USGS Streamgage 12388700
Flathead River at Perma, MT
Flathead River at Perma, MT is USGS streamgage 12388700 in Montana, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 17010212. It sits on the Flathead River, alongside 3 other gauges Rivermatics tracks on the same river. It drains a watershed of about 9,024 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1983. Typical flow runs near 12,518.7 cfs in July and 9,645.3 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, alongside daily high and low water-temperature forecasts.
View live conditions & forecast →
Gauge details
- State
- Montana
- Drainage area
- 9,024 sq mi
- Gauge elevation
- 2,479 ft
- Subbasin (HUC-8)
- 17010212
- Coordinates
- 47.36679, -114.585
- USGS site number
- 12388700
- Records begin
- 1983-10-01 (43 years)
- Rivermatics forecast
- 14-day flow outlook + water temperature
14-day flow forecast
Based on observations through for Flathead River at Perma, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6,135 | 6,611 | 7,168 | ||
| 5,869 | 6,470 | 7,235 | ||
| 5,776 | 6,513 | 7,617 | ||
| 5,765 | 6,641 | 8,128 | ||
| 5,719 | 6,621 | 8,224 | ||
| 5,648 | 6,634 | 8,454 | ||
| 5,557 | 6,568 | 8,316 | ||
| 5,470 | 6,534 | 8,336 | ||
| 5,355 | 6,437 | 8,230 | ||
| 5,286 | 6,373 | 8,169 | ||
| 5,206 | 6,297 | 8,097 | ||
| 5,190 | 6,269 | 8,163 | ||
| 5,140 | 6,196 | 8,037 | ||
| 5,102 | 6,157 | 8,015 |
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 42 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 | 6,665.8 | 9,821 | 13,571 | |
| February | 6,145.2 | 8,855.2 | 14,437.9 | |
| March | 4,763.2 | 8,218.7 | 13,035.5 | |
| April | 4,641.3 | 9,645.3 | 17,460 | |
| May | 8,600 | 15,812.9 | 32,258.1 | |
| June | 12,220 | 22,826.7 | 44,200 | |
| July | 6,826.5 | 12,518.7 | 22,522.6 | |
| August | 4,284.8 | 6,678.1 | 11,527.7 | |
| September | 4,187.7 | 6,322 | 11,128.7 | |
| October | 4,474.2 | 7,532.9 | 11,606.5 | |
| November | 5,268.3 | 9,135.7 | 12,970 | |
| December | 7,637.4 | 10,163.5 | 13,735.5 |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).
Common questions
- When does Flathead River at Perma, MT normally run highest?
- June, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 22,826.7 cfs, against 6,322 cfs in September, the lowest month. These are historical normals for the date, not a forecast and not today's reading.
- What is a normal flow for Flathead River at Perma, MT?
- It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 9,821 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 6,665.8 and 13,571 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
- How long has Flathead River at Perma, MT been measured?
- Discharge records at USGS site 12388700 begin in 1983, about 43 years, covering roughly 9,200 days of published daily values. The long record is what makes the monthly percentiles on this page meaningful.
- Is there a flow forecast for Flathead River at Perma, 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. A companion model forecasts each day's water-temperature high and low. 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 Flathead River at Perma, MT?
- The gauge sits at 47.36679, -114.585, in Montana, in hydrologic subbasin 17010212, at an elevation of about 2,479 feet, draining roughly 9,024 square miles.
- Can I use Flathead River at Perma, 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 Flathead River
Every gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river, ordered by drainage area — upstream first. See the Flathead River in full.
- Flathead River at Columbia Falls, MT 4,473 sq mi
- Flathead River at Foys Bend near Kalispell, MT 5,341 sq mi
- Flathead River near Polson, MT 7,079 sq mi
- Flathead River at Perma, MT this page