Missouri River — Craig & Cascade
The first place to check before you head to the river. Live flow, water temperature, and weather for the upper Missouri — pulled directly from USGS and the National Weather Service.
Today on the water
Excellent
Get in the car.
5-Day Weather — Craig, MT
weather.govThis Afternoon
65°F
Mostly Sunny
SSW 16 mph
Saturday
73°F
Mostly Sunny
SSW 16 to 22 mph
Sunday
67°F
Mostly Sunny
SSW 1 to 7 mph
Monday
70°F
Mostly Sunny
S 3 to 12 mph
Tuesday
66°F
Partly Sunny
SSW 2 to 7 mph
Gauge Stations
Live data refreshed every 30 minutes. Tap any chart for hourly readings.
Missouri River below Holter Dam, MT
Top of the reach, immediately below Holter Dam — the master gauge for the Craig–Cascade tailwater.
Get in the car.
Latest reading Oct 16, 8:45 PM
14-day flow
cubic feet per second14-day water temperature
°FToday's read
- Flows are in the sweet spot (3,060 cfs) — wadeable, fishable, and predictable.
- Water temp 55°F — peak metabolism for trout. Bugs are moving, fish are moving.
Missouri River at Toston, MT
Upstream of the reservoir chain — sets the stage for what reaches Holter Dam in the days ahead.
Solid day on the water.
Latest reading Oct 16, 8:00 PM
14-day flow
cubic feet per second14-day water temperature
°FToday's read
- Flows are in the sweet spot (3,260 cfs) — wadeable, fishable, and predictable.
- Water temp 47°F — trout are sluggish. Slow your drifts, fish deeper.
Smith River below Eagle Creek, near Fort Logan, MT
Upper Smith River near Camp Baker, above the canyon — close to UMOWA's macroinvertebrate monitoring sites.
Tough conditions today.
Latest reading Oct 16, 8:15 PM
14-day flow
cubic feet per secondToday's read
- Lower flows at 148 cfs concentrate fish — focus on slots, drop-offs, and shaded edges.
- Water temperature reading is currently unavailable.
How we read the river
Fishing condition ratings combine real-time flow and water temperature from USGS gauges with published thresholds for the Missouri River tailwater fishery. Excellent conditions cluster between 3,000–5,500 cfs and water temperatures of 48–58°F. Always check current angler reports, local guides, and on-the-water observations before making the call.
Data sources: USGS Water Services · NWS Forecast API.
Help us keep watching the river.
UMOWA's water quality, macroinvertebrate, and aquatic plant monitoring is what makes long-term river health visible. Your support funds the science behind every cfs reading on this page.