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Shoshone River below Buffalo Bill Reservior

Highest listed crest 11.57 ftFlood stage 9.0 ft55 crests since 1961

The Shoshone River below Buffalo Bill Reservior crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 55 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1961 to 2015. The highest, 11.57 ft on June 9, 1981, was major flooding, 2.57 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
11.57 ft
June 9, 1981; 17,300 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
9.0 ft
Major flooding from 11.0 ft
Crests at major
1
5th of 73 gauges in Wyoming
Most recent flood crest
July 14, 2011
9.03 ft, minor flooding
Location
Park County
Near Cody (2.0 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Shoshone River below Buffalo Bill Reservior
Action stage8.017Jun 10, 2015The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)9.04Jul 14, 2011Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage10.03Jun 20, 1974Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage11.01Jun 9, 1981Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

55 crests from 1961 to 2015. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Shoshone River below Buffalo Bill Reservior, 1961 to 2015 4681012ft Flood stage 9.0 ftMajor 11.0 ft Jun 28, 1961: 5.90 ft, below flood stage; 2,000 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1962: 9.26 ft, minor flooding; 8,670 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 1963: 9.33 ft, minor flooding; 8,860 cubic feet per secondJul 5, 1964: 8.86 ft, action stage; 7,600 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 1965: 9.50 ft, minor flooding; 9,450 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 1966: 6.25 ft, below flood stage; 2,460 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 1967: 10.02 ft, moderate flooding; 11,000 cubic feet per secondJul 8, 1968: 5.55 ft, below flood stage; 1,680 cubic feet per secondAug 9, 1969: 6.72 ft, below flood stage; 3,130 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1970: 10.08 ft, moderate flooding; 11,200 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1971: 8.30 ft, action stage; 6,620 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 1972: 6.94 ft, below flood stage; 3,690 cubic feet per secondJul 22, 1973: 7.77 ft, below flood stage; 5,370 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 1974: 10.36 ft, moderate flooding; 12,000 cubic feet per secondJul 2, 1975: 8.65 ft, action stage; 7,300 cubic feet per secondJul 15, 1976: 7.58 ft, below flood stage; 5,060 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1977: 5.31 ft, below flood stage; 1,460 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 1978: 8.72 ft, action stage; 7,970 cubic feet per secondJul 15, 1979: 5.52 ft, below flood stage; 1,720 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 1980: 7.64 ft, below flood stage; 5,100 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1981: 11.57 ft, major flooding; 17,300 cubic feet per secondJul 5, 1982: 8.41 ft, action stage; 6,750 cubic feet per secondAug 19, 1982: 5.16 ft, below flood stage; 5 cubic feet per secondJul 10, 1983: 7.81 ft, below flood stage; 5,510 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 1984: 8.55 ft, action stage; 7,670 cubic feet per secondJul 7, 1985: 5.03 ft, below flood stage; 1,290 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 1986: 8.90 ft, action stage; 8,310 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 1987: 6.92 ft, below flood stage; 3,910 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 1988: 5.20 ft, below flood stage; 1,480 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 1989: 6.75 ft, below flood stage; 3,610 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 1990: 7.04 ft, below flood stage; 4,130 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 1991: 8.09 ft, action stage; 6,290 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 1993: 5.23 ft, below flood stage; 1,450 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 1994: 5.29 ft, below flood stage; 1,660 cubic feet per secondJul 15, 1995: 8.25 ft, action stage; 6,430 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1996: 8.70 ft, action stage; 7,400 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 1997: 8.07 ft, action stage; 6,150 cubic feet per secondJul 5, 1998: 8.82 ft, action stage; 8,090 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 1999: 6.87 ft, below flood stage; 3,790 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 2000: 5.86 ft, below flood stage; 2,130 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 2001: 6.63 ft, below flood stage; 3,120 cubic feet per secondAug 29, 2002: 5.64 ft, below flood stage; 1,690 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 2003: 8.29 ft, action stage; 6,710 cubic feet per secondJul 20, 2004: 5.35 ft, below flood stage; 1,530 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2005: 8.01 ft, action stage; 6,110 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 2006: 6.85 ft, below flood stage; 3,800 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 2007: 5.05 ft, below flood stage; 1,330 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 2008: 8.55 ft, action stage; 7,370 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 2009: 8.68 ft, action stage; 7,730 cubic feet per secondJul 2, 2010: 7.80 ft, below flood stage; 5,755 cubic feet per secondJul 14, 2011: 9.03 ft, minor flooding; 8,550 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 2012: 6.12 ft, below flood stage; 2,620 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 2013: 6.79 ft, below flood stage; 3,680 cubic feet per secondJul 12, 2014: 7.76 ft, below flood stage; 5,560 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 2015: 8.28 ft, action stage; 6,740 cubic feet per second Highest, 11.57 ft, Jun 9, 1981 19701980199020002010

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Shoshone River below Buffalo Bill Reservior 1960s: 4 4 1970s: 2 1980s: 1 1990s: 0 2000s: 0 2010s: 1 1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s
  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 55 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Shoshone River below Buffalo Bill Reservior
1Jun 9, 198111.57+2.57Major17,300
2Jun 20, 197410.36+1.36Moderate12,000
3Jun 28, 197010.08+1.08Moderate11,200
4Jul 1, 196710.02+1.02Moderate11,000
5Jun 25, 19659.50+0.50Minor9,450
6Jun 21, 19639.33+0.33Minor8,860
7Jun 28, 19629.26+0.26Minor8,670
8Jul 14, 20119.03+0.03Minor8,550
9Jun 18, 19868.90−0.10Action8,310
10Jul 5, 19648.86−0.14Action7,600
11Jul 5, 19988.82−0.18Action8,090
12Jul 4, 19788.72−0.28Action7,970
13Jun 28, 19968.70−0.30Action7,400
14Jun 22, 20098.68−0.32Action7,730
15Jul 2, 19758.65−0.35Action7,300
16Jun 30, 19848.55−0.45Action7,670
17Jul 6, 20088.55−0.45Action7,370
18Jul 5, 19828.41−0.59Action6,750
19Jun 28, 19718.30−0.70Action6,620
20Jun 19, 20038.29−0.71Action6,710
21Jun 10, 20158.28−0.72Action6,740
22Jul 15, 19958.25−0.75Action6,430
23Jun 14, 19918.09−0.91Action6,290
24Jun 23, 19978.07−0.93Action6,150
25Jun 24, 20058.01−0.99Action6,110
26Jul 10, 19837.81−1.19Below flood stage5,510
27Jul 2, 20107.80−1.20Below flood stage5,755
28Jul 22, 19737.77−1.23Below flood stage5,370
29Jul 12, 20147.76−1.24Below flood stage5,560
30Jun 27, 19807.64−1.36Below flood stage5,100
31Jul 15, 19767.58−1.42Below flood stage5,060
32Jul 6, 19907.04−1.96Below flood stage4,130
33Jun 13, 19726.94−2.06Below flood stage3,690
34Jun 11, 19876.92−2.08Below flood stage3,910
35Jun 21, 19996.87−2.13Below flood stage3,790
36Jun 11, 20066.85−2.15Below flood stage3,800
37Jun 28, 20136.79−2.21Below flood stage3,680
38Jun 20, 19896.75−2.25Below flood stage3,610
39Aug 9, 19696.72−2.28Below flood stage3,130
40Jun 13, 20016.63−2.37Below flood stage3,120
41Jul 3, 19666.25−2.75Below flood stage2,460
42Jun 10, 20126.12−2.88Below flood stage2,620
43Jun 28, 19615.90−3.10Below flood stage2,000
44May 16, 20005.86−3.14Below flood stage2,130
45Aug 29, 20025.64−3.36Below flood stage1,690
46Jul 8, 19685.55−3.45Below flood stage1,680
47Jul 15, 19795.52−3.48Below flood stage1,720
48Jul 20, 20045.35−3.65Below flood stage1,530
49Jun 10, 19775.31−3.69Below flood stage1,460
50May 12, 19945.29−3.71Below flood stage1,660

Gauges on the Shoshone River

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

Flood gauges on the Shoshone River
Buffalo Bill Reservior this gaugeWY9.011.57 ft, Jun 9, 19811
LovellWY11.011.51 ft, Jun 18, 20180

Other gauges in Park County

Flood gauges in Park County
Meeteetse7.59.20 ft, Jun 15, 19630
Tower Falls15.017.19 ft, Jun 13, 20221
Wapiti8.010.40 ft, Jun 13, 20221

Park County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Wyoming

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SHOW4, 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.