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Big Hole River near Melrose

Highest listed crest 8.09 ftFlood stage 6.0 ft84 crests since 1932

The Big Hole River near Melrose crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 84 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1932 to 2020. The highest, 8.09 ft on June 9, 1997, was major flooding, 2.09 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
8.09 ft
June 9, 1997; 13,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
6.0 ft
Major flooding from 8.0 ft
Crests at major
2
20th of 93 gauges in Montana
Most recent flood crest
June 19, 2020
6.45 ft, minor flooding
Location
Madison County
Montana

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Big Hole River near Melrose
Action stage5.023Apr 27, 2012The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)6.031Jun 19, 2020Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage7.54Jun 21, 1975Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage8.02Jun 9, 1997Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

84 crests from 1932 to 2020. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Big Hole River near Melrose, 1932 to 2020 246810ft Flood stage 6.0 ftMajor 8.0 ft Jun 17, 1932: 4.88 ft, below flood stage; 6,290 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 1933: 5.95 ft, action stage; 8,550 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 1934: 3.95 ft, below flood stage; 3,380 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 1935: 4.47 ft, below flood stage; 4,520 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1936: 5.50 ft, action stage; 7,030 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 1937: 3.43 ft, below flood stage; 2,390 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 1938: 6.39 ft, minor flooding; 8,760 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 1939: 5.00 ft, action stage; 6,290 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 1940: 3.96 ft, below flood stage; 3,380 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1942: 7.72 ft, moderate flooding; 12,500 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 1943: 6.47 ft, minor flooding; 9,500 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 1944: 5.99 ft, action stage; 7,830 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 1945: 4.61 ft, below flood stage; 4,490 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 1946: 5.16 ft, action stage; 5,750 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 1947: 7.45 ft, minor flooding; 13,600 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 1948: 7.76 ft, moderate flooding; 14,100 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 1949: 5.88 ft, action stage; 8,040 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 1950: 6.16 ft, minor flooding; 8,860 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 1951: 5.80 ft, action stage; 7,060 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 1952: 5.75 ft, action stage; 7,680 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1953: 7.02 ft, minor flooding; 11,500 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1954: 5.11 ft, action stage; 5,710 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1955: 5.37 ft, action stage; 6,240 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1956: 7.19 ft, minor flooding; 11,800 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1957: 6.13 ft, minor flooding; 8,940 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 1958: 6.05 ft, minor flooding; 8,270 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1959: 5.83 ft, action stage; 7,900 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1960: 5.17 ft, action stage; 6,180 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 1961: 4.92 ft, below flood stage; 5,450 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 1962: 5.17 ft, action stage; 5,950 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 1963: 5.57 ft, action stage; 7,200 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1964: 7.88 ft, moderate flooding; 13,700 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 1965: 6.92 ft, minor flooding; 11,200 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 1966: 3.71 ft, below flood stage; 3,180 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 1967: 6.66 ft, minor flooding; 10,400 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 1968: 5.55 ft, action stage; 7,040 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1969: 6.30 ft, minor flooding; 9,010 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 1970: 6.20 ft, minor flooding; 8,980 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 1971: 6.35 ft, minor flooding; 9,430 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1972: 8.04 ft, major flooding; 14,300 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1973: 3.44 ft, below flood stage; 2,510 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1974: 7.07 ft, minor flooding; 10,200 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 1975: 7.54 ft, moderate flooding; 12,700 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1976: 6.75 ft, minor floodingMay 20, 1976: 6.65 ft, minor flooding; 10,800 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 1977: 4.66 ft, below flood stage; 4,780 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1978: 5.86 ft, action stage; 7,550 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1979: 5.76 ft, action stage; 7,550 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 1980: 5.37 ft, action stage; 6,610 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 1981: 6.40 ft, minor flooding; 9,220 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 1982: 6.48 ft, minor flooding; 9,440 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 1983: 5.90 ft, action stage; 7,900 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 1984: 6.85 ft, minor flooding; 10,500 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 1985: 5.32 ft, action stage; 6,500 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 1986: 6.25 ft, minor flooding; 8,810 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 1987: 3.40 ft, below flood stage; 2,550 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 1988: 3.93 ft, below flood stage; 3,480 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1989: 4.25 ft, below flood stage; 3,890 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 1990: 3.82 ft, below flood stage; 3,300 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 1991: 6.88 ft, minor flooding; 10,600 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 1992: 2.83 ft, below flood stage; 1,770 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1993: 4.72 ft, below flood stage; 5,090 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1994: 3.79 ft, below flood stage; 3,250 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 1995: 7.35 ft, minor flooding; 12,000 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1996: 7.36 ft, minor flooding; 12,100 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1997: 8.09 ft, major flooding; 13,000 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 1998: 4.69 ft, below flood stage; 5,020 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 1999: 5.74 ft, action stage; 7,500 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 2000: 3.33 ft, below flood stage; 2,480 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 2001: 3.46 ft, below flood stage; 2,530 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 2002: 4.97 ft, below flood stage; 5,300 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 2003: 6.74 ft, minor flooding; 9,520 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 2004: 3.18 ft, below flood stage; 2,250 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2005: 3.93 ft, below flood stage; 3,430 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2006: 5.49 ft, action stage; 6,500 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 2007: 4.42 ft, below flood stage; 4,150 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2008: 6.16 ft, minor flooding; 7,660 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 2009: 6.21 ft, minor flooding; 7,980 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 2010: 6.94 ft, minor flooding; 10,000 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 2011: 7.46 ft, minor flooding; 11,700 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 2012: 5.25 ft, action stage; 5,970 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 2018: 6.21 ft, minor flooding; 8,268 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 2018: 7.05 ft, minor flooding; 10,470 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 2020: 6.45 ft, minor flooding; 8,745 cubic feet per second Highest, 8.09 ft, Jun 9, 1997 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Big Hole River near Melrose 1930s: 1 1940s: 4 1950s: 5 1960s: 4 1970s: 7 7 1980s: 4 1990s: 4 2000s: 3 2010s: 4 2020s: 1 1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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

The 50 highest of 84 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Big Hole River near Melrose
1Jun 9, 19978.09+2.09Major13,000
2Jun 10, 19728.04+2.04Major14,300
3Jun 9, 19647.88+1.88Moderate13,700
4Jun 3, 19487.76+1.76Moderate14,100
5May 27, 19427.72+1.72Moderate12,500
6Jun 21, 19757.54+1.54Moderate12,700
7Jun 10, 20117.46+1.46Minor11,700
8May 10, 19477.45+1.45Minor13,600
9Jun 10, 19967.36+1.36Minor12,100
10Jun 7, 19957.35+1.35Minor12,000
11May 27, 19567.19+1.19Minor11,800
12Jun 17, 19747.07+1.07Minor10,200
13May 27, 20187.05+1.05Minor10,470
14Jun 4, 19537.02+1.02Minor11,500
15Jun 18, 20106.94+0.94Minor10,000
16Jun 13, 19656.92+0.92Minor11,200
17Jun 7, 19916.88+0.88Minor10,600
18Jun 22, 19846.85+0.85Minor10,500
19Apr 14, 19766.75+0.75Minor—
20May 31, 20036.74+0.74Minor9,520
21Jun 8, 19676.66+0.66Minor10,400
22May 20, 19766.65+0.65Minor10,800
23May 28, 19826.48+0.48Minor9,440
24May 31, 19436.47+0.47Minor9,500
25Jun 19, 20206.45+0.45Minor8,745
26Jun 11, 19816.40+0.40Minor9,220
27Jul 3, 19386.39+0.39Minor8,760
28Jun 1, 19716.35+0.35Minor9,430
29May 21, 19696.30+0.30Minor9,010
30Jun 1, 19866.25+0.25Minor8,810
31Jun 1, 20096.21+0.21Minor7,980
32May 11, 20186.21+0.21Minor8,268
33Jun 8, 19706.20+0.20Minor8,980
34Jun 22, 19506.16+0.16Minor8,860
35May 21, 20086.16+0.16Minor7,660
36May 21, 19576.13+0.13Minor8,940
37May 25, 19586.05+0.05Minor8,270
38Jun 11, 19445.99−0.01Action7,830
39Jun 5, 19335.95−0.05Action8,550
40May 30, 19835.90−0.10Action7,900
41Jun 2, 19495.88−0.12Action8,040
42Jun 10, 19785.86−0.14Action7,550
43Jun 9, 19595.83−0.17Action7,900
44May 25, 19515.80−0.20Action7,060
45May 27, 19795.76−0.24Action7,550
46Apr 20, 19525.75−0.25Action7,680
47May 30, 19995.74−0.26Action7,500
48Jun 5, 19635.57−0.43Action7,200
49Jun 12, 19685.55−0.45Action7,040
50Jun 4, 19365.50−0.50Action7,030

Other gauges in Madison County

Flood gauges in Madison County
Twin Bridges7.07.88 ft, Jun 25, 19840
Twin Bridges10.012.42 ft, Jun 9, 19972

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge MLRM8, 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.