USGS Streamgage 06036650
Jefferson River near Three Forks, MT
Jefferson River near Three Forks, MT is USGS streamgage 06036650 in Montana, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 10020005. It sits on the Jefferson River, alongside 2 other gauges Rivermatics tracks on the same river. It drains a watershed of about 9,558 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1978. Typical flow runs near 1,267.1 cfs in July and 2,077 cfs in April, with the higher of the two arriving in April. 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
- 9,558 sq mi
- Gauge elevation
- 4,081 ft
- Subbasin (HUC-8)
- 10020005
- Coordinates
- 45.89714, -111.59567
- USGS site number
- 06036650
- Records begin
- 1978-10-01 (48 years)
- Rivermatics forecast
- 14-day flow outlook + water temperature
14-day flow forecast
Based on observations through for Jefferson River near Three Forks, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 387 | 410 | 436 | ||
| 371 | 407 | 451 | ||
| 359 | 404 | 471 | ||
| 350 | 400 | 482 | ||
| 340 | 395 | 490 | ||
| 337 | 398 | 503 | ||
| 339 | 407 | 533 | ||
| 337 | 412 | 565 | ||
| 333 | 417 | 609 | ||
| 325 | 412 | 620 | ||
| 319 | 412 | 677 | ||
| 313 | 410 | 701 | ||
| 308 | 411 | 758 | ||
| 301 | 408 | 795 |
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 48 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 | 712 | 1,085.2 | 1,633.5 | |
| February | 792.7 | 1,126.2 | 1,732.8 | |
| March | 962.8 | 1,342.9 | 2,076.8 | |
| April | 1,177.3 | 2,077 | 3,583.7 | |
| May | 1,255.6 | 3,306.8 | 7,031 | |
| June | 1,469.6 | 4,080.7 | 9,869.7 | |
| July | 353 | 1,267.1 | 4,543.9 | |
| August | 157.9 | 441.1 | 1,763.5 | |
| September | 308.7 | 703.3 | 1,928 | |
| October | 819.6 | 1,290 | 2,240 | |
| November | 1,018.3 | 1,389 | 2,206.3 | |
| December | 783.3 | 1,142.6 | 1,827.7 |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).
Common questions
- When does Jefferson River near Three Forks, MT normally run highest?
- June, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 4,080.7 cfs, against 441.1 cfs in August, the lowest month. These are historical normals for the date, not a forecast and not today's reading.
- What is a normal flow for Jefferson River near Three Forks, MT?
- It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 1,085.2 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 712 and 1,633.5 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
- How long has Jefferson River near Three Forks, MT been measured?
- Discharge records at USGS site 06036650 begin in 1978, about 48 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 Jefferson River near Three Forks, 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 Jefferson River near Three Forks, MT?
- The gauge sits at 45.89714, -111.59567, in Montana, in hydrologic subbasin 10020005, at an elevation of about 4,081 feet, draining roughly 9,558 square miles.
- Can I use Jefferson River near Three Forks, 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 Jefferson River
Every gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river, ordered by drainage area — upstream first. See the Jefferson River in full.
- Jefferson River near Twin Bridges, MT 7,616 sq mi
- Jefferson River at Parsons Bdg near Silver Star, MT 7,759 sq mi
- Jefferson River near Three Forks, MT this page