Bighorn River at Basin water level

Name: Bighorn River at Basin 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, Bighorn River, Wyoming, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.18ft Down 0.13 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 06:15 PM MDT (56 min ago)

Flow: 758 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The Bighorn River at Basin is at 3.18 ft, in the normal range.

It is 7.32 ft below the flood stage of 10.50 ft.

It has dropped 0.13 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 3.18 ft and 3.31 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: 10.80 ftJune 11, 2011

Floating and fishing near Bighorn River at Basin

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

Flood stage here is 10.50 ft, 7.32 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

11.00 ft: Extensive major agricultural flooding upstream and downstream of Basin. Low lying areas along county road just east of bridge may be under water. Water begins to totally inundate boat ramp and adjacent house near boat ramp in Basin.
10.80 ft: Record stage---(6/11/2011)
10.50 ft: Flood stage. Widespread major agricultural flooding upstream and downstream of Basin. Water begins to encroach boat ramp and adjacent house near boat ramp in Basin.
10.49 ft: Record flow---19,500 cfs (6/7/1991).
10.00 ft: Moderate to major agricultural flooding intensifies and becomes more widespread upstream and downstream of Basin.
9.50 ft: Bankfull stage. Minor agricultural flooding continues to expand upstream and downstream of Basin.
9.00 ft: Minor agricultural flooding begins upstream and downstream of Basin.
3.18 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	10.80 ft	June 11, 2011
2	10.49 ft	June 7, 1991
3	10.00 ft	June 15, 1997
4	9.73 ft	May 29, 2019
5	9.72 ft	June 17, 2010
6	9.65 ft	October 4, 2016
7	9.64 ft	June 16, 1995
8	9.51 ft	June 12, 2015
9	9.48 ft	December 15, 2011
10	9.46 ft	June 13, 2017

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:33 AM Sunset 06:23 PM Daylight 10 hr, 50 min First quarter 54%

Map

Other gauges on the Bighorn River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Bighorn River at KaneRiver gauge, Bighorn River	896 cfs	Very low	+10.0 cfs	27 mi
Bighorn River at bridge, at St. XavierRiver gauge, Bighorn River	1,710 cfs	Very low	−10.0 cfs	76 mi
Bighorn River at Two Leggins Bridge, near HardinRiver gauge, Bighorn River	1,790 cfs	Very low	−10.0 cfs	89 mi
Bighorn River above Tullock Cr near Bighorn MTRiver gauge, Bighorn River	1,820 cfs	Low	−30.0 cfs	123 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Shoshone River near LovellRiver gauge, Shoshone River	5.08 ft	Below flood stage	−0.04 ft	37 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Bighorn River at Basin?

The official flood stage is 10.50 ft. The level is currently 7.32 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 Bighorn River at Basin today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 06:15 PM MDT, the water level was 3.18 ft. Down 0.13 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Bighorn River at Basin rising or falling?

Down 0.13 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Bighorn River at Basin normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Bighorn River at Basin?

The highest level on record is 10.80 ft on June 11, 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:06274300 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 44.38325, -108.03627 (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	3.18 ft	2026-10-19 00:15	Provisional
Flow	758 cfs	2026-10-19 00:15	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Bighorn River at Basin (usgs:06274300). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/wyoming/bighorn-river-at-basin

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