USGS Streamgage 12372000
Flathead River near Polson, MT
Flathead River near Polson, MT is USGS streamgage 12372000 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 7,079 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1894. Typical flow runs near 12,643.9 cfs in July and 9,233 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
- 7,079 sq mi
- Gauge elevation
- 2,698 ft
- Subbasin (HUC-8)
- 17010212
- Coordinates
- 47.68029, -114.24673
- USGS site number
- 12372000
- Records begin
- 1894-06-01 (132 years)
- Rivermatics forecast
- 14-day flow outlook + water temperature
14-day flow forecast
Based on observations through for Flathead River near Polson, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,078 | 5,505 | 5,873 | ||
| 4,982 | 5,546 | 6,023 | ||
| 4,966 | 5,643 | 6,431 | ||
| 4,974 | 5,684 | 6,646 | ||
| 4,901 | 5,686 | 6,694 | ||
| 4,830 | 5,648 | 6,673 | ||
| 4,737 | 5,596 | 6,626 | ||
| 4,696 | 5,556 | 6,622 | ||
| 4,645 | 5,514 | 6,614 | ||
| 4,566 | 5,465 | 6,597 | ||
| 4,571 | 5,426 | 6,588 | ||
| 4,551 | 5,402 | 6,625 | ||
| 4,557 | 5,383 | 6,607 | ||
| 4,551 | 5,387 | 6,642 |
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 87 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 | 5,664.5 | 9,990.6 | 13,619.4 | |
| February | 5,143.8 | 8,985.9 | 14,131 | |
| March | 4,056.1 | 7,591.6 | 13,241.9 | |
| April | 4,311 | 9,233 | 18,113.3 | |
| May | 8,449.4 | 18,861.3 | 36,083.9 | |
| June | 11,962.3 | 24,493.3 | 46,226.7 | |
| July | 6,126.5 | 12,643.9 | 22,858.1 | |
| August | 3,501.3 | 5,957.7 | 9,727.4 | |
| September | 3,408.7 | 5,707 | 10,064.7 | |
| October | 4,007.7 | 7,076.1 | 11,203.2 | |
| November | 4,230.7 | 8,115.7 | 12,230 | |
| December | 5,692.9 | 9,756.5 | 13,454.8 |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).
Common questions
- When does Flathead River near Polson, MT normally run highest?
- June, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 24,493.3 cfs, against 5,707 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 near Polson, MT?
- It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 9,990.6 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 5,664.5 and 13,619.4 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
- How long has Flathead River near Polson, MT been measured?
- Discharge records at USGS site 12372000 begin in 1894, about 132 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 near Polson, 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 near Polson, MT?
- The gauge sits at 47.68029, -114.24673, in Montana, in hydrologic subbasin 17010212, at an elevation of about 2,698 feet, draining roughly 7,079 square miles.
- Can I use Flathead River near Polson, 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 this page
- Flathead River at Perma, MT 9,024 sq mi