Bitterroot River at Bell Crossing nr Victor MT
USGS 12350250 · Montana · reports discharge (live), gauge height
Reading Bitterroot River at Bell Crossing nr Victor MT…
Back to the search
USGS 12350250 · Montana · reports discharge (live), gauge height
What the agencies suggest
Carry a pocket thermometer to monitor water temperatureNational Park Service
General guidance from the readings and the published lines named above, not a fishing forecast. Local rules and closures come first.
Reading Nov 1, 12:45 AM MDT · provisional USGS data
This is the latest value USGS returned and it is more than a day old. It is not today's reading.
Below NWS action stage
Discharge, last 7 days: 53 readings from Oct 29, 8:45 PM MDT to Nov 1, 12:45 AM MDT; ranging 499 to 530 ft³/s; latest 504 ft³/s; shaded band: typical range (25th–75th percentile) for each date.
USGS provisional data may be revised. Source: USGS instantaneous values.
| Time | Discharge (ft³/s) | Gauge height (ft) | Normal, 25th–75th (ft³/s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 12:45 AM MDT | 504 | 4.74 | – |
| Oct 31, 11:45 PM MDT | 504 | 4.74 | 397–781 |
| Oct 31, 10:45 PM MDT | 499 | 4.73 | 397–781 |
| Oct 31, 9:45 PM MDT | 504 | 4.74 | 397–781 |
| Oct 31, 8:45 PM MDT | 504 | 4.74 | 397–781 |
| Oct 31, 7:45 PM MDT | 499 | 4.73 | 397–781 |
| Oct 31, 6:45 PM MDT | 504 | 4.74 | 397–781 |
| Oct 31, 5:45 PM MDT | 504 | 4.74 | 397–781 |
| Oct 31, 4:45 PM MDT | 504 | 4.74 | 397–781 |
| Oct 31, 3:45 PM MDT | 499 | 4.73 | 397–781 |
| Oct 31, 2:45 PM MDT | 499 | 4.73 | 397–781 |
| Oct 31, 1:45 PM MDT | 504 | 4.74 | 397–781 |
| Oct 31, 12:45 PM MDT | 504 | 4.74 | 397–781 |
| Oct 31, 11:45 AM MDT | 504 | 4.74 | 397–781 |
| Oct 31, 10:45 AM MDT | 499 | 4.73 | 397–781 |
| Oct 31, 9:45 AM MDT | 504 | 4.74 | 397–781 |
| Oct 31, 8:45 AM MDT | 509 | 4.75 | 397–781 |
| Oct 31, 7:45 AM MDT | 504 | 4.74 | 397–781 |
| Oct 31, 6:45 AM MDT | 504 | 4.74 | 397–781 |
| Oct 31, 5:45 AM MDT | 504 | 4.74 | 397–781 |
| Oct 31, 4:45 AM MDT | 515 | 4.76 | 397–781 |
| Oct 31, 3:45 AM MDT | 509 | 4.75 | 397–781 |
| Oct 31, 2:45 AM MDT | 515 | 4.76 | 397–781 |
| Oct 31, 1:45 AM MDT | 515 | 4.76 | 397–781 |
| Oct 31, 12:45 AM MDT | 520 | 4.77 | 397–781 |
| Oct 30, 11:45 PM MDT | 520 | 4.77 | 370–846 |
| Oct 30, 10:45 PM MDT | 520 | 4.77 | 370–846 |
| Oct 30, 9:45 PM MDT | 520 | 4.77 | 370–846 |
| Oct 30, 8:45 PM MDT | 515 | 4.76 | 370–846 |
| Oct 30, 7:45 PM MDT | 509 | 4.75 | 370–846 |
| Oct 30, 6:45 PM MDT | 509 | 4.75 | 370–846 |
| Oct 30, 5:45 PM MDT | 509 | 4.75 | 370–846 |
| Oct 30, 4:45 PM MDT | 509 | 4.75 | 370–846 |
| Oct 30, 3:45 PM MDT | 509 | 4.75 | 370–846 |
| Oct 30, 2:45 PM MDT | 515 | 4.76 | 370–846 |
| Oct 30, 1:45 PM MDT | 515 | 4.76 | 370–846 |
| Oct 30, 12:45 PM MDT | 515 | 4.76 | 370–846 |
| Oct 30, 11:45 AM MDT | 515 | 4.76 | 370–846 |
| Oct 30, 10:45 AM MDT | 509 | 4.75 | 370–846 |
| Oct 30, 9:45 AM MDT | 509 | 4.75 | 370–846 |
| Oct 30, 8:45 AM MDT | 509 | 4.75 | 370–846 |
| Oct 30, 7:45 AM MDT | 515 | 4.76 | 370–846 |
| Oct 30, 6:45 AM MDT | 515 | 4.76 | 370–846 |
| Oct 30, 5:45 AM MDT | 515 | 4.76 | 370–846 |
| Oct 30, 4:45 AM MDT | 515 | 4.76 | 370–846 |
| Oct 30, 3:45 AM MDT | 515 | 4.76 | 370–846 |
| Oct 30, 2:45 AM MDT | 520 | 4.77 | 370–846 |
| Oct 30, 1:45 AM MDT | 520 | 4.77 | 370–846 |
| Oct 30, 12:45 AM MDT | 520 | 4.77 | 370–846 |
| Oct 29, 11:45 PM MDT | 520 | 4.77 | 370–780 |
| Oct 29, 10:45 PM MDT | 520 | 4.77 | 370–780 |
| Oct 29, 9:45 PM MDT | 525 | 4.78 | 370–780 |
| Oct 29, 8:45 PM MDT | 530 | 4.79 | 370–780 |
Map of USGS gauge 12350250 and the river around it
Where Bitterroot River at Bell Crossing nr Victor MT sits, with 1 other gauge on the same river and our water's map point.
No current water-temperature reading at this gauge, so no temperature guidance is given. Take a stream thermometer: the trout lines Montana FWP uses are 66°F, 68°F and 73°F.
Species the agency lists for Bitterroot River: Black Bullhead, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Bull Trout, Largemouth Bass, Largescale Sucker, Longnose Dace, Longnose Sucker, Mountain Whitefish, Northern Pike, Northern Pike Minnow, Peamouth, Pumpkinseed, Rainbow Trout, Redside Shiner, Slimy Sculpin, Westslope Cutthroat Trout, Yellow Perch.
Not compared with the record because the reading is old.
From our page for Bitterroot River, on the same river as this gauge; the agency list is for the water, not this exact reach. Source: FISHMT :: Waterbody Details (Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks).
Below NWS action stage. The National Weather Service reports this gauge below its action stage. That is not a statement that wading is safe.
Flood categories: action stage, minor, moderate and major flooding (National Weather Service)Turn Around Don't Drown. “A mere 6 inches of fast-moving flood water can knock over an adult.” No flow number makes a crossing safe; if in doubt, stay out.
Turn Around Don't Drown (National Weather Service)Guidance from the readings above and the published thresholds named with each line; not a fishing forecast, a safety guarantee or a statement about access. Local rules and closures come first.
Below NWS action stage. The National Weather Service reports this gauge below its action stage. That is not a statement that wading is safe.
NWS observed 4.66 ft stage, 464 ft³/s at Nov 5, 7:30 PM MST (NWS gauge VICM8; its stage datum can differ from the USGS gauge height).
NWS river forecast forecast issued Nov 5, 7:53 AM MST. Highest point: 4.67 ft, 469 ft³/s on Nov 5, 11:00 AM MST (Below NWS action stage).
| Day | Stage | Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Thu, Nov 5 | 4.67 ft | 469 ft³/s |
| Fri, Nov 6 | 4.63 ft | 449 ft³/s |
| Sat, Nov 7 | 4.61 ft | 439 ft³/s |
| Sun, Nov 8 | 4.64 ft | 454 ft³/s |
| Mon, Nov 9 | 4.64 ft | 454 ft³/s |
| Tue, Nov 10 | 4.62 ft | 444 ft³/s |
| Wed, Nov 11 | 4.62 ft | 444 ft³/s |
| Thu, Nov 12 | 4.62 ft | 444 ft³/s |
| Fri, Nov 13 | 4.61 ft | 439 ft³/s |
| Sat, Nov 14 | 4.59 ft | 429 ft³/s |
Open the NWS gauge page · What the categories mean (National Weather Service)
Checked Nov 5, 8:40 PM MST; readings refresh at most every 15 minutes and statistics daily. Provisional USGS data can be revised. Conditions change: re-check before you go. This is general guidance, not a fishing forecast, a safety guarantee or a statement about access.