River Conditions

Note: Be aware that river conditions can change rapidly depending on weather and other factors. These condition reports are for reference only, and are not authoritative guides.

Cubic Feed per Second (CFS) and Water Depth are based on USGS Survey Stations near the river segment. Current stream-flow data can be found at NOAA's Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service.

Flathead River Condition Reports

Middle Fork CFS and Water Depth from the USGS Survey Station at West Glacier (123585000)

Date	Put-In	Take-Out	Length (mi)	Float Time (hrs)	CFS/Depth	Observed Conditions
08/31/25	Blankenship	House of Mystery	11	4	565 cfs/ 1.8 ft	Low Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Most rocks/obstacles exposed. All rock bars exposed. Most craft will need to be pushed through some sections. Portage may be required in some sections. Very slow water. Minimal hydraulic effects.
08/30/25	Moccasin Creek	Blankenship	14.5	5.5	565 cfs/ 1.8 ft	Low Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Most rocks/obstacles exposed. All rock bars exposed. Most craft will need to be pushed through some sections. Portage may be required in some sections. Very slow water. Minimal hydraulic effects.
08/28/25	Blankenship	House of Mystery	11	4.25	573 cfs/ 1.81 ft	Low Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Most rocks/obstacles exposed. All rock bars exposed. Most craft will need to be pushed through some sections. Portage may be required in some sections. Very slow water. Minimal hydraulic effects.
08/17/2025	Essex	Paola	6.5 miles	4.5 hours	812 cfs/ 2.07 ft	THIS TRIP WAS DONE WITH A PACKRAFT Low Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Most rocks/obstacles exposed. All rock bars exposed. Most craft will need to be pushed through some sections. Portage may be required in some sections. Very slow water. Minimal hydraulic effects.
08/16/2025	Bear Creek	Essex	5 miles	2.5 hours	812 cfs/ 2.07 ft	THIS TRIP WAS DONE WITH A PACKRAFT Low Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Most rocks/obstacles exposed. All rock bars exposed. Most craft will need to be pushed through some sections. Portage may be required in some sections. Very slow water. Minimal hydraulic effects.
08/15/2025	Blankenship	House of Mystery	10 miles	3 hours	833 cfs/ 2.09 ft	Low-Moderate Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Many rocks/obstacles exposed. Many rocks near the surface. Most rock bars exposed. Heavy craft may need to be pushed through some sections. Slow water. Reduced hydraulic effects.
08/14/2025	Moccasin Creek	West Glacier	7 miles	3 hours	885 cfs/ 2.14 ft	Low-Moderate Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Many rocks/obstacles exposed. Many rocks near the surface. Most rock bars exposed. Heavy craft may need to be pushed through some sections. Slow water. Reduced hydraulic effects.
08/03/2025	Cascadilla	West Glacier	16 miles	4.75 hours	1270 cfs/ 2.51 ft	Low Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Most rocks/obstacles exposed. All rock bars exposed. Most craft will need to be pushed through some sections. Portage may be required in some sections. Very slow water. Minimal hydraulic effects.
08/02/2025	Paola	Cascadilla	12 miles	3 hours	1210 cfs/ 2.47 ft	Low-Moderate Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Many rocks/obstacles exposed. Many rocks near the surface. Most rock bars exposed. Heavy craft may need to be pushed through some sections. Slow water. Reduced hydraulic effects.
08/01/2025	Moccasin	Blankenship	14.5 miles	4.75 hours	1200 cfs/ 2.46 ft	Low-Moderate Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Many rocks/obstacles exposed. Many rocks near the surface. Most rock bars exposed. Heavy craft may need to be pushed through some sections. Slow water. Reduced hydraulic effects.
07/28/2025	Moccasin	West Glacier	9 miles	3 hours	1460 cfs/ 2.65 ft	Low-Moderate Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Many rocks/obstacles exposed. Many rocks near the surface. Most rock bars exposed. Heavy craft may need to be pushed through some sections. Slow water. Reduced hydraulic effects.
07/20/25	Essex	Paola	7 miles	3.5 hours	1370 CFS 2.59 ft	Low-Moderate Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Many rocks/obstacles exposed. Many rocks near the surface. Most rock bars exposed. Heavy craft may need to be pushed through some sections. Slow water. Reduced hydraulic effects.
07/19/25	Cascadilla	West Glacier	15 miles	4.5 hours	1420CFS 2.2 ft	Low-Moderate Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Many rocks/obstacles exposed. Many rocks near the surface. Most rock bars exposed. Heavy craft may need to be pushed through some sections. Slow water. Reduced hydraulic effects. River Obstacles: Left and Right Channels at river mile 29 are partially blocked by log jams and may require portage on both channels.
07/18	Paola	Cascadilla	12 miles	4 hours	1460 cf/s 2.65ft	Low-Moderate Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Many rocks/obstacles exposed. Many rocks near the surface. Most rock bars exposed. Heavy craft may need to be pushed through some sections. Slow water. Reduced hydraulic effects.
07/04	Paola	Cascadilla	12 miles	4 hours	2350cf/s 3.19ft	Low-Moderate Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Many rocks/obstacles exposed. Many rocks near the surface. Most rock bars exposed. Heavy craft may need to be pushed through some sections. Slow water. Reduced hydraulic effects.
07/03	Bear Creek	Essex	4.5 miles	2.5 hours	2430cf/s 3.23ft	Low-Moderate Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Many rocks/obstacles exposed. Many rocks near the surface. Most rock bars exposed. Heavy craft may need to be pushed through some sections. Slow water. Reduced hydraulic effects.
06/30	West Glacier	Blankenship	5.5 miles	2 hours	2530cf/s 3.28 ft	Moderate Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Some rocks/obstacles exposed. Many rocks near the surface. Many rock bars exposed. Navigable channel generally available. Unlikely that craft will need to be pushed. Strong hydraulic effects in a few locations. Seasonally flooded vegetation entirely exposed.

North Fork CFS and Water Depth from the USGS Survey Station at Columbia Falls (123555000)

Date	Put-In	Take-Out	Length (mi)	Float Time (hrs)	CFS/Depth	Observed Conditions
08/24/2025	Coal Creek	Big Creek	10.5	2.5	869 CFS/ 2.06 ft	Low Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Most rocks/obstacles exposed. All rock bars exposed. Most craft will need to be pushed through some sections. Portage may be required in some sections. Very slow water. Minimal hydraulic effects.
08/23/2025	Polebridge	Coal Creek	9.5	3.5	902 CFS/ 2.10 ft	Low Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Most rocks/obstacles exposed. All rock bars exposed. Most craft will need to be pushed through some sections. Portage may be required in some sections. Very slow water. Minimal hydraulic effects. River Obstacles Main channel splits at river mile 31.5, the end of the right channel is completely blocked by a strainer at river mile 31, but portage over the gravel bar on river left is feasible. At river mile 27.25 there are multiple channels that have obstacles or are unscouted. The far-left channel is passable and may require portaging over the gravel bar later in the season.
08/22/2025	Big Creek	Blankenship	16	4.5	934 CFS/2.13 ft	Low Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Most rocks/obstacles exposed. All rock bars exposed. Most craft will need to be pushed through some sections. Portage may be required in some sections. Very slow water. Minimal hydraulic effects.
08/21/2025	Glacier Rim	Blankenship	4	1	960 CFS/2.16 ft	Low Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Most rocks/obstacles exposed. All rock bars exposed. Most craft will need to be pushed through some sections. Portage may be required in some sections. Very slow water. Minimal hydraulic effects.
08/11/2025	Big Creek	Glacier Rim	12 miles	3.5 hours	1370 cfs/ 2.65 ft	Low-Moderate Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Many rocks/obstacles exposed. Many rocks near the surface. Most rock bars exposed. Heavy craft may need to be pushed through some sections. Slow water. Reduced hydraulic effects.
08/10/2025	Ford	Polebridge	11 miles	2.75 hours	1400 cfs/ 2.65 ft	Low-Moderate Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Many rocks/obstacles exposed. Many rocks near the surface. Most rock bars exposed. Heavy craft may need to be pushed through some sections. Slow water. Reduced hydraulic effects.
08/09/2025	Polebridge	Coal Creek	9.5 miles	2.75 hours	1490 cfs/ 2.75 ft	Low-Moderate Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Many rocks/obstacles exposed. Many rocks near the surface. Most rock bars exposed. Heavy craft may need to be pushed through some sections. Slow water. Reduced hydraulic effects. River Obstacles Main channel splits at river mile 31.5, the end of the right channel is completely blocked by a strainer at river mile 31, but portage over the gravel bar on river left is feasible. At river mile 27.25 there are multiple channels that have obstacles or are unscouted. The far-left channel is passable and may require portaging over the gravel bar later in the season.
08/08/2025	Big Creek	Glacier Rim	12 miles	3 hours	1540 cfs/ 2.79 ft	Low-Moderate Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Many rocks/obstacles exposed. Many rocks near the surface. Most rock bars exposed. Heavy craft may need to be pushed through some sections. Slow water. Reduced hydraulic effects.
08/01/2025	Big Creek	Blankenship	16 miles	4.5 hours	1610 cfs/ 2.85 ft	Low-Moderate Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Many rocks/obstacles exposed. Many rocks near the surface. Most rock bars exposed. Heavy craft may need to be pushed through some sections. Slow water. Reduced hydraulic effects.
7/27/25	Ford	Polebridge	11 miles	3 hours	2150 cfs/3.24 ft	Low-Moderate Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Many rocks/obstacles exposed. Many rocks near the surface. Most rock bars exposed. Heavy craft may need to be pushed through some sections. Slow water. Reduced hydraulic effects.
7/26/25	Border	Ford	14 miles	3.5 hours	2310 cfs/3.35 ft	Low Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Most rocks/obstacles exposed. All rock bars exposed. Most craft will need to be pushed through some sections. Portage may be required in some sections. Very slow water. Minimal hydraulic effects. River Obstacles Pinned canoe debris in river presenting navigational challenge at river mile 47.
7/25/25	Polebridge	Coal Creek	9.5 miles	2.5 hours	2500 cfs/3.47 ft	Low-Moderate Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Many rocks/obstacles exposed. Many rocks near the surface. Most rock bars exposed. Heavy craft may need to be pushed through some sections. Slow water. Reduced hydraulic effects. River Obstacles Main channel splits at river mile 31.5, the end of the right channel is completely blocked by a strainer at river mile 31, but portage over the gravel bar on river left is feasible. At river mile 27.25 there are multiple channels that have obstacles or are unscouted. The far-left channel is passable and may require portaging over the gravel bar later in the season.
7/13/25	Border	Ford	14 miles	3.5 hours	1960 cfs/ 3.12 ft	Low Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Most rocks/obstacles exposed. All rock bars exposed. Most craft will need to be pushed through some sections. Portage may be required in some sections. Very slow water. Minimal hydraulic effects. River Obstacles Main channel partially blocked by tree/strainer on river left at river mile 57.
7/06/25	Great Northern Flats	Glacier Rim	7.2 miles	3 hours	2950 cfs/3.74 ft	Moderate Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Some rocks/obstacles exposed. Many rocks near the surface. Many rock bars exposed. Navigable channel generally available. Unlikely that craft will need to be pushed. Strong hydraulic effects in a few locations. Seasonally flooded vegetation entirely exposed.
6/24/25	Coal Creek	Big Creek	9.5 miles	3.5 hours	3670 cfs/4.13 ft	Moderate Flow Water clear. Little/no debris present. Some rocks/obstacles exposed. Many rocks near the surface. Many rock bars exposed. Navigable channel generally available. Unlikely that craft will need to be pushed. Strong hydraulic effects in a few locations. Seasonally flooded vegetation entirely exposed.

Last updated August 31st, 2025

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River Conditions

Flathead River Condition Reports

Alerts and Fire Danger Status

Alerts:

Fire Danger Status

River Conditions

Flathead River Condition Reports

Middle Fork of the Flathead River

North Fork of the Flathead River