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Clark Fork River below Missoula, MT

River level and flood forecast · Missoula County

Normal1.3 ftas of Mon 12 PM

The river is 9.7 ft below flood stage (11 ft).

Forecast to hold near 1.3 ft through Mon, Oct 19, 12 PM.

Flow: 2,340 cubic feet per second (USGS).

The last 7 days and the forecast

-5051015TueThuSatMonWedFriSunAction 10.5 ftFlood 11 ftModerate 12 ftMajor 13 ftNowObserved (ft)NWS forecast

NWS forecast issued Mon, Oct 12, 9:35 AM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.

Flood stages

Major flood stage13 ft
Moderate flood stage12 ft
Flood stage11 ft
Action stage10.5 ft
Record crest (May 11, 2018)12.14 ft

What floods at each level

From the National Weather Service, highest first.

  • 13 ftFlooding to low lying areas adjacent to the river is likely. Flood prone areas include Target Range and the Orchard Homes neighborhoods.
  • 11.5 ftNumerous homes along the west end of Harpers Road are surrounded with surface water and ground water. Harpers Road adjacent to the Clark Fork River is flooded and impassable. Flood waters are also threatening Malards Way.
  • 11 ftFlooding of low lying areas adjacent to the river is possible just west of Missoula to Frenchtown.

Highest crests on record

  1. 12.14 ft — May 11, 2018
  2. 12.1 ft — May 18, 1997
  3. 12.08 ft — May 23, 1948
  4. 11.71 ft — June 3, 1972
  5. 11.67 ft — June 21, 1975

Recent crests: 5.39 ft (May 13, 2025) · 8.73 ft (June 6, 2021) · 10.34 ft (May 21, 2020) · 12.14 ft (May 11, 2018) · 11.33 ft (June 9, 2011)

Up and down the river, and nearby

See it on the live map →Radar & warnings for Missoula CountyNWS gauge pageUSGS gauge 12353000

Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (BELM8); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.