Bitterroot River river
Total streamflow across the Bitterroot River was last observed at 9,230 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 18,307 acre-ft of water today; about 52% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 17,800 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2018-05-11 when daily discharge volume was observed at 42,770 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Bitterroot River Near Missoula Mt reporting a streamflow rate of 3,960 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Bitterroot River At Bell Crossing Nr Victor Mt with a gauge stage of 7.45 ft. This river is monitored from 3 different streamgauging stations along the Bitterroot River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 3,955 ft, the Bitterroot River Near Darby Mt.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Bitterroot River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Bitterroot River
All 3 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bitterroot River Near Darby Mt
MT
USGS 12344000
|
1,910 | 4.07 | -3.5 | 62% | 125 | 8,470 | 3,955 |
|
Bitterroot River At Bell Crossing Nr Victor Mt
MT
USGS 12350250
|
2,960 | 7.45 | -3.6 | 55% | 147 | 14,700 | 3,328 |
|
Bitterroot River Near Missoula Mt
MT
USGS 12352500
|
3,960 | 5.77 | -5.3 | 55% | 308 | 19,900 | 3,130 |
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
Bitterroot River
The Bitterroot River is a 84-mile-long river in western Montana, USA. It was named by the Salish tribe and was used extensively by the Native Americans for fishing and hunting. The river originates from the Bitterroot Mountains and merges with the Clark Fork River in Missoula. The river is primarily fed by snowmelt, and its hydrology is influenced by irrigation and dam operation. There are several reservoirs and dams along the river, including Painted Rocks Reservoir and Lake Como Dam. The Bitterroot River is popular for recreational activities such as fishing, kayaking, and rafting. Agriculture is a significant user of the river, with irrigation canals diverting water for crop production. The Bitterroot River is a vital resource for the state of Montana, providing irrigation water, hydroelectric power, and recreation opportunities.
Recreation along the Bitterroot River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Fishing
Paddle runs
- West Side Blodgett Campground, Sec. 17, T6n, R21w To Bitterroot Forest Boundary, Sec. 17, T6n, R21w
- S-B Boundary, Sec. 17, T6n, R21w To Westside Of Blodgett Campground, Sec. 17, T6n, R22w
- Blodgett Lake Dam, Sec. 27, T6n, R23w To S-B Wilderness Boundary, Sec. 17, T6n, R21w
- Lick Creek Bridge, Sec. 18, T4n, R21w To Bear Creek Pass, Sec. 5, T4n, R23w And Twin Lakes Dam, Sec. 29, T5n, R23w
Track the Bitterroot 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 Bitterroot River
Where does the data for the Bitterroot 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.