USGS Streamgage 12344000
Bitterroot River near Darby, MT
Bitterroot River near Darby, MT is USGS streamgage 12344000 in Montana, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 17010205. It sits on the Bitterroot River, alongside 2 other gauges Rivermatics tracks on the same river. It drains a watershed of about 1,050 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1937. Typical flow runs near 867.2 cfs in July and 866.1 cfs in April, with the higher of the two arriving in July. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned flow outlook for this gauge, reaching 14 days ahead.
View live conditions & forecast →
Gauge details
- State
- Montana
- Drainage area
- 1,050 sq mi
- Gauge elevation
- 3,951 ft
- Subbasin (HUC-8)
- 17010205
- Coordinates
- 45.97205, -114.14123
- USGS site number
- 12344000
- Records begin
- 1937-04-01 (89 years)
- Rivermatics forecast
- 14-day flow outlook
14-day flow forecast
Based on observations through for Bitterroot River near Darby, MT. Each day carries a median estimate and the band the model expects the flow to fall within — not a single number to plan against. Forecasts are re-issued daily; see the live screen for the current outlook.
| Date | Low p10 | Expected p50 | High p90 | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 492 | 515 | 536 | ||
| 459 | 499 | 523 | ||
| 437 | 487 | 516 | ||
| 407 | 473 | 505 | ||
| 391 | 461 | 497 | ||
| 385 | 457 | 501 | ||
| 363 | 449 | 493 | ||
| 351 | 441 | 489 | ||
| 340 | 432 | 482 | ||
| 334 | 425 | 478 | ||
| 316 | 417 | 473 | ||
| 312 | 412 | 469 | ||
| 294 | 402 | 462 | ||
| 274 | 391 | 454 |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs). Estimates only — do not use them for navigation or for any safety, rescue, or emergency decision.
Typical flow by month
Long-term daily discharge percentiles from the USGS record (up to 89 years of data), averaged within each month. These describe the historical normal range — they are not a forecast and not today's reading.
| Month | Low p10 | Typical p50 | High p90 | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 160.7 | 227.9 | 363 | |
| February | 163.9 | 237.8 | 398.9 | |
| March | 204.6 | 311.5 | 616.9 | |
| April | 374.3 | 866.1 | 1,792.7 | |
| May | 1,297.2 | 2,582.6 | 5,105.8 | |
| June | 1,307.1 | 2,763.7 | 5,166.3 | |
| July | 434.6 | 867.2 | 1,575.7 | |
| August | 264.5 | 428.9 | 607.1 | |
| September | 211.1 | 335.6 | 526.1 | |
| October | 188.9 | 290.2 | 537.8 | |
| November | 193.7 | 272.5 | 487 | |
| December | 162.3 | 237.6 | 429.2 |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).
Common questions
- When does Bitterroot River near Darby, MT normally run highest?
- June, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 2,763.7 cfs, against 227.9 cfs in January, the lowest month. These are historical normals for the date, not a forecast and not today's reading.
- What is a normal flow for Bitterroot River near Darby, MT?
- It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 227.9 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 160.7 and 363 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
- How long has Bitterroot River near Darby, MT been measured?
- Discharge records at USGS site 12344000 begin in 1937, about 89 years, covering roughly 9,201 days of published daily values. The long record is what makes the monthly percentiles on this page meaningful.
- Is there a flow forecast for Bitterroot River near Darby, MT?
- Yes. Rivermatics trains a machine-learned model — a temporal-fusion transformer — on this basin's observed flows, weather, and snowpack, and issues a daily flow outlook reaching 14 days ahead: a median estimate inside a confidence band, not a single number to bet on. Every forecast is scored against days the model never trained on, and that track record is published on the live gauge screen. Open live conditions to see the current outlook.
- Where is Bitterroot River near Darby, MT?
- The gauge sits at 45.97205, -114.14123, in Montana, in hydrologic subbasin 17010205, at an elevation of about 3,951 feet, draining roughly 1,050 square miles.
- Can I use Bitterroot River near Darby, MT data for flood or safety decisions?
- No. Rivermatics provides estimates, not guarantees, and the readings and forecasts here may be delayed, inaccurate, or wrong. Do not use them for navigation or for any safety, rescue, or emergency decision. Check the National Weather Service and USGS directly, and use your own judgment.
Upstream and downstream on the Bitterroot River
Every gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river, ordered by drainage area — upstream first. See the Bitterroot River in full.
- Bitterroot River near Darby, MT this page
- Bitterroot River at Bell Crossing near Victor, MT 1,944 sq mi
- Bitterroot River near Missoula, MT 2,824 sq mi