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Milk River near Dodson

Highest listed crest 29.79 ftFlood stage 23.0 ft17 crests since 1983

The Milk River near Dodson crested above flood stage 6 times among the 17 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1983 to 2019. The highest, 29.79 ft on September 26, 1986, was moderate flooding, 6.79 feet above flood stage. 3 other gauges on the Milk River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 2 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
29.79 ft
September 26, 1986; 13,200 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
23.0 ft
Major flooding from 31.0 ft
Crests at major
0
6 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
April 23, 2018
28.14 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Phillips County
Montana

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Milk River near Dodson
Action stage21.05Aug 26, 2014The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)23.04Jun 5, 2013Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage28.02Apr 23, 2018Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage31.00—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

17 crests from 1983 to 2019. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Milk River near Dodson, 1983 to 2019 1520253035ft Flood stage 23.0 ftMajor 31.0 ft Jul 12, 1983: 16.56 ft, below flood stage; 2,350 cubic feet per secondSep 26, 1986: 29.79 ft, moderate flooding; 13,200 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 1991: 18.45 ft, below flood stage; 2,940 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1994: 22.71 ft, action stage; 5,200 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 1996: 24.51 ft, minor floodingMar 26, 1997: 21.38 ft, action stageMar 11, 2004: 22.71 ft, action stageJun 30, 2010: 19.28 ft, below flood stageMar 19, 2011: 22.93 ft, action stageMay 23, 2011: 26.25 ft, minor flooding; 8,550 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 2011: 25.76 ft, minor flooding; 8,338 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 2013: 25.95 ft, minor flooding; 8,500 cubic feet per secondAug 26, 2014: 22.96 ft, action stage; 6,238 cubic feet per secondOct 6, 2016: 19.29 ft, below flood stage; 4,128 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 2017: 18.49 ft, below flood stage; 3,735 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 2018: 28.14 ft, moderate flooding; 10,683 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 2019: 20.80 ft, below flood stage; 4,870 cubic feet per second Highest, 29.79 ft, Sep 26, 1986 1990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Milk River near Dodson 1980s: 1 1990s: 1 2000s: 0 2010s: 4 4 1980s1990s2000s2010s
  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, Milk River near Dodson
1Sep 26, 198629.79+6.79Moderate13,200
2Apr 23, 201828.14+5.14Moderate10,683
3May 23, 201126.25+3.25Minor8,550
4Jun 5, 201325.95+2.95Minor8,500
5Jun 9, 201125.76+2.76Minor8,338
6Mar 14, 199624.51+1.51Minor—
7Aug 26, 201422.96−0.04Action6,238
8Mar 19, 201122.93−0.07Action—
9Mar 17, 199422.71−0.29Action5,200
10Mar 11, 200422.71−0.29Action—
11Mar 26, 199721.38−1.62Action—
12Mar 23, 201920.80−2.20Below flood stage4,870
13Oct 6, 201619.29−3.71Below flood stage4,128
14Jun 30, 201019.28−3.72Below flood stage—
15Mar 22, 201718.49−4.51Below flood stage3,735
16Jun 30, 199118.45−4.55Below flood stage2,940
17Jul 12, 198316.56−6.44Below flood stage2,350

The worst floods along the Milk River

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

September 26, 1986: 29.79 ft here, moderate flooding

  • HarlemMT · Sep 29, 1986 · 25.73 ft · Major · its highest
  • SacoMT · Oct 1, 1986 · 24.45 ft · Major
  • MaltaMT · Sep 27, 1986 · 23.67 ft · Major · its highest

April 23, 2018: 28.14 ft here, moderate flooding

  • SacoMT · Apr 23, 2018 · 24.22 ft · Major
  • GlasgowMT · Apr 29, 2018 · 30.09 ft · Moderate
  • TampicoMT · Apr 25, 2018 · 26.98 ft · Moderate
  • HarlemMT · Apr 22, 2018 · 24.46 ft · Moderate
  • NashuaMT · Apr 30, 2018 · 22.35 ft · Minor
  • MaltaMT · Apr 26, 2018 · 18.13 ft · Minor
  • HavreMT · Apr 19, 2018 · 14.14 ft · Minor

May 23, 2011: 26.25 ft here, minor flooding

  • GlasgowMT · May 24, 2011 · 30.38 ft · Moderate
  • MaltaMT · May 25, 2011 · 17.64 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Milk River

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

Flood gauges on the Milk River
Eastern Crossing nr RudyardMT9.513.65 ft, Mar 28, 19521
HavreMT10.015.30 ft, Mar 31, 19780
HarlemMT21.025.73 ft, Sep 29, 19862
Dodson this gaugeMT23.029.79 ft, Sep 26, 19860
MaltaMT16.023.67 ft, Sep 27, 19861
SacoMT20.026.70 ft, Mar 4, 19867
TampicoMT23.028.03 ft, Apr 15, 20115
GlasgowMT25.034.08 ft, Jun 8, 20117
NashuaMT20.031.38 ft, Apr 18, 19523

Other gauges in Phillips County

Flood gauges in Phillips County
Saco11.014.68 ft, Sep 26, 19860
Intl Boundary12.019.90 ft, Apr 15, 19520
Malta16.023.67 ft, Sep 27, 19861
Landusky27.034.17 ft, Mar 25, 19781

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge DMRM8, 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.