The Missouri River below Holter Dam was flowing at 3,400 cubic feet per second as of Friday morning, July 18, according to a reading from U.S. Geological Survey monitoring station 06066500.
Holter Dam, roughly 35 miles north of Helena on the Missouri, is one of three dams on the upper Missouri operated by NorthWestern Energy. Releases from Holter directly influence river conditions downstream through the Gates of the Mountains corridor and into the Canyon Ferry reservoir system, affecting fishing, recreation, and water management across Lewis and Clark County.
A flow of 3,400 cfs is within a typical summer operating range for that stretch of the river, though conditions can shift quickly based on dam operations and upstream precipitation. Anglers and floaters on that section of the Missouri should check current gauge readings before heading out, as flows can change with limited notice based on power generation needs.
Real-time flow data for station 06066500 is available through the USGS National Water Information System.