Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

Battle Creek (North-central MT) near Chinook

Highest listed crest 22.91 ftFlood stage 10.0 ft48 crests since 1905

The Battle Creek (North-central MT) near Chinook crested at major flood stage 4 times among the 48 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1905 to 2023. The highest, 22.91 ft on September 26, 1986, was major flooding, 12.91 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
22.91 ft
September 26, 1986; 19,400 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
10.0 ft
Major flooding from 14.0 ft
Crests at major
4
11th of 93 gauges in Montana
Most recent flood crest
April 12, 2023
11.94 ft, minor flooding
Location
Blaine County
Montana

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Battle Creek (North-central MT) near Chinook
Action stage9.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)10.04Apr 12, 2023Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage12.07Apr 16, 2018Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage14.04Sep 26, 1986Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

48 crests from 1905 to 2023. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Battle Creek (North-central MT) near Chinook, 1905 to 2023 0510152025ft Flood stage 10.0 ftMajor 14.0 ft Jul 26, 1905: 2.70 ft, below flood stage; 392 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 1906: 16.63 ft, major flooding; 10,960 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1907: 10.40 ft, minor flooding; 3,800 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1908: 2.12 ft, below flood stage; 190 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 1909: 13.00 ft, moderate flooding; 6,650 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 1910: 4.47 ft, below flood stage; 991 cubic feet per secondSep 7, 1911: 10.00 ft, minor flooding; 3,220 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1912: 13.00 ft, moderate flooding; 6,650 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1913: 7.60 ft, below flood stage; 2,200 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1914: 4.00 ft, below flood stage; 700 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1917: 13.10 ft, moderate flooding; 7,800 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1918: 16.50 ft, major flooding; 10,800 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1919: 6.80 ft, below flood stage; 1,860 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1920: 6.76 ft, below flood stage; 2,130 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1921: 3.95 ft, below flood stage; 641 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1952: 15.38 ft, major flooding; 9,540 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 1984: 1.07 ft, below flood stageMay 4, 1985: 3.50 ft, below flood stage; 240 cubic feet per secondSep 26, 1986: 22.91 ft, major flooding; 19,400 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1987: 3.23 ft, below flood stageApr 3, 1989: 2.45 ft, below flood stage; 86 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1990: 2.45 ft, below flood stage; 89 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 1991: 4.81 ft, below flood stage; 552 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 1992: 1.68 ft, below flood stage; 27 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1993: 3.07 ft, below flood stage; 173 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1994: 2.80 ft, below flood stage; 138 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 1995: 2.90 ft, below flood stage; 154 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1996: 12.67 ft, moderate floodingApr 1, 1997: 6.27 ft, below flood stage; 819 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1998: 6.12 ft, below flood stage; 793 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1999: 2.27 ft, below flood stage; 72 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 2000: 6.46 ft, below flood stage; 975 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 2001: 1.79 ft, below flood stage; 17 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 2002: 3.58 ft, below flood stage; 246 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 2003: 2.71 ft, below flood stage; 107 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2004: 5.49 ft, below flood stage; 640 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 2005: 2.38 ft, below flood stage; 93 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 2006: 2.41 ft, below flood stage; 92 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 2007: 3.16 ft, below flood stage; 193 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 2008: 2.08 ft, below flood stage; 53 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 2009: 1.78 ft, below flood stage; 30 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 2009: 13.00 ft, moderate flooding; 6,650 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2010: 3.57 ft, below flood stage; 262 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 2011: 12.97 ft, moderate flooding; 3,780 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 2012: 2.22 ft, below flood stage; 76 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 2018: 12.86 ft, moderate flooding; 3,416 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2020: 10.24 ft, minor flooding; 2,050 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 2023: 11.94 ft, minor flooding; 2,890 cubic feet per second Highest, 22.91 ft, Sep 26, 1986 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Battle Creek (North-central MT) near Chinook 1900s: 3 1910s: 4 4 1920s: 0 1930s: 0 1940s: 0 1950s: 1 1960s: 0 1970s: 0 1980s: 1 1990s: 1 2000s: 1 2010s: 2 2020s: 2 1900s1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.

Highest crests

Highest listed crests, Battle Creek (North-central MT) near Chinook
1Sep 26, 198622.91+12.91Major19,400
2Jun 8, 190616.63+6.63Major10,960
3Mar 31, 191816.50+6.50Major10,800
4Apr 6, 195215.38+5.38Major9,540
5Apr 10, 191713.10+3.10Moderate7,800
6Jun 21, 190913.00+3.00Moderate6,650
7Apr 8, 191213.00+3.00Moderate6,650
8Jun 21, 200913.00+3.00Moderate6,650
9Apr 12, 201112.97+2.97Moderate3,780
10Apr 16, 201812.86+2.86Moderate3,416
11Apr 8, 199612.67+2.67Moderate—
12Apr 12, 202311.94+1.94Minor2,890
13Apr 10, 190710.40+0.40Minor3,800
14Apr 8, 202010.24+0.24Minor2,050
15Sep 7, 191110.000.00Minor3,220
16Apr 1, 19137.60−2.40Below flood stage2,200
17Apr 2, 19196.80−3.20Below flood stage1,860
18Mar 31, 19206.76−3.24Below flood stage2,130
19Jul 4, 20006.46−3.54Below flood stage975
20Apr 1, 19976.27−3.73Below flood stage819
21Jun 28, 19986.12−3.88Below flood stage793
22May 25, 20045.49−4.51Below flood stage640
23May 26, 19914.81−5.19Below flood stage552
24Mar 14, 19104.47−5.53Below flood stage991
25Apr 17, 19144.00−6.00Below flood stage700
26Apr 17, 19213.95−6.05Below flood stage641
27Jun 16, 20023.58−6.42Below flood stage246
28Jun 24, 20103.57−6.43Below flood stage262
29May 4, 19853.50−6.50Below flood stage240
30Apr 1, 19873.23−6.77Below flood stage—
31Apr 22, 20073.16−6.84Below flood stage193
32Apr 7, 19933.07−6.93Below flood stage173
33Jun 7, 19952.90−7.10Below flood stage154
34Apr 23, 19942.80−7.20Below flood stage138
35Apr 19, 20032.71−7.29Below flood stage107
36Jul 26, 19052.70−7.30Below flood stage392
37Apr 3, 19892.45−7.55Below flood stage86
38Apr 6, 19902.45−7.55Below flood stage89
39Apr 1, 20062.41−7.59Below flood stage92
40Jun 14, 20052.38−7.62Below flood stage93
41Jun 4, 19992.27−7.73Below flood stage72
42May 31, 20122.22−7.78Below flood stage76
43Apr 17, 19082.12−7.88Below flood stage190
44May 6, 20082.08−7.92Below flood stage53
45Jun 1, 20011.79−8.21Below flood stage17
46Apr 30, 20091.78−8.22Below flood stage30
47Jun 7, 19921.68−8.32Below flood stage27
48Jan 1, 19841.07−8.93Below flood stage—

Other gauges in Blaine County

Flood gauges in Blaine County
Chinook near mouth5.510.49 ft, Jun 4, 20138
Harlem21.025.73 ft, Sep 29, 19862

Blaine County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Montana

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BCMM8, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.