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Milk River near Saco

Highest listed crest 26.70 ftFlood stage 20.0 ft15 crests since 1978

The Milk River near Saco crested at major flood stage 7 times among the 15 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1978 to 2023. The highest, 26.70 ft on March 4, 1986, was major flooding, 6.70 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Milk River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
26.70 ft
March 4, 1986; 10,500 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
20.0 ft
Major flooding from 24.0 ft
Crests at major
7
6th of 93 gauges in Montana
Most recent flood crest
April 14, 2023
26.24 ft, major flooding
Location
Valley 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 Saco
Action stage18.02Jun 9, 2013The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)20.03Mar 25, 2019Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage22.03Apr 14, 2011Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage24.07Apr 14, 2023Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

15 crests from 1978 to 2023. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Milk River near Saco, 1978 to 2023 182022242628ft Flood stage 20.0 ftMajor 24.0 ft Apr 3, 1978: 24.20 ft, major flooding; 12,400 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1979: 24.30 ft, major flooding; 9,000 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1986: 26.70 ft, major flooding; 10,500 cubic feet per secondOct 1, 1986: 24.45 ft, major flooding; 11,400 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 1994: 19.52 ft, action stageMar 18, 1996: 22.95 ft, moderate floodingMar 24, 1997: 24.38 ft, major floodingMar 29, 1997: 23.07 ft, moderate flooding; 11,400 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 2011: 22.07 ft, moderate flooding; 10,560 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 2011: 21.53 ft, minor flooding; 9,749 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 2013: 18.83 ft, action stage; 7,891 cubic feet per secondOct 8, 2016: 21.61 ft, minor flooding; 10,115 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 2018: 24.22 ft, major flooding; 12,846 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 2019: 21.96 ft, minor flooding; 10,240 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 2023: 26.24 ft, major flooding; 18,147 cubic feet per second Highest, 26.70 ft, Mar 4, 1986 19801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Milk River near Saco 1970s: 2 1980s: 2 1990s: 3 2000s: 0 2010s: 5 5 2020s: 1 1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 Saco
1Mar 4, 198626.70+6.70Major10,500
2Apr 14, 202326.24+6.24Major18,147
3Oct 1, 198624.45+4.45Major11,400
4Mar 24, 199724.38+4.38Major—
5Mar 21, 197924.30+4.30Major9,000
6Apr 23, 201824.22+4.22Major12,846
7Apr 3, 197824.20+4.20Major12,400
8Mar 29, 199723.07+3.07Moderate11,400
9Mar 18, 199622.95+2.95Moderate—
10Apr 14, 201122.07+2.07Moderate10,560
11Mar 25, 201921.96+1.96Minor10,240
12Oct 8, 201621.61+1.61Minor10,115
13Jun 9, 201121.53+1.53Minor9,749
14Mar 16, 199419.52−0.48Action—
15Jun 9, 201318.83−1.17Action7,891

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.

March 4, 1986: 26.70 ft here, major flooding

April 14, 2023: 26.24 ft here, major flooding

  • GlasgowMT · Apr 16, 2023 · 31.89 ft · Major
  • TampicoMT · Apr 15, 2023 · 27.94 ft · Major
  • HarlemMT · Apr 12, 2023 · 23.80 ft · Moderate
  • NashuaMT · Apr 18, 2023 · 26.47 ft · Minor

October 1, 1986: 24.45 ft here, major flooding

  • HarlemMT · Sep 29, 1986 · 25.73 ft · Major · its highest
  • MaltaMT · Sep 27, 1986 · 23.67 ft · Major · its highest
  • DodsonMT · Sep 26, 1986 · 29.79 ft · Moderate · its highest
  • NashuaMT · Oct 8, 1986 · 26.11 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
DodsonMT23.029.79 ft, Sep 26, 19860
MaltaMT16.023.67 ft, Sep 27, 19861
Saco this gaugeMT20.026.70 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 Valley County

Flood gauges in Valley County
Hinsdale14.019.52 ft, Aug 26, 201410
Nashua20.031.38 ft, Apr 18, 19523
Glasgow25.034.08 ft, Jun 8, 20117
Tampico23.028.03 ft, Apr 15, 20115

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SACM8, 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.