8 USGS Streamgages · Mississippi River system
Madison River flows and levels
Madison River is gauged at 8 USGS streamgages in Montana, each tracked by Rivermatics. The mainstem runs about 173 miles (279 km) from headwaters to outlet. It drains into the Mississippi River system. Drainage area at the gauges ranges from 438 square miles at Madison River near West Yellowstone, MT up to 2,325 at Madison River near Norris, MT. The gauged reach falls about 2,163 feet, from 6,638 feet down to 4,475. 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.
| Gauge | State | Drainage sq mi | Elevation ft | April p50 cfs | July p50 cfs | Forecast |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison River near West Yellowstone, MT | MT | 438 | 6,638 | 472.8 | 451.9 | 14-day + temp |
| Madison River below Hebgen Lake near Grayling, MT | MT | 931 | 6,459 | 841.8 | 986.8 | 14-day + temp |
| Madison River at Kirby Ranch near Cameron, MT | MT | 1,093 | 5,872 | 1,009.5 | 1,239.7 | 14-day + temp |
| Madison River at Ennis, MT | MT | 1,722 | 4,931 | — | 1,226.7 | 14-day + temp |
| Madison River near Cameron, MT | MT | 1,728 | 5,147 | 1,126 | 1,512.3 | 14-day + temp |
| Madison River ab powerplant near McAllister, MT | MT | 2,213 | 4,703 | 241.4 | 507.1 | 14-day |
| Madison River below Ennis Lake near McAllister, MT | MT | 2,213 | 4,694 | 1,382.3 | 1,695.2 | 14-day + temp |
| Madison River near Norris, MT | MT | 2,325 | 4,475 | — | — | 14-day + temp |
Common questions
- How many gauges are on the Madison River?
- Rivermatics tracks 8 USGS streamgages on the Madison 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 Madison River?
- Yes, at 8 of the 8 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 Madison River part of?
- The Madison 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 Madison 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
- Missouri River 52 gauges
- Big Sioux River 17 gauges
- James River 15 gauges
- Kansas River 12 gauges
- Smoky Hill River 12 gauges
- Platte River 11 gauges
- Rapid Creek 11 gauges
- Republican River 11 gauges