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Clark Fork River above Missoula

Highest listed crest 17.40 ftFlood stage 7.5 ft40 crests since 1908

The Clark Fork River above Missoula crested at major flood stage 6 times among the 40 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1908 to 2026. The highest, 17.40 ft on June 1, 1908, was major flooding, 9.90 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
17.40 ft
June 1, 1908; 48,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
7.5 ft
Major flooding from 13.0 ft
Crests at major
6
8th of 93 gauges in Montana
Most recent flood crest
June 5, 2021
8.13 ft, minor flooding
Location
Missoula County
Near Missoula (4.5 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Clark Fork River above Missoula
Action stage7.01Jun 1, 2026The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)7.526Jun 5, 2021Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage11.06Jun 9, 2011Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage13.06May 11, 2018Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

40 crests from 1908 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Clark Fork River above Missoula, 1908 to 2026 05101520ft Flood stage 7.5 ftMajor 13.0 ft Jun 1, 1908: 17.40 ft, major flooding; 48,000 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 1933: 9.90 ft, minor flooding; 21,600 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 1938: 10.01 ft, minor flooding; 19,700 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 1943: 9.50 ft, minor flooding; 18,700 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 1947: 11.10 ft, moderate flooding; 24,200 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 1948: 13.07 ft, major flooding; 28,320 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 1950: 9.87 ft, minor flooding; 19,800 cubic feet per secondMay 15, 1951: 10.04 ft, minor flooding; 20,400 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1953: 12.34 ft, moderate flooding; 28,800 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 1956: 10.27 ft, minor flooding; 21,200 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1957: 9.61 ft, minor flooding; 18,900 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 1959: 10.34 ft, minor flooding; 20,300 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1964: 13.35 ft, major flooding; 29,410 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 1965: 9.76 ft, minor flooding; 17,700 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 1967: 10.67 ft, minor flooding; 21,100 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1970: 9.76 ft, minor flooding; 17,700 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 1971: 10.14 ft, minor flooding; 19,400 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 1972: 12.27 ft, moderate flooding; 25,310 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1974: 10.68 ft, minor flooding; 19,750 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 1975: 13.75 ft, major flooding; 32,300 cubic feet per secondMay 15, 1976: 12.00 ft, moderate flooding; 25,500 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1979: 9.77 ft, minor flooding; 17,500 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1980: 10.03 ft, minor flooding; 18,300 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 1981: 13.38 ft, major flooding; 29,530 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1982: 10.31 ft, minor flooding; 18,500 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1996: 9.94 ft, minor flooding; 18,500 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 1997: 12.60 ft, moderate flooding; 26,538 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1999: 9.59 ft, minor flooding; 16,300 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 2003: 9.48 ft, minor flooding; 15,900 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2008: 9.48 ft, minor flooding; 17,500 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 2009: 9.49 ft, minor flooding; 17,500 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 2011: 12.72 ft, moderate flooding; 28,500 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 2012: 9.70 ft, minor flooding; 18,500 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 2017: 9.07 ft, minor flooding; 15,900 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 2018: 13.82 ft, major flooding; 32,500 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 2019: 9.13 ft, minor flooding; 16,500 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2020: 10.53 ft, minor flooding; 20,900 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 2021: 8.13 ft, minor flooding; 13,800 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 2025: 5.62 ft, below flood stage; 7,270 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 2026: 7.07 ft, action stage; 10,900 cubic feet per second Highest, 17.40 ft, Jun 1, 1908 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Clark Fork River above Missoula 1900s: 1 1910s: 0 1920s: 0 1930s: 2 1940s: 3 1950s: 6 1960s: 3 1970s: 7 7 1980s: 3 1990s: 3 2000s: 3 2010s: 5 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, Clark Fork River above Missoula
1Jun 1, 190817.40+9.90Major48,000
2May 11, 201813.82+6.32Major32,500
3Jun 21, 197513.75+6.25Major32,300
4May 24, 198113.38+5.88Major29,530
5Jun 10, 196413.35+5.85Major29,410
6May 23, 194813.07+5.57Major28,320
7Jun 9, 201112.72+5.22Moderate28,500
8May 18, 199712.60+5.10Moderate26,538
9Jun 4, 195312.34+4.84Moderate28,800
10Jun 1, 197212.27+4.77Moderate25,310
11May 15, 197612.00+4.50Moderate25,500
12May 9, 194711.10+3.60Moderate24,200
13Jun 17, 197410.68+3.18Minor19,750
14Jun 3, 196710.67+3.17Minor21,100
15May 21, 202010.53+3.03Minor20,900
16Jun 7, 195910.34+2.84Minor20,300
17Jun 17, 198210.31+2.81Minor18,500
18May 23, 195610.27+2.77Minor21,200
19May 14, 197110.14+2.64Minor19,400
20May 15, 195110.04+2.54Minor20,400
21May 27, 198010.03+2.53Minor18,300
22May 30, 193810.01+2.51Minor19,700
23Jun 10, 19969.94+2.44Minor18,500
24Jun 2, 19339.90+2.40Minor21,600
25Jun 19, 19509.87+2.37Minor19,800
26May 27, 19799.77+2.27Minor17,500
27Jun 18, 19659.76+2.26Minor17,700
28May 27, 19709.76+2.26Minor17,700
29Apr 27, 20129.70+2.20Minor18,500
30May 21, 19579.61+2.11Minor18,900
31Jun 4, 19999.59+2.09Minor16,300
32Apr 20, 19439.50+2.00Minor18,700
33May 31, 20099.49+1.99Minor17,500
34Jun 1, 20039.48+1.98Minor15,900
35May 21, 20089.48+1.98Minor17,500
36May 18, 20199.13+1.63Minor16,500
37Jun 14, 20179.07+1.57Minor15,900
38Jun 5, 20218.13+0.63Minor13,800
39Jun 1, 20267.07−0.43Action10,900
40May 12, 20255.62−1.88Below flood stage7,270

The worst floods along the Clark Fork River

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Clark Fork River that crested above flood stage within a week.

May 11, 2018: 13.82 ft here, major flooding

  • MissoulaMT · May 11, 2018 · 12.14 ft · Moderate · its highest

June 21, 1975: 13.75 ft here, major flooding

  • PlainsMT · Jun 22, 1975 · 16.35 ft · Minor
  • MissoulaMT · Jun 21, 1975 · 11.67 ft · Minor

June 10, 1964: 13.35 ft here, major flooding

  • PlainsMT · Jun 11, 1964 · 17.48 ft · Minor
  • MissoulaMT · Jun 10, 1964 · 11.45 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Clark Fork River

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the Clark Fork River
DrummondMT8.010.03 ft, Feb 9, 19960
Missoula this gaugeMT7.517.40 ft, Jun 1, 19086
MissoulaMT11.012.14 ft, May 11, 20180
St. RegisMT19.020.27 ft, May 18, 19970
PlainsMT16.019.17 ft, Jun 5, 19480

Other gauges in Missoula County

Flood gauges in Missoula County
Missoula11.013.11 ft, May 19, 19970
Bonner10.016.00 ft, Feb 9, 19960
Missoula11.012.14 ft, May 11, 20180

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge ABOM8, 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.