Rivermatics

USGS Streamgage 06309000

Yellowstone River at Miles City, MT

Yellowstone River at Miles City, MT is USGS streamgage 06309000 in Montana, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 10100001. It sits on the Yellowstone River, alongside 9 other gauges Rivermatics tracks on the same river. It drains a watershed of about 48,288 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1922. Typical flow runs near 18,715.2 cfs in July and 7,600 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.

View live conditions & forecast →

Gauge details

State
Montana
Drainage area
48,288 sq mi
Gauge elevation
2,340 ft
Subbasin (HUC-8)
10100001
Coordinates
46.42077, -105.86003
USGS site number
06309000
Records begin
1922-09-01 (104 years)
Rivermatics forecast
14-day flow outlook

14-day flow forecast

Based on observations through for Yellowstone River at Miles City, 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.

Forecast daily mean discharge in cubic feet per second, by date
Date Low p10 Expected p50 High p90 Range
3,951 4,293 4,701
3,739 4,172 4,701
3,627 4,148 4,819
3,525 4,086 4,852
3,455 4,058 4,903
3,398 4,036 4,950
3,408 4,085 5,131
3,379 4,129 5,291
3,353 4,180 5,471
3,296 4,162 5,547
3,246 4,135 5,578
3,209 4,119 5,646
3,187 4,090 5,621
3,139 4,076 5,717

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 104 years of data), averaged within each month. These describe the historical normal range — they are not a forecast and not today's reading.

Historical monthly discharge percentiles in cubic feet per second
Month Low p10 Typical p50 High p90 Range
January 2,946.8 5,345.2 7,777.7
February 3,373.8 5,550.3 9,089.7
March 4,360 6,864.8 13,358.1
April 4,867.3 7,600 13,486.7
May 9,227.1 16,609.4 28,703.2
June 16,986.7 33,946.7 54,613.3
July 6,841 18,715.2 35,000
August 3,711.9 7,207.7 13,209.7
September 3,818.3 6,790.3 10,748.3
October 4,892.3 7,435.8 10,812.9
November 4,788 7,084 9,746.7
December 3,279 5,913.2 7,955.5

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does Yellowstone River at Miles City, MT normally run highest?
June, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 33,946.7 cfs, against 5,345.2 cfs in January, the lowest month. These are historical normals for the date, not a forecast and not today's reading.
What is a normal flow for Yellowstone River at Miles City, MT?
It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 5,345.2 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 2,946.8 and 7,777.7 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
How long has Yellowstone River at Miles City, MT been measured?
Discharge records at USGS site 06309000 begin in 1922, about 104 years, covering roughly 9,198 days of published daily values. The long record is what makes the monthly percentiles on this page meaningful.
Is there a flow forecast for Yellowstone River at Miles City, 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 Yellowstone River at Miles City, MT?
The gauge sits at 46.42077, -105.86003, in Montana, in hydrologic subbasin 10100001, at an elevation of about 2,340 feet, draining roughly 48,288 square miles.
Can I use Yellowstone River at Miles City, 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 Yellowstone River

Every gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river, ordered by drainage area — upstream first. See the Yellowstone River in full.

Other gauges in this subbasin