USGS Streamgage 06326500
Powder River near Locate, MT
Powder River near Locate, MT is USGS streamgage 06326500 in Montana, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 10090209. It sits on the Powder River, alongside 2 other gauges Rivermatics tracks on the same river. It drains a watershed of about 13,060 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1938. Typical flow runs near 326 cfs in July and 553.8 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.
View live conditions & forecast →
Gauge details
- State
- Montana
- Drainage area
- 13,060 sq mi
- Gauge elevation
- 2,396 ft
- Subbasin (HUC-8)
- 10090209
- Coordinates
- 46.42944, -105.31033
- USGS site number
- 06326500
- Records begin
- 1938-03-25 (88 years)
- Rivermatics forecast
- 14-day flow outlook
14-day flow forecast
Based on observations through for Powder River near Locate, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.9 | 3.5 | 4.3 | ||
| 1.9 | 2.8 | 4 | ||
| 1.5 | 2.5 | 4 | ||
| 1.1 | 2.2 | 4 | ||
| 1 | 2 | 3.9 | ||
| 0.8 | 1.8 | 3.8 | ||
| 0.9 | 2 | 5.3 | ||
| 0.9 | 2.6 | 8.8 | ||
| 1 | 2.9 | 11.8 | ||
| 0.8 | 2.6 | 11.4 | ||
| 0.7 | 2.5 | 10.4 | ||
| 0.6 | 2.3 | 9.6 | ||
| 0.5 | 2.1 | 7.9 | ||
| 0.5 | 2.1 | 8.6 |
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 88 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 | 59.1 | 135 | 254.2 | |
| February | 71.6 | 217.8 | 793.4 | |
| March | 223.3 | 545.3 | 2,642.9 | |
| April | 277.1 | 553.8 | 1,221.2 | |
| May | 230.2 | 850.6 | 2,332.3 | |
| June | 145.9 | 1,194.3 | 3,686.7 | |
| July | 25.8 | 326 | 1,417.2 | |
| August | 8 | 104.6 | 490.8 | |
| September | 7.5 | 69.9 | 386.5 | |
| October | 42.3 | 184 | 460.8 | |
| November | 71 | 212 | 410.2 | |
| December | 66.1 | 136.5 | 278.7 |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).
Common questions
- When does Powder River near Locate, MT normally run highest?
- June, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 1,194.3 cfs, against 69.9 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 Powder River near Locate, MT?
- It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 135 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 59.1 and 254.2 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
- How long has Powder River near Locate, MT been measured?
- Discharge records at USGS site 06326500 begin in 1938, about 88 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 Powder River near Locate, 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 Powder River near Locate, MT?
- The gauge sits at 46.42944, -105.31033, in Montana, in hydrologic subbasin 10090209, at an elevation of about 2,396 feet, draining roughly 13,060 square miles.
- Can I use Powder River near Locate, 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 Powder River
Every gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river, ordered by drainage area — upstream first. See the Powder River in full.
- Powder River at Arvada, WY 5,924 sq mi
- Powder River at Moorhead, MT 8,029 sq mi
- Powder River near Locate, MT this page