Middle Fork Flathead River near West Glacier, MT
River level and flood forecast · Flathead County
Normal1.9 ftas of Mon 1:45 PM
The river is 8.1 ft below flood stage (10 ft).
Forecast to hold near 1.9 ft through Mon, Oct 19, 12 PM.
Flow: 650 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Mon, Oct 12, 9:36 AM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 18 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 14 ft |
| Flood stage | 10 ft |
| Action stage | 9 ft |
| Record crest (June 9, 1964) | 36.46 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 18 ftFlooding affecting low lying areas adjacent to the river will occur. Many roads will be inundated with flood water and become impassable.
- 14 ftFlooding to low lying areas adjacent to the river will occur. Roads and homes may experience flooding due to backwater.
- 10 ftFlooding to low lying areas adjacent to the river is possible. Flooding to homes and agricultural lands is also possible.
Highest crests on record
- 36.46 ft — June 9, 1964
- 19.42 ft — June 20, 1975
- 13.01 ft — May 20, 1954
- 12.4 ft — May 19, 1991
- 12.4 ft — May 23, 1948
Recent crests: 8.64 ft (December 12, 2025) · 6.38 ft (May 12, 2025) · 9.61 ft (June 21, 2022) · 7.86 ft (June 5, 2021) · 9.13 ft (May 31, 2020)
Up and down the river, and nearby
- North Fork Flathead River near Columbia Falls, MT
- South Fork Flathead River near Columbia Falls, MT
- Flathead River at Columbia Falls, MT
- Whitefish River near Kalispell, MT
- Stillwater River at Lawrence Park at Kalispell, MT
- Flathead River at Foys Bend near Kalispell, MT
- Swiftcurrent Creek at Many Glacier near Babb, MT
- Swan River near Bigfork, MT
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (WGCM8); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.