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North Fork Flathead River at Canadian Border

Highest listed crest 10.62 ftFlood stage 10.5 ft10 crests since 1954

The North Fork Flathead River at Canadian Border crested above flood stage 2 times among the 10 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1954 to 2025. The highest, 10.62 ft on June 17, 1974, was minor flooding, 0.12 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
10.62 ft
June 17, 1974; 12,300 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
10.5 ft
Major flooding from 11.5 ft
Crests at major
0
2 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
May 13, 2013
10.62 ft, minor flooding
Location
Flathead County
Montana

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, North Fork Flathead River at Canadian Border
Action stage9.56May 17, 2018The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)10.52May 13, 2013Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage11.00—Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage11.50—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

10 crests from 1954 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the North Fork Flathead River at Canadian Border, 1954 to 2025 789101112ft Flood stage 10.5 ftMajor 11.5 ft May 20, 1954: 10.44 ft, action stage; 11,700 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1974: 10.62 ft, minor flooding; 12,300 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 2002: 10.00 ft, action stage; 9,220 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2008: 10.34 ft, action stage; 9,860 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 2011: 9.90 ft, action stage; 8,900 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 2013: 10.62 ft, minor flooding; 13,400 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 2014: 10.17 ft, action stage; 9,390 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 2018: 10.01 ft, action stage; 11,200 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 2025: 8.23 ft, below flood stage; 4,540 cubic feet per secondDec 11, 2025: 7.43 ft, below flood stage; 3,250 cubic feet per second Highest, 10.62 ft, Jun 17, 1974 1960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, North Fork Flathead River at Canadian Border 1950s: 0 1960s: 0 1970s: 1 1 1980s: 0 1990s: 0 2000s: 0 2010s: 1 2020s: 0 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, North Fork Flathead River at Canadian Border
1Jun 17, 197410.62+0.12Minor12,300
2May 13, 201310.62+0.12Minor13,400
3May 20, 195410.44−0.06Action11,700
4May 25, 200810.34−0.16Action9,860
5Jun 18, 201410.17−0.33Action9,390
6May 17, 201810.01−0.49Action11,200
7May 31, 200210.00−0.50Action9,220
8Jun 8, 20119.90−0.60Action8,900
9May 13, 20258.23−2.27Below flood stage4,540
10Dec 11, 20257.43−3.07Below flood stage3,250

Gauges on the North Fork Flathead River

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

Flood gauges on the North Fork Flathead River
Canadian Border this gaugeMT10.510.62 ft, Jun 17, 19740
Columbia FallsMT13.018.60 ft, Jun 9, 19640

Other gauges in Flathead County

Flood gauges in Flathead County
Columbia Falls13.025.58 ft, Jun 9, 19642
West Glacier10.036.46 ft, Jun 9, 19642
Columbia Falls13.018.60 ft, Jun 9, 19640
Lawrence Park at Kalispell7.58.39 ft, May 19, 20110

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge NFFQ2, 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.