Yellowstone River river
Total streamflow across the Yellowstone River was last observed at 100,970 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 200,272 acre-ft of water today; about 49% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 207,126 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2011-05-25 when daily discharge volume was observed at 448,060 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Yellowstone River At Glendive Mt reporting a streamflow rate of 18,200 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Yellowstone River, with a gauge stage of 45.47 ft at this location. This river is monitored from 9 different streamgauging stations along the Yellowstone River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 7,731 ft, the Yellowstone River At Yellowstone Lk Outlet Ynp.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Yellowstone River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Yellowstone River
All 9 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)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Yellowstone River At Yellowstone Lk Outlet Ynp
WY
USGS 06186500
|
3,320 | 5.30 | -0.9 | 83% | 331 | 9,410 | 7,731 |
|
Yellowstone River Near Altonah
UT
USGS 09292500
|
146 | 1.33 | -5.0 | 46% | 23 | 2,100 | 7,452 |
|
Yellowstone River At Corwin Springs Mt
MT
USGS 06191500
|
6,230 | 4.50 | -5.5 | 57% | 496 | 34,000 | 5,094 |
|
Yellowstone River Near Livingston Mt
MT
USGS 06192500
|
7,230 | 4.09 | -5.5 | 58% | 600 | 37,500 | 4,554 |
|
Yellowstone River At Billings Mt
MT
USGS 06214500
|
12,800 | 5.82 | -11.0 | 44% | 800 | 82,300 | 3,090 |
|
Yellowstone River At Forsyth Mt
MT
USGS 06295000
|
15,000 | 3.91 | -6.3 | 49% | 3,160 | 78,100 | 2,524 |
|
Yellowstone River At Miles City Mt
MT
USGS 06309000
|
15,800 | 5.48 | -2.8 | 49% | 2,880 | 84,900 | 2,336 |
|
Yellowstone River At Glendive Mt
MT
USGS 06327500
|
18,200 | 45.47 | -9.1 | 53% | 1,400 | 120,000 | 2,045 |
|
Yellowstone River Near Sidney Mt
MT
USGS 06329500
|
16,900 | 6.37 | -10.1 | 50% | 1,610 | 124,000 | 1,889 |
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
Yellowstone River
The Yellowstone River is a major tributary of the Missouri River, spanning 692 miles from its source in Wyoming to its mouth in North Dakota. The river played a significant role in the history of the American West, including the Lewis and Clark expedition. It also served as a major transportation route for fur traders and settlers. The river is fed by snowmelt and precipitation, with the highest flows occurring in the spring and early summer. The river has several reservoirs, including the Buffalo Bill, Yellowtail, and Fort Peck dams. These provide hydroelectric power, irrigation, and flood control. Recreational activities, such as fishing, boating, and camping, are popular along the river. The river also supports agricultural activities, including cattle grazing and crop irrigation.
Recreation along the Yellowstone River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Fishing
Paddle runs
- Begins Downstream Of Osprey Falls To Confluence With Yellowstone River, At The Northern Park Boundary
- Gardiner Town Run
- Begins 1/4 Mile Downstream From Northeast Entrance Road Bridge In The Area Of Tower Falls/ Roosevelt To Northern Park Boundary
- Begins 1/4 Mile Upstream From Northeast Entrance Road Bridge In The Area Of Tower Falls/ Roosevelt To Ends 1/4 Mile Downstream From Northeast Entrance Road Bridge In The Area Of Tower Falls/ Roosevelt
- Begins Above Slough Creek Campground, Located On A Secondary Spur Road To The Park's Main Road To The Confluence With Lamar River
- The Headwaters, In The Gallatin Range To Ends Downstream Of Osprey Falls
Track the Yellowstone 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 Yellowstone River
Where does the data for the Yellowstone 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.