Yellowstone River level at Livingston
Montana · Fishing & wading
Measured at USGS 06192500 — Yellowstone River near Livingston, MT · NWS forecast point LIVM8
Reading taken · as of 1 hour ago
Below normal — good wading, low and clear
At 1,740 CFS, this gauge is running 77% of normal for mid-September — below the 2,270 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 102 years of record (1897–2026).
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Flood stages at Livingston
National Weather Service categories for gauge LIVM8, WFO BYZ. Impact wording is the NWS's own, verbatim.
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Major flood 11.0 ft
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Moderate flood 10.5 ft
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Minor flood 10.0 ft
- 10.0 ft Roads to mill creek, cinnebar basin and trail creek are covered with water. Water will also be over portions of yellowstone park road for 800 yards, 3.5 miles south of town, including a few farm homes. Flooding over the road to 9th street island with water reaching some homes.
- Right now 0.01 ft
Flow history at Livingston
Daily values from USGS 06192500, updated every 15 to 60 minutes; NWS forecast for LIVM8 reissued through the day. Provisional.
Highest crests on record at Livingston
12 on record
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 11.63 ft | 55,200 CFS | Jun 13, 2022 |
| 10.72 ft | 38,000 CFS | Jun 6, 1997 |
| 10.20 ft | 30,600 CFS | Jun 1, 2020 |
| 10.18 ft | 33,600 CFS | May 27, 2018 |
| 10.15 ft | 40,600 CFS | Jun 30, 2011 |
| 9.97 ft | 37,100 CFS | Jun 10, 1996 |
| 9.70 ft | 32,700 CFS | May 29, 2014 |
| 9.62 ft | 26,300 CFS | Jun 6, 2017 |
| 9.52 ft | 26,300 CFS | Jun 25, 2008 |
| 9.46 ft | 27,200 CFS | Jun 1, 2003 |
Crests published by the National Weather Service.
About Yellowstone River at Livingston
In Montana — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters here check before committing to a shuttle. Paradise Valley; runoff clarity searches all spring.
Yellowstone River at Livingston — common questions
3 questions
What makes the flow change on Yellowstone River at Livingston?
Rain upstream, plus seasonal baseflow. The 12-month chart shows how it behaves through the year.
Is Yellowstone River at Livingston high or low for this time of year?
The USGS median flow for mid-September here is 2,270 CFS, from 102 years of record (1897–2026). Today is 77% of it. The comparison is what makes the raw number mean anything: the same reading is a drought on one river and a flood on another.
How often does this reading update?
USGS transmits from gauge 06192500 every 15 to 60 minutes, and the National Weather Service reissues the flood forecast for LIVM8 a few times a day — more often when the river is rising. This page refreshes from both when you open it. The timestamp is in the gauge's local time.