Bighorn River river
Total streamflow across the Bighorn River was last observed at 5,464 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 10,838 acre-ft of water today; about 31% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 17,505 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 59.39 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 streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Bighorn River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Bighorn River
All 5 USGS gauges Snoflo tracks for this river, with current flow, stage, recent change, percent of normal, and the gauge's all-time min / max. Click any header to sort. Cells are heatmapped relative to the column min/max -- darker blue = higher.
| Streamgauge▾ | Streamflow (cfs)▾ | Gauge stage (ft)▾ | 24h Δ (%)▾ | % Normal▾ | Min (cfs)▾ | Max (cfs)▾ | Elevation (ft)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bighorn R At Worland Wyo
WY
USGS 06268600
|
4,350 | 8.22 | · | · | · | · | 4,051 |
|
Bighorn River At Basin
WY
USGS 06274300
|
1,010 | 3.35 | 10.5 | 33% | 357 | 13,300 | 3,831 |
|
Bighorn River At Kane
WY
USGS 06279500
|
1,170 | 2.24 | 10.4 | 31% | 106 | 16,200 | 3,642 |
|
Bighorn River Near St. Xavier
MT
USGS 06287000
|
1,550 | 59.39 | 2.0 | 45% | 1,470 | 16,200 | 3,152 |
|
Bighorn River Ab Tullock Cr Nr Bighorn Mt
MT
USGS 06294500
|
1,940 | 1.31 | -1.5 | 43% | 1,250 | 29,200 | 2,723 |
Maximum streamflow discharge by year
The single highest aggregate discharge recorded each year. Spotting the multi-year trend reveals droughts vs. wet cycles long before the headline daily flow does.
Annual peak discharge
From the river's full record · one point per water year
Streamflow elevation profile
Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by current streamflow (x-axis) vs elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-to-bottom traces the river from headwaters down to its mouth -- you can see flow accumulate as elevation drops.
Elevation vs streamflow
One point per monitored gauge · bubble size = gauge stage
Bighorn River
The Bighorn River is a 461-mile long river that flows through Montana and Wyoming. The river has a rich history dating back to the early Native American tribes who used the river for food and transportation. In the early 1800s, fur trappers and explorers traveled up the river, followed by farmers and ranchers who settled in the region. Today, the Bighorn River is important for irrigation, agriculture, and recreation. The river is fed by several reservoirs, including the Yellowtail Dam, which was constructed in the 1960s to provide flood control and hydroelectric power. The Bighorn River is a popular destination for fly fishing, with rainbow and brown trout being the most sought-after species. The river is also popular for rafting and kayaking, with several companies offering guided tours.
Recreation along the Bighorn River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Track the Bighorn River in the Snoflo app
Set per-gauge push alerts (e.g. "alert me when flow at the Russian R Nr Healdsburg crosses 5,000 cfs"), and Snoflo's iOS app pushes the moment USGS reports the crossing.
About the Bighorn River
Where does the data for the Bighorn River come from?
Streamflow and gauge stage data are sourced from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information System. The aggregate flow shown at the top of the page is computed by Snoflo as the sum of all monitored gauges along the river.
How is "percent of normal" calculated?
Today's aggregate streamflow is compared to the historical average aggregate streamflow on this calendar day across the river's full record. 100% means right on average; values above 100% indicate above-normal flow (wet year); values below indicate below-normal (dry year or drought).
Why are some gauges showing very different flows?
Gauges along a river measure flow at different points: headwater gauges read what's coming off the snowpack or mountain runoff; downstream gauges integrate everything upstream, including tributary inputs. Wide spreads usually mean a tributary is contributing significantly between gauges.
What's the elevation profile chart showing?
Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by streamflow (x-axis) and elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-down traces the river from headwaters to mouth -- you can see flow build as elevation drops.
Can I get alerts when a specific gauge crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app on a per-gauge basis. Open any individual streamgauge from the table above and favorite it to set a discharge threshold.