Big Hole River near Melrose, MT
Southwest Montana (Beaverhead & Big Hole) · USGS gauge 06025500 · Updated Oct 24, 2:37 PM PDT · USGS data, provisional
All 2 Big Hole River gauges in Montana
Reading time: Oct 24, 2:15 PM PDT · Provisional data
Flow is above normal for the date but not extreme. Expect faster, pushier water and fewer safe wading spots. Experience level and the specific stretch matter a lot.
- Vs. normal for this date
- 84th percentile
- Typical range (25th–75th)
- 385–612 cfs
- Median for this date
- 490 cfs
- 7-day low / high
- 428 / 657 cfs
Plain-language explanation
Big Hole River near Melrose is flowing at 657 cubic feet per second (cfs) as of Oct 24, 2:15 PM PDT. That is on the high side for this time of year: higher than about 84% of the daily flows this gauge has recorded for this date (give or take 7 days) over 104 years of record (1923–2026).
The middle half of those historical flows runs from 385 to 612 cfs, with a median of 490 cfs; the lowest 10% of days are at or below 310 cfs and the highest 10% at or above 743 cfs.
Over the last 24 hours the flow has been rising (+30.9%). In the last 7 days it ranged from 428 to 657 cfs.
Why this status: Flow is above the seasonal 75th percentile and above the 50th percentile of all days on record.
Quick answers
Is the Big Hole River near Melrose fishable today?
Flowcast's status for the Big Hole River near Melrose is “High but doable”: flow is 657 cfs, above normal for the date but not extreme, at the 84th percentile for this date (as of Oct 24, 2:15 PM PDT). That describes flow only. It says nothing about water clarity, temperature, fish activity, access or fishing regulations.
What is the current flow of the Big Hole River near Melrose?
657 cubic feet per second at USGS gauge 06025500 as of Oct 24, 2:15 PM PDT, provisional data.
Is the Big Hole River near Melrose too high or too low right now?
It is a bit high: above the typical range for the date (385 to 612 cfs), not extreme.
Is the Big Hole River near Melrose rising or falling?
Over the last 24 hours the flow has been rising (+30.9%).
What is a normal flow for the Big Hole River near Melrose in October?
For this date (give or take 7 days) the median is 490 cfs and the middle half of days runs 385 to 612 cfs, over 104 years of USGS record.
7-day trend
Hourly flow in cfs, Pacific time. The shaded band is the typical range (25th–75th percentile) for this date, shown when it falls within the chart.
| Day (Pacific) | Mean cfs | Percentile | Status that day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun Oct 18 | 468 | 51st | Fishable/Floatable |
| Mon Oct 19 | 456 | 48th | Fishable/Floatable |
| Tue Oct 20 | 445 | 44th | Fishable/Floatable |
| Wed Oct 21 | 438 | 41st | Fishable/Floatable |
| Thu Oct 22 | 431 | 38th | Fishable/Floatable |
| Fri Oct 23 | 470 | 47th | Fishable/Floatable |
| Sat Oct 24 (so far) | 585 | 69th | Fishable/Floatable |
Seasonal context
Shaded band: 10th–90th percentile of daily flows through the year; dashed line: median. Log scale. Dot: today's flow. Based on 104 years of USGS daily data (1923–2026).
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Official resources
- USGS site page for gauge 06025500 (USGS: live readings, history, station details)
- Montana fishing regulations (FWP)
- Montana aquatic invasive species (FWP)
- Montana fishing access sites (FWP)
Links go to the agencies' own websites and were checked as working. Flowcast does not summarize fishing or boating rules: regulations and closures change, and the agency pages are the authority.
About this gauge
- USGS site
- USGS-06025500
- USGS name
- Big Hole River Near Melrose Mt
- Drainage area
- 2,472 sq mi
- Location
- 45.5266, -112.7017
- Record in this analysis
- 1923–2026
Nearby gauges
- Beaverhead River near Twin Bridges, MT Fishable/Floatable 290 cfs · about 16 mi away (straight line)
- Beaverhead River at Dillon, MT Fishable/Floatable 159 cfs · about 21 mi away (straight line)
- Big Hole River below Big Lake Creek, at Wisdom, MT Use caution 308 cfs · about 37 mi away (straight line)
- Madison River near Cameron, MT Fishable/Floatable 994 cfs · about 50 mi away (straight line)
- Madison River below Ennis Lake, near McAllister, MT Fishable/Floatable 1,410 cfs · about 52 mi away (straight line)
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