Missouri River Flow Today
As of October 18, 2026 at 2:45 AM, the Missouri River is flowing at 79,400 cfs at Jefferson City, MO — 149% of normal for the date and down 6% in 24 hours. 25 of 25 USGS gauges reported in the last 3 days; flows range from 2,970 to 79,400 cfs. ❤ Favorite
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Every gauge, dam and paddle run on the river, one tap each:
- Gauges now — which reaches are high or low
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Missouri River conditions today
Where the river is running versus normal, what’s rising or dropping, and what it means for a trip — built from the live USGS readings below.
At Jefferson City, the Missouri River is running 79,400 cfs — 149% of normal, down 6% since yesterday. Along the river, 9 of 25 reporting gauges are above normal (the typical gauge is at 96% of normal).
Highest against normal: Jefferson City at 149%. Lowest: Sioux City at 79%.
Paddlers: 0 of 5 runs on the Missouri River with a live range are in range, 5 too low.
How the Missouri River compares to normal
Every reporting gauge from the top of the river to the bottom: bar length is today’s flow, colour is percent of normal for the date.
Flow along the river, upstream to downstream
- Toston Mount3,911 ft 3,350 cfs94%
- Helena Mount3,588 ft 2,970 cfs89%
- Wolf Creek Mount3,465 ft 2,970 cfs89%
- Cascade Mount3,345 ft 3,340 cfs91%
- Ulm Mount3,316 ft 3,630 cfs92%
- Great Falls Mount3,029 ft 3,900 cfs84%
- Fort Benton Mount2,621 ft 4,500 cfs96%
- Virgelle Mount2,518 ft 4,970 cfs97%
- Landusky Mount2,247 ft 5,530 cfs97%
- Wolf Point Mount1,968 ft 7,490 cfs115%
- Culbertson Mount1,889 ft 7,460 cfs117%
- Bismarck1,623 ft 12,800 cfs83%
- Sioux City1,089 ft 26,500 cfs79%
- Decatur1,030 ft 26,300 cfs82%
- Omaha959 ft 29,400 cfs83%
- Nebraska City914 ft 35,700 cfs85%
- Rulo859 ft 41,200 cfs95%
- St. Joseph810 ft 43,800 cfs96%
- Kansas City728 ft 59,700 cfs126%
- Waverly656 ft 61,500 cfs123%
- Glasgow599 ft 64,800 cfs132%
- Boonville567 ft 64,900 cfs131%
- Jefferson City536 ft 79,400 cfs149%
- Hermann491 ft 75,500 cfs142%
- St. Charles426 ft 79,100 cfs134%
Bar length uses a square-root scale so small headwater flows stay visible next to big downstream ones. Colour: <50% 50–90 90–110 110–150 150%+ of normal.
Where every gauge sits
One dot per Missouri River streamgauge, placed by its own percent of normal. The line is the typical gauge (96%).
Missouri River flow report
| Streamgage | Streamflow | % of normal | 24h | Gage height | To flood stage | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Missouri River At Toston Mount MT
Oct 18, 1:00 AM · USGS 06054500 |
3,350 cfs | 94% | +2% | 4.13 ft | 6.4 ft below | 3,911 ft |
|
Missouri River Below Hauser Lake Near Helena Mount MT
Oct 18, 1:00 AM · USGS 06065500 |
2,970 cfs | 89% | +1% | 3.52 ft | · | 3,588 ft |
|
Missouri River Below Holter Dam Near Wolf Creek Mount MT
Oct 18, 1:45 AM · USGS 06066500 |
2,970 cfs | 89% | 0% | 3.04 ft | · | 3,465 ft |
|
Missouri River At Cascade Mount MT
Oct 18, 1:30 AM · USGS 06074000 |
3,340 cfs | 91% | -1% | 6.70 ft | · | 3,345 ft |
|
Missouri River Near Ulm Mount MT
Oct 18, 1:30 AM · USGS 06078200 |
3,630 cfs | 92% | +2% | 2.98 ft | 10.5 ft below | 3,316 ft |
|
Missouri River Near Great Falls Mount MT
Oct 18, 1:45 AM · USGS 06090300 |
3,900 cfs | 84% | -5% | 2.93 ft | · | 3,029 ft |
|
Missouri River At Fort Benton Mount MT
Oct 18, 1:30 AM · USGS 06090800 |
4,500 cfs | 96% | -5% | 1.98 ft | 11.5 ft below | 2,621 ft |
|
Missouri River At Virgelle Mount MT
Oct 18, 1:00 AM · USGS 06109500 |
4,970 cfs | 97% | -4% | 2.99 ft | 14.0 ft below | 2,518 ft |
|
Missouri River Near Landusky Mount MT
Oct 18, 1:00 AM · USGS 06115200 |
5,530 cfs | 97% | -3% | 13.52 ft | 13.5 ft below | 2,247 ft |
|
Missouri River Near Wolf Point Mount MT
Oct 18, 1:00 AM · USGS 06177000 |
7,490 cfs | 115% | +1% | 10.93 ft | 12.1 ft below | 1,968 ft |
|
Missouri River Near Culbertson Mount MT
Oct 18, 1:00 AM · USGS 06185500 |
7,460 cfs | 117% | -1% | 3.38 ft | 15.6 ft below | 1,889 ft |
|
Missouri River At Bismarck ND
Oct 18, 2:15 AM · USGS 06342500 |
12,800 cfs | 83% | +2% | 3.72 ft | 10.8 ft below | 1,623 ft |
|
Missouri River At Sioux City NE
Oct 18, 3:00 AM · USGS 06486000 |
26,500 cfs | 79% | 0% | 10.46 ft | 19.5 ft below | 1,089 ft |
|
Missouri River At Decatur NE
Oct 18, 3:00 AM · USGS 06601200 |
26,300 cfs | 82% | -3% | 19.02 ft | 16.0 ft below | 1,030 ft |
|
Missouri River At Omaha NE
Oct 18, 3:00 AM · USGS 06610000 |
29,400 cfs | 83% | 0% | 13.70 ft | 13.3 ft below | 959 ft |
|
Missouri River At Nebraska City NE
Oct 18, 3:00 AM · USGS 06807000 |
35,700 cfs | 85% | -4% | 9.28 ft | · | 914 ft |
|
Missouri River At Rulo NE
Oct 18, 2:30 AM · USGS 06813500 |
41,200 cfs | 95% | 0% | 8.73 ft | 8.3 ft below | 859 ft |
|
Missouri River At St. Joseph MO
Oct 18, 2:35 AM · USGS 06818000 |
43,800 cfs | 96% | +4% | 8.10 ft | 8.9 ft below | 810 ft |
|
Missouri River At Kansas City MO
Oct 18, 2:30 AM · USGS 06893000 |
59,700 cfs | 126% | 0% | 13.15 ft | 18.9 ft below | 728 ft |
|
Missouri River At Waverly MO
Oct 18, 2:00 AM · USGS 06895500 |
61,500 cfs | 123% | -5% | 13.87 ft | 6.1 ft below | 656 ft |
|
Missouri River At Glasgow MO
Oct 18, 2:30 AM · USGS 06906500 |
64,800 cfs | 132% | -8% | 14.99 ft | 10.0 ft below | 599 ft |
|
Missouri River At Boonville MO
Oct 18, 2:00 AM · USGS 06909000 |
64,900 cfs | 131% | -8% | 10.92 ft | 10.1 ft below | 567 ft |
|
Missouri River At Jefferson City MO
Oct 18, 2:45 AM · USGS 06910450 |
79,400 cfs | 149% | -6% | 9.82 ft | 13.2 ft below | 536 ft |
|
Missouri River At Hermann MO
Oct 18, 2:30 AM · USGS 06934500 |
75,500 cfs | 142% | -1% | 9.18 ft | · | 491 ft |
|
Missouri River At St. Charles MO
Oct 18, 2:30 AM · USGS 06935965 |
79,100 cfs | 134% | +2% | 13.82 ft | 11.2 ft below | 426 ft |
USGS provisional data. Readings are in each gauge’s local time; gauges silent for more than 3 days are marked “Last reported”. Tap any gauge for its hydrograph, forecast and history.
Paddle runs on the Missouri River
Each run is checked against its runnable range using the gauge it is keyed to (or the nearest gauge on this river).
| Run | Status | Flow now | Runnable range | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hauser Dam, Sec. 29, T12N, R2W To Cochran Gulch, Sec. 18, T12N, R2W Gauge: Helena Mount |
Too low | 2,970 cfs | 3,522–5,565 cfs typical | II–III |
| Missouri River Gauge: Helena Mount |
Too low | 2,970 cfs | 3,522–5,565 cfs typical | III–IV |
| Missouri River Gauge: Helena Mount |
Too low | 2,970 cfs | 3,522–5,565 cfs typical | II–IV |
| Missouri River Gauge: Helena Mount |
Too low | 2,970 cfs | 3,522–5,565 cfs typical | II–III |
| Town Of Nelson, Sec. 12, T12N, R2W To Missouri River, Sec. 19, T12N, R2W Gauge: Helena Mount |
Too low | 2,970 cfs | 3,522–5,565 cfs typical | II–III |
| Marias River Gauge: Fort Benton Mount |
No live range | 4,500 cfs | 48–157 cfs typical | II–III |
| Northern Boundary Of Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site To Southern Boundary Of Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site | No live range | · | 144–2,920 cfs typical | II–III |
Dams & reservoirs on the Missouri River
Releases from these dams shape the flow downstream. Tap one for its daily level and history.
Missouri River streamflow over time
Daily total flow across every monitored gauge on the river.
Maximum streamflow by year
Missouri River
The Missouri River is the longest river in North America, stretching over 2,341 miles from Montana to Missouri. It has been an integral part of American history, serving as a major transportation route for fur traders, pioneers, and explorers. The river's hydrology has been significantly altered by the construction of various reservoirs and dams, including the Garrison Dam, Oahe Dam, and Fort Peck Dam. These dams have helped with flood control, irrigation, and hydroelectric power generation. The Missouri River also holds significant recreational and agricultural value, with many communities relying on it for fishing, boating, and irrigation. The river and its tributaries provide habitat for a variety of fish species, including catfish, bass, and walleye. The Missouri River remains an important part of American history and continues to play a vital role in the lives of many communities today.
About the Missouri River
How is the Missouri River flowing right now?
As of October 18, 2026, the Missouri River is flowing at 79,400 cfs at Jefferson City, MO, about 149% of normal for the date. Across its 25 USGS gauges, current flows range from 2,970 to 79,400 cfs. Every gauge’s live reading is in the table above.
Is the Missouri River running high or low?
The typical gauge on the Missouri River is at 96% of normal for the date. Above 100% means higher than the historical average for this calendar day; below 100% means lower. The profile above shows which reaches are high or low.
What is flood stage on the Missouri River?
The National Weather Service sets flood stages for Toston Mount (10.5 ft), Ulm Mount (13.5 ft), Fort Benton Mount (13.5 ft), Virgelle Mount (17.0 ft), Landusky Mount (27.0 ft), Wolf Point Mount (23.0 ft), Culbertson Mount (19.0 ft), Bismarck (14.5 ft), Sioux City (30.0 ft), Decatur (35.0 ft), Omaha (27.0 ft), Rulo (17.0 ft), St. Joseph (17.0 ft), Kansas City (32.0 ft), Waverly (20.0 ft), Glasgow (25.0 ft), Boonville (21.0 ft), Jefferson City (23.0 ft), St. Charles (25.0 ft). The table shows how far each gauge is below its flood stage right now.
Is the Missouri River runnable for paddling today?
Each run in the paddle table is checked against its runnable range using its gauge's live flow.
Where does the data come from?
Discharge and gage height are from the USGS National Water Information System; flood stages from the National Weather Service. The history chart sums every monitored gauge on the river.
Can I get alerts for a gauge?
Yes — open any gauge from the table, favorite it in the Snoflo app and set a flow threshold.