently 11.89 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 Belle Fourche River below Moorcroft today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 10:15 AM MDT, the water level was 1.11 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Belle Fourche River below Moorcroft rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Belle Fourche River below Moorcroft normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Belle Fourche River below Moorcroft?

The highest level on record is 14.60 ft on May 19, 1978.

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:06426500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 44.32188, -104.94061 (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	1.11 ft	2026-10-18 16:15	Provisional
Flow	2.7 cfs	2026-10-18 16:15	Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.

<iframe src="https://nivelmap.com/embed/8226?lang=en" width="360" height="230" style="border:0;max-width:100%" loading="lazy" title="Belle Fourche River below Moorcroft water level"></iframe>

How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Belle Fourche River below Moorcroft (usgs:06426500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/wyoming/belle-fourche-river-below-moorcroft

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