Madison River river
Total streamflow across the Madison River was last observed at 3,179 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 6,305 acre-ft of water today; about 36% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 8,803 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2011-06-25 when daily discharge volume was observed at 26,220 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Madison River Bl Ennis Lake Nr Mcallister Mt reporting a streamflow rate of 1,140 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Madison River Ab Powerplant Nr Mcallister Mt with a gauge stage of 3.82 ft. This river is monitored from 6 different streamgauging stations along the Madison River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 6,634 ft, the Madison River Near West Yellowstone Mt.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Madison River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Madison River
All 6 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Madison River Near West Yellowstone Mt
MT
USGS 06037500
|
430 | 1.82 | -8.5 | 51% | 284 | 2,130 | 6,634 |
|
Madison River Bl Hebgen Lake Nr Grayling Mt
MT
USGS 06038500
|
455 | 1.21 | 0.0 | 53% | 248 | 3,280 | 6,466 |
|
Madison River At Kirby Ranch Nr Cameron Mt
MT
USGS 06038800
|
667 | 1.54 | -1.3 | 45% | 329 | 4,030 | 5,874 |
|
Madison River Near Cameron Mt
MT
USGS 06040000
|
851 | 2.09 | -3.6 | 40% | 637 | 6,220 | 5,149 |
|
Madison River Ab Powerplant Nr Mcallister Mt
MT
USGS 06040800
|
230 | 3.82 | 0.0 | 15% | 76 | 6,580 | 4,713 |
|
Madison River Bl Ennis Lake Nr Mcallister Mt
MT
USGS 06041000
|
1,140 | 3.57 | -0.9 | 44% | 977 | 7,010 | 4,705 |
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
Madison River
The Madison River is a tributary of the Missouri River that runs through the states of Wyoming and Montana. It spans a length of 183 miles and is known for its blue-ribbon trout fishing. The river was named after James Madison, the fourth President of the United States.
The Madison River is fed by several tributaries, including the Firehole River and the Gibbon River, and is a vital source of irrigation for the surrounding agricultural areas. The river is also home to several hydroelectric dams, including Hebgen Dam and Madison Dam, which provide electricity to the region.
Recreationally, the Madison River offers opportunities for fishing, kayaking, and rafting, and is popular among tourists and locals alike. The river has also played a significant role in the history of the region, serving as a hunting ground for Native American tribes and as a source of transportation for early settlers. Today, the Madison River remains an important part of the cultural and economic fabric of the region.
Recreation along the Madison River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Track the Madison 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 Madison River
Where does the data for the Madison 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.