Boulder River river
Total streamflow across the Boulder River was last observed at 3,760 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 7,458 acre-ft of water today; about 110% of normal. Average streamflow for this time of year is 3,408 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2011-07-01 when daily discharge volume was observed at 9,175 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Boulder River At Big Timber Mt reporting a streamflow rate of 3,350 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Boulder River Near Boulder Mt with a gauge stage of 6.63 ft. This river is monitored from 2 different streamgauging stations along the Boulder River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 4,823 ft, the Boulder River Near Boulder Mt.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Boulder River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Boulder River
All 2 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Boulder River Near Boulder Mt
MT
USGS 06033000
|
410 | 6.63 | 31.8 | 78% | 10 | 3,480 | 4,823 |
|
Boulder River At Big Timber Mt
MT
USGS 06200000
|
3,350 | 5.06 | -5.9 | 138% | 45 | 8,490 | 4,069 |
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
Boulder River
The Boulder River is located in southwestern Montana and is approximately 66 miles long. The river has a rich history, with evidence of human use dating back over 10,000 years. In the late 1800s, gold was discovered in the area, which led to increased settlement and development. Hydrologically, the Boulder River is fed by snowmelt and precipitation in the surrounding mountains, providing important water resources for agricultural purposes. The river also features several reservoirs and dams, including the Boulder River Dam, which was built in 1908 and is still in operation today. Recreationally, the Boulder River is popular for fishing, camping, and hiking, with many scenic trails and camping areas located along its banks.
Recreation along the Boulder River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Track the Boulder 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 Boulder River
Where does the data for the Boulder 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.