Rivermatics

2 USGS Streamgages · Mississippi River system

Firehole River flows and levels

Firehole River is gauged at 2 USGS streamgages in Wyoming, each tracked by Rivermatics. It feeds the Madison River. It drains into the Mississippi River system. Drainage area at the gauges ranges from 40 square miles at Firehole River at Old Faithful, YNP up to 261 at Firehole River near West Yellowstone, MT. The gauged reach falls about 283 feet, from 7,343 feet down to 7,060. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned 14-day flow outlook for every one of them.

Gauges on this river, upstream to downstream

Ordered by drainage area, which is how far down the river each gauge sits. April and July figures are long-term median daily flows for that month from the USGS record — historical normals, not a forecast and not today's reading.

USGS streamgages on this river, ordered upstream to downstream
Gauge State Drainage sq mi Elevation ft April p50 cfs July p50 cfs Forecast
Firehole River at Old Faithful, YNP WY 40 7,343 48.5 57 14-day + temp
Firehole River near West Yellowstone, MT WY 261 7,060 307.2 270.9 14-day + temp

Typical flow by month at Firehole River near West Yellowstone, MT

The furthest-downstream gauge on this river, so the fullest flow it carries here. Long-term daily discharge percentiles from the USGS record (up to 43 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 228.5 257.4 296
February 228.9 255 289.5
March 235.1 261.5 302.6
April 259.6 307.2 394.4
May 320.9 457.3 667.4
June 258.9 410.8 639
July 217.7 270.9 366.6
August 209.1 255 320.6
September 213.9 253.6 318.3
October 227.2 263.3 331.6
November 233 261 326.1
December 231.3 258.7 304.3

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does the Firehole River run highest?
May, on the long-term record at Firehole River near West Yellowstone, MT — the furthest-downstream gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river. Median daily flow there is about 457.3 cfs that month, against 253.6 cfs in September, the lowest. Upstream gauges peak on their own schedule; the table on this page gives April and July for each.
How many gauges are on the Firehole River?
Rivermatics tracks 2 USGS streamgages on the Firehole River, across Wyoming. Each has its own page with the site's full flow record and monthly normals. The river may carry other gauges that publish neither daily values nor discharge statistics; those are not tracked here.
Is there a flow forecast for the Firehole River?
Yes, at 2 of the 2 gauges. Rivermatics trains a machine-learned model — a temporal-fusion transformer — on each basin's observed flows, weather and snowpack, and issues a daily 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 each gauge's live screen.
What river system is the Firehole River part of?
The Firehole River drains into the Mississippi River system — it is a tributary somewhere in that chain, following the flowpath down to its terminal river. Rivermatics builds this from the USGS/geoconnex reference-mainstem network rather than from names.
Can I use Firehole River 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.

Other rivers in the Mississippi River system

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