Blackfoot River river
Total streamflow across the Blackfoot River was last observed at 4,938 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 9,794 acre-ft of water today; about 61% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 8,057 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2011-06-10 when daily discharge volume was observed at 23,497 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Blackfoot River Near Bonner Mt reporting a streamflow rate of 3,240 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Blackfoot River Nr Shelley Id with a gauge stage of 6.55 ft. This river is monitored from 7 different streamgauging stations along the Blackfoot River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 6,266 ft, the Blackfoot River Ab Reservoir Nr Henry Id.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Blackfoot River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Blackfoot River
All 7 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Blackfoot River Ab Reservoir Nr Henry Id
ID
USGS 13063000
|
80 | 2.10 | 2.6 | 26% | 21 | 1,600 | 6,266 |
|
Blackfoot River Nr Shelley Id
ID
USGS 13066000
|
500 | 6.55 | -2.3 | 87% | 20 | 1,850 | 4,666 |
|
Blackfoot River Below North Canal At Blackfoot Id
ID
USGS 13068300
|
41 | 2.55 | -9.0 | 41% | 0 | 926 | 4,505 |
|
Blackfoot River Bypass Nr Blackfoot Id
ID
USGS 13068495
|
6 | 4.38 | -13.7 | 12% | 0 | 604 | 4,481 |
|
Blackfoot River Nr Blackfoot Id
ID
USGS 13068500
|
5 | 1.94 | -76.0 | 4% | 0 | 606 | 4,424 |
|
Blackfoot R Ab Nevada Cr Nr Helmville Mt
MT
USGS 12335100
|
790 | 5.28 | -6.8 | 73% | 44 | 4,600 | 4,262 |
|
Blackfoot River Near Bonner Mt
MT
USGS 12340000
|
3,240 | 4.37 | -7.4 | 60% | 315 | 18,500 | 3,357 |
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
Blackfoot River
The Blackfoot River, located in western Montana, is a 137-mile long river that has played a significant role in the history of the region. The river was named after the Blackfoot Nation, a group of indigenous people who once inhabited the area. The Blackfoot River is a tributary of the Clark Fork River, which eventually flows into the Columbia River.
The river is fed by snowmelt and has a peak flow in late May and early June. The river's hydrology is influenced by two major dams, the Thompson Falls Dam and the Noxon Rapids Dam, which create reservoirs that provide hydroelectric power to the region.
The Blackfoot River is a popular recreational destination, known for its trout fishing and scenic beauty. The river was made famous by the book and movie "A River Runs Through It". The surrounding land is also used for agriculture, primarily for ranching and hay production. The river and its surrounding area have been protected by federal and state agencies, including the creation of the Blackfoot-Clearwater Wildlife Management Area.
Recreation along the Blackfoot River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Track the Blackfoot 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 Blackfoot River
Where does the data for the Blackfoot 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.