USGS Streamgage 12355500
N F Flathead River near Columbia Falls, MT
N F Flathead River near Columbia Falls, MT is USGS streamgage 12355500 in Montana, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 17010206. It drains a watershed of about 1,556 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1910. Typical flow runs near 3,538.4 cfs in July and 2,925.7 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
- 1,556 sq mi
- Gauge elevation
- 3,150 ft
- Subbasin (HUC-8)
- 17010206
- Coordinates
- 48.4958, -114.12676
- USGS site number
- 12355500
- Records begin
- 1910-10-01 (116 years)
- Rivermatics forecast
- 14-day flow outlook + water temperature
14-day flow forecast
Based on observations through for N F Flathead River near Columbia Falls, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,228 | 1,330 | 1,463 | ||
| 1,176 | 1,296 | 1,484 | ||
| 1,123 | 1,243 | 1,433 | ||
| 1,097 | 1,232 | 1,451 | ||
| 1,096 | 1,239 | 1,488 | ||
| 1,074 | 1,216 | 1,457 | ||
| 1,049 | 1,184 | 1,399 | ||
| 1,012 | 1,135 | 1,322 | ||
| 967 | 1,078 | 1,236 | ||
| 938 | 1,044 | 1,188 | ||
| 909 | 1,012 | 1,144 | ||
| 887 | 987 | 1,111 | ||
| 867 | 967 | 1,084 | ||
| 841 | 939 | 1,052 |
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 86 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 | 413.3 | 659.6 | 1,213.5 | |
| February | 416.3 | 636.6 | 1,182.1 | |
| March | 491.1 | 772.8 | 1,667.1 | |
| April | 1,193.2 | 2,925.7 | 6,111.7 | |
| May | 4,995.8 | 8,908.4 | 15,812.9 | |
| June | 4,754 | 9,198 | 15,950 | |
| July | 1,760 | 3,538.4 | 6,445.5 | |
| August | 937.4 | 1,489 | 2,323.2 | |
| September | 700.8 | 994 | 1,630.7 | |
| October | 626 | 912 | 1,925.5 | |
| November | 603.7 | 938.2 | 2,245.7 | |
| December | 506.6 | 758 | 1,673.2 |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).
Common questions
- When does N F Flathead River near Columbia Falls, MT normally run highest?
- June, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 9,198 cfs, against 636.6 cfs in February, the lowest month. These are historical normals for the date, not a forecast and not today's reading.
- What is a normal flow for N F Flathead River near Columbia Falls, MT?
- It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 659.6 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 413.3 and 1,213.5 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
- How long has N F Flathead River near Columbia Falls, MT been measured?
- Discharge records at USGS site 12355500 begin in 1910, about 116 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 N F Flathead River near Columbia Falls, 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 N F Flathead River near Columbia Falls, MT?
- The gauge sits at 48.4958, -114.12676, in Montana, in hydrologic subbasin 17010206, at an elevation of about 3,150 feet, draining roughly 1,556 square miles.
- Can I use N F Flathead River near Columbia Falls, 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.