N F Flathead River near Columbia Falls MT

Flathead County, Montana · USGS gauge 12355500 · NWS FCFM8 · Montana river levels

Nearby: river levels near Columbia Falls · river levels near West Glacier

Is N F Flathead River near Columbia Falls MT flooding right now?

N F Flathead River near Columbia Falls MT measured 2.61 ft on 2026-09-11 00:45:00 UTC. That observation was 10.4 ft below its 13 ft flood stage. This is the latest available reading, not a guarantee of current conditions.

Gauge height
2.61 ft
as of 2 hours ago
Streamflow
1,410 cfs
data refreshed 1 min ago

Minor flooding here begins at 13 ft, with major flooding at 19 ft. The highest crest on record was 18.6 ft on Tue, Jun 9, 1964.

Flood forecast

NWS forecast, issued 10 hours ago. Forecasts are issued for select river points and update through the day.

Flood stages at this gauge

CategoryStageCurrent distance
Action12.5 ft9.9 ft below
Minor flood13 ft10.4 ft below
Moderate flood17 ft14.4 ft below
Major flood19 ft16.4 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
18.6 ft1964-06-09
17.03 ft1995-06-07
12.58 ft1974-06-18
12.25 ft1954-05-21
12 ft1972-06-02

Last 7 days

Past 7 days · 2.04–2.83 ft

Nearby gauges

GaugeDistanceCounty
M F Flathead River near West Glacier MT5.3 miFlathead County
Big Creek below Lookout Creek, near Apgar, MT8.3 miFlathead County
Flathead River at Columbia Falls MT9.6 miFlathead County
S F Flathead River near Columbia Falls MT10.4 miFlathead County
Whitefish River near Kalispell MT14.0 miFlathead 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