Clark Fork above Missoula, MT
Western Montana (Clark Fork & Bitterroot) · USGS gauge 12340500 · Updated Oct 24, 2:37 PM PDT · USGS data, provisional
All 3 Clark Fork gauges in Montana
Reading time: Oct 24, 2:00 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
- 86th percentile
- Typical range (25th–75th)
- 1,310–1,760 cfs
- Median for this date
- 1,500 cfs
- 7-day low / high
- 1,380 / 1,960 cfs
Plain-language explanation
Clark Fork above Missoula is flowing at 1,960 cubic feet per second (cfs) as of Oct 24, 2:00 PM PDT. That is on the high side for this time of year: higher than about 86% of the daily flows this gauge has recorded for this date (give or take 7 days) over 98 years of record (1929–2026).
The middle half of those historical flows runs from 1,310 to 1,760 cfs, with a median of 1,500 cfs; the lowest 10% of days are at or below 1,130 cfs and the highest 10% at or above 2,040 cfs.
Over the last 24 hours the flow has been rising (+30.7%). In the last 7 days it ranged from 1,380 to 1,960 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 Clark Fork above Missoula fishable today?
Flowcast's status for the Clark Fork above Missoula is “High but doable”: flow is 1,960 cfs, above normal for the date but not extreme, at the 86th percentile for this date (as of Oct 24, 2:00 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 Clark Fork above Missoula?
1,960 cubic feet per second at USGS gauge 12340500 as of Oct 24, 2:00 PM PDT, provisional data.
Is the Clark Fork above Missoula too high or too low right now?
It is a bit high: above the typical range for the date (1,310 to 1,760 cfs), not extreme.
Is the Clark Fork above Missoula rising or falling?
Over the last 24 hours the flow has been rising (+30.7%).
What is a normal flow for the Clark Fork above Missoula in October?
For this date (give or take 7 days) the median is 1,500 cfs and the middle half of days runs 1,310 to 1,760 cfs, over 98 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 | 1,472 | 48th | Fishable/Floatable |
| Mon Oct 19 | 1,454 | 45th | Fishable/Floatable |
| Tue Oct 20 | 1,430 | 43rd | Fishable/Floatable |
| Wed Oct 21 | 1,413 | 40th | Fishable/Floatable |
| Thu Oct 22 | 1,395 | 38th | Fishable/Floatable |
| Fri Oct 23 | 1,485 | 48th | Fishable/Floatable |
| Sat Oct 24 (so far) | 1,794 | 77th | High but doable |
Seasonal context
Shaded band: 10th–90th percentile of daily flows through the year; dashed line: median. Log scale. Dot: today's flow. Based on 98 years of USGS daily data (1929–2026).
Guide, outfitter or fly shop on this river? List your service on Flowcast (free early listings, launching).
Official resources
- USGS site page for gauge 12340500 (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-12340500
- USGS name
- Clark Fork Above Missoula Mt
- Drainage area
- 6,021 sq mi
- Location
- 46.8768, -113.9321
- Record in this analysis
- 1929–2026
Nearby gauges
- Bitterroot River near Missoula, MT Fishable/Floatable 899 cfs · about 7 mi away (straight line)
- Blackfoot River near Bonner, MT High but doable 734 cfs · about 8 mi away (straight line)
- Clark Fork below Missoula, MT Fishable/Floatable 2,700 cfs · about 9 mi away (straight line)
- Rock Creek near Clinton, MT Use caution 480 cfs · about 16 mi away (straight line)
- Clark Fork near Plains, MT Fishable/Floatable 10,200 cfs · about 58 mi away (straight line)
Browse this region
Questions about what the status means? How to read a status · FAQ.