Bitterroot River near Missoula MT

Missoula County, Montana · USGS gauge 12352500 · NWS BITM8 · Bitterroot River flood status · Montana river levels

Nearby: river levels near Missoula

Is Bitterroot River near Missoula MT flooding right now?

Bitterroot River near Missoula MT measured 3.72 ft on 2026-09-11 01:00:00 UTC. That observation was 7.3 ft below its 11 ft flood stage. This is the latest available reading, not a guarantee of current conditions.

Gauge height
3.72 ft
as of 64 min ago
Streamflow
1,240 cfs
data refreshed 2 min ago

Minor flooding here begins at 11 ft, with major flooding at 15 ft. The highest crest on record was 14.55 ft on Tue, Jun 20, 1899.

Flood forecast

NWS forecast, issued 11 hours ago. Forecasts are issued for select river points and update through the day.

Flood stages at this gauge

CategoryStageCurrent distance
Action10 ft6.3 ft below
Minor flood11 ft7.3 ft below
Moderate flood13 ft9.3 ft below
Major flood15 ft11.3 ft below

New to these numbers? What does flood stage mean? · How to read a river gauge · Why is the river rising?

Highest crests on record

StageDate
14.55 ft1899-06-20
13.4 ft1974-06-18
13.11 ft1997-05-19
12.65 ft2003-06-01
12.23 ft2018-05-11

Nearby gauges

GaugeDistanceCounty
Clark Fork below Missoula MT4.3 miMissoula County
Clark Fork above Missoula MT6.6 miMissoula County
Clark Fork at Turah Bridge near Bonner MT11.4 miMissoula County
Bitterroot River near Florence MT13.7 miRavalli County
Blackfoot River near Bonner MT14.8 miMissoula County
Provisional data: Real-time readings are provisional and subject to revision by the USGS — sensors can be affected by ice, debris, or equipment malfunction. Do not rely on this site for decisions involving personal safety; follow official guidance from the National Weather Service and local authorities.

Sources: USGS monitoring location · NWS gauge & forecast