Rivermatics

4 USGS Streamgages · Mississippi River system

Little Bighorn River flows and levels

Little Bighorn River is gauged at 4 USGS streamgages in Montana, each tracked by Rivermatics. The mainstem runs about 139 miles (223 km) from headwaters to outlet. It drains into the Mississippi River system. Drainage area at the gauges ranges from 182 square miles at Little Bighorn River at State Line near Wyola, MT up to 1,294 at Little Bighorn River near Hardin, MT. The gauged reach falls about 1,444 feet, from 4,333 feet down to 2,889. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned 14-day flow outlook at 2 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
Little Bighorn River at State Line near Wyola, MT MT 182 4,333 77 201 14-day
Little Bighorn River below Pass Creek near Wyola, MT MT 426 3,603 154.8 202 —
Little Bighorn River near Crow Agency, MT MT 1,186 3,062 254.9 214.4 —
Little Bighorn River near Hardin, MT MT 1,294 2,889 233.2 192.5 14-day

Typical flow by month at Little Bighorn River near Hardin, 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 73 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 75.2 121.7 202.5
February 83.7 147.7 354.2
March 110.1 201.2 600.9
April 132.6 233.2 557.8
May 223.3 481.8 1,153.7
June 199 708.1 1,754.7
July 43.5 192.5 532.5
August 28.4 109.7 208.5
September 41.2 120.3 218.3
October 91.9 152.6 223.6
November 97.4 148.3 210.7
December 78.6 127 194.7

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does the Little Bighorn River run highest?
June, on the long-term record at Little Bighorn River near Hardin, MT — the furthest-downstream gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river. Median daily flow there is about 708.1 cfs that month, against 109.7 cfs in August, 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 Little Bighorn River?
Rivermatics tracks 4 USGS streamgages on the Little Bighorn River, across Montana. 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 Little Bighorn River?
Yes, at 2 of the 4 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 Little Bighorn River part of?
The Little Bighorn 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 Little Bighorn 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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