Rivermatics

9 USGS Streamgages · Mississippi River system

Milk River flows and levels

Milk River is gauged at 9 USGS streamgages in Montana, each tracked by Rivermatics. The mainstem runs about 588 miles (946 km) from headwaters to outlet. It drains into the Mississippi River system. Drainage area at the gauges ranges from 2,452 square miles at Milk River at Eastern Crossing of Int Bndry up to 22,452 at Milk River at Nashua, MT. The gauged reach falls about 636 feet, from 2,666 feet down to 2,031. 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
Milk River at Eastern Crossing of Int Bndry MT 2,452 2,666 481.1 591.3 14-day
Milk River at Havre, MT MT 5,655 2,470 257.1 872.4 14-day
Milk River at Merrill Rd, near Harlem, MT MT 8,925 2,342 357.1 382.5 14-day
Milk River near Harlem, MT MT 9,652 2,330 286.9 508.3 14-day
Milk River near Dodson, MT MT 11,134 2,267 13.9 28.1 14-day
Milk River at Malta, MT MT 11,654 2,246 408.9 136.5 14-day
Milk River at Juneberg Bridge near Saco, MT MT 17,691 2,162 218.3 281 14-day
Milk River at Tampico, MT MT 21,341 2,102 240.4 138.2 14-day
Milk River at Nashua, MT MT 22,452 2,031 514 265.2 14-day + temp

Typical flow by month at Milk River at Nashua, 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 87 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 63.7 125.9 279.1
February 72.4 143 546.3
March 93.1 398.1 3,721.6
April 40 514 7,283.7
May 33.5 352.6 3,619
June 71.8 432.9 3,097
July 40.9 265.2 1,743.5
August 47.6 183.8 654.1
September 54.8 180.5 555.2
October 60.2 157.9 499.1
November 85.6 176.7 403.5
December 72.8 149.2 316.4

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does the Milk River run highest?
April, on the long-term record at Milk River at Nashua, MT — the furthest-downstream gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river. Median daily flow there is about 514 cfs that month, against 125.9 cfs in January, 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 Milk River?
Rivermatics tracks 9 USGS streamgages on the Milk 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 Milk River?
Yes, at 9 of the 9 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 Milk River part of?
The Milk 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 Milk 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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