Marias River river
Total streamflow across the Marias River was last observed at 997 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 1,978 acre-ft of water today; about 41% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 2,430 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2011-06-10 when daily discharge volume was observed at 18,600 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Marias River Near Shelby Mt reporting a streamflow rate of 893 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Marias River, with a gauge stage of 3.88 ft at this location. This river is monitored from 3 different streamgauging stations along the Marias River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 3,099 ft, the Marias River Near Shelby Mt.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Marias River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Marias 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Marias River Near Shelby Mt
MT
USGS 06099500
|
893 | 3.88 | -10.4 | 38% | 80 | 18,600 | 3,099 |
|
Marias River Near Chester Mt
MT
USGS 06101500
|
604 | 3.55 | 0.0 | 100% | 241 | 4,330 | 2,822 |
|
Marias River Near Loma Mt
MT
USGS 06102050
|
558 | 1.33 | 0.0 | 99% | 317 | 11,100 | 2,580 |
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
Marias River
The Marias River is a tributary of the Missouri River, spanning a length of approximately 210 miles in Montana. The river is named after the French explorer, Marias, who first discovered it in 1806. The hydrology of the Marias River includes a snowmelt-dominated flow with high seasonal variability. There are several reservoirs and dams along the river, including Tiber Dam and Lake Elwell, which are primarily used for irrigation and hydroelectric power generation. Recreational activities such as fishing and boating are popular among tourists and locals. Agriculture is also a significant industry along the Marias River, with crops such as wheat, barley, and hay being grown in the area. Despite being a relatively small river, the Marias River has played an essential role in the history and economy of Montana.
Track the Marias 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 Marias River
Where does the data for the Marias 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.