Jefferson River near Three Forks, MT
River level and flood forecast · Broadwater County
Normal3.1 ftas of Mon 1 PM
The river is 4.9 ft below flood stage (8 ft).
Flow: 1,030 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Sun, Dec 31, 5 PM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 9 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 8.5 ft |
| Flood stage | 8 ft |
| Action stage | 7 ft |
| Record crest (January 3, 1997) | 9.88 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 8.5 ftCounty roads and bridges have water flowing over them. Several homes flood.May 2018 - Old Town Road just north of Three Forks begins to flood. Road had to be closed.
- 8 ftFarm buildings flood around Three Forks.Also monitor Boulder River. When Boulder River (BLDM8) starts to go above 8.0 feet, this can have an effect on rise/lowering of the Jefferson River near Three Forks. (June 2017)
- 7.5 ftAt 7.5 Feet...Agricultural land floods near Three Forks.
- 7.3 ftAt 7.3 Feet...Water starts to come out of its bank on the Jefferson River near Silver Star and Waterloo in Madison County. The water is near the foundations of several homes. Waterloo Road and Riverside Drive have water on them. An areal flood advisory is recommended from north of Twin Bridges to north of Waterloo. Look at staff gage PBRM8 for data. (June 2017). PBR only available from July thru September starting in 2018.
Highest crests on record
- 9.88 ft — January 3, 1997
- 9.39 ft — December 10, 1980
- 9.38 ft — June 12, 2011
- 9.2 ft — June 11, 1997
- 9 ft — June 9, 1995
Recent crests: 8.45 ft (June 22, 2018) · 8.53 ft (May 29, 2018) · 6.64 ft (April 29, 2012) · 8.33 ft (December 15, 2011) · 9.38 ft (June 12, 2011)
Up and down the river, and nearby
- UpstreamJefferson River near Silver Star at Parsons Bridge, MT
- DownstreamMissouri River at Toston, MT
- Gallatin River at Logan, MT
- Willow Creek (Southwest MT) near Harrison, MT
- Madison River below Ennis Lake near McAllister, MT
- East Gallatin River near abv Water Recl Fac nr Bozeman, MT
- Madison River above Powerplant near McAllister, MT
- Gallatin River near Gallatin Gateway, MT
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (TFKM8); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.