Summary
Total streamflow across the
Bighorn River
was last observed at
2,970
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
5,891
acre-ft of water today; about 37%
of normal.
River levels are low and may signify a drought.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
7,987 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2023-06-26 when daily discharge volume was observed at
66,500 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Bighorn R At Worland Wyo
reporting a streamflow rate of 4,350 cfs.
However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the
Bighorn River Near St. Xavier
with a gauge stage of 61.29 ft.
This river is monitored from 5 different streamgauging stations along the Bighorn River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 4,051 ft, the
Bighorn R At Worland Wyo.
River Details
| Last Updated | 2025-12-04 |
| Discharge Volume | 5,891 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
2,970.0 cfs
+43.0 cfs (+1.47%) |
| Percent of Normal | 37.18% |
| Maximum |
66,500.0 cfs
2023-06-26 |
| Seasonal Avg | 7,987 cfs |
River Streamflow Levels
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bighorn R At Worland Wyo
USGS 06268600 |
4350 cfs | 8.22 ft | ||||||
|
Bighorn River At Basin
USGS 06274300 |
1030 cfs | 3.45 ft | 5.42 | |||||
|
Bighorn River At Kane
USGS 06279500 |
1340 cfs | 2.3 ft | -19.28 | |||||
|
Bighorn River Near St. Xavier
USGS 06287000 |
1940 cfs | 61.29 ft | -0.51 | |||||
|
Bighorn River Ab Tullock Cr Nr Bighorn Mt
USGS 06294500 |
2710 cfs | 1.89 ft | -3.21 |
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile
The Bighorn River is a tributary of the Yellowstone, approximately 461 miles (742 km) long, in the states of Wyoming and Montana in the western United States. The river was named in 1805 by fur trader François Larocque for the bighorn sheep he saw along its banks as he explored the Yellowstone.The upper reaches of the Bighorn, south of the Owl Creek Mountains in Wyoming, are known as the Wind River. The two rivers are sometimes referred to as the Wind/Bighorn. The Wind River officially becomes the Bighorn River at the Wedding of the Waters, on the north side of the Wind River Canyon near the town of Thermopolis. From there, the river flows through the Bighorn Basin in north central Wyoming, passing through Thermopolis and Hot Springs State Park.
At the border with Montana, the river turns northeast, and flows past the north end of the Bighorn Mountains, through the Crow Indian Reservation, where the Yellowtail Dam forms the Bighorn Lake reservoir. The reservoir and the surrounding canyon are part of the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area.
The Little Bighorn River joins the Bighorn near the town of Hardin, Montana. Approximately fifty miles farther downriver, the Bighorn River ends where it joins the Yellowstone.
Porcupine Creek
Trout Creek