DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR ALBERT B. FALL, Secretary UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEORGE OTIS SMITH, Director WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 476 LFACE WATER SUPPLY OF THE UNITED STATifiS 1918 PART VI. MISSOURI RIVER BASIN t __ NATHAN C. GROVER, Chief Hydraulic Engineer W. A. LAMB and ROBERT FOLLANSBEE, District Engineers Prepared In cooperation with the k STATES OF COLORADO, MONTANA, AND WYOMING WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1921 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR ALBERT B. FALL, Secretary UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEORGE OTIS SMITH, Director Water-Supply Paper 476 SURFACE WATER SUPPLY OF THE UNITED STATES 1918 PART YL MISSOURI RIYER BASIN NATHAN C. GROVER, Chief Hydraulic Engineer W. A. LAMB and ROBERT FOLLANSBEE, District Engineers Prepared in cooperation with the STATES OF COLORADO, MONTANA, AND WYOMING Water Rour^ Brand,; Survey WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1921 CONTENTS. Page. Authorization and scope of work............................................. 7 Definition of terms......................................................... 8 Explanation of data........................................................ 9 Accuracy of field data and computed results.................................. 10 Cooperation................................................................ 11 Division of work.......................................................... 12 Gaging-station records...................................................... 13 Missouri River proper............................................. J.... 13 Red Rock Creek below Red Rock reservoir, near Monida, Mont....... 13 Beaverhead River at Barratts, Mont................................ 15 Misspuri River at Fort Benton, Mont......... I...................... 16 Madison River basin.................................................... 18 Madison River near Yellowstone, Mont............................. 18 Prickly Pear Creek basin.............................................. 20 Teumile Creek near Rimini, Mont.................................. 20 Tenmile Creek near Helena, Mont.................................. 22 Little Prickly Pear Creek basin......................................... 24 Little Prickly Pear Creek near Marysville, Mont..................... 24 Little Prickly Pear Creek near Canyon Creek, Mont.................. 25 Sun River basin........................................................ 27 North Fork of Sun River near Augusta, Mont......................... 27 Sun River at Fort Shaw, Mont...................................... 28 Willow Creek near Aiigusta, Mont................................... 31 South Fork of Sun River at Augusta, Mont........................... 33 Marias River basin..................................................... 34 Two Medicine River near Glacier Park, Mont....................... 34 Two Medicine River at Family, Mont................................ 36 Marias River near Shelby, Mont..................................... 38 Badger Creek near Family, Mont.................................... 40 Birch Creek at Swift dam, near Dupuyer, Mont...................... 41 Birch Creek near Dupuyer, Mont.................................... 44 Dupuyer Creek near Yalier, Mont.................................. 45 Cut Bank Creek near Browning, Mont.............................. 48 Cut Bank Creek at Cut Bank, Mont.................................. 49 Teton River at Strabane, Mont..................................... 51 Teton River near Chouteau, Mont.................................. 52 Spring Creek near Strabane, Mont................................... 54 Spring Creek near Chouteau, Mont.................................. 55 Deep Creek near Chouteau, Mont. .^............................... 57 Muddy Creek near Bynum, Mont.................................. 59 Blackleaf Creek near Bynum, Mont.................................. 61 Musselshell River basin................................................ 63 Musselshell River at Harlowton, Mont............................... 63 Flatwillow Creek near Flatwillow, Mont............................ 65 Milk River basin...................................................... 66 South Fork of Milk River near international boundary................ 66 Milk River at eastern crossing of international boundary............. 69 3 4 CONTENDS. Gaging-station records Continued. ' Milk River basin Continued. Page. Milk River at Havre, Mont......................................... 71 Milk River at Malta, Mont.......................................... 73 Milk River near Vandalia, Mont.................................... 75 North Fork of Milk River near Browning, Mont...................... 77 North Fork of Milk River n'ear international boundary................ 77 Big Sandy Creek near Laredo, Mont................................ 80 Beaver Creek near Havre, Mont..................................... 81 Little Boxelder Creek near Havre, Mont............................ 82 Clear Creek near Bearpaw, Mont...........'......................... 83 Fort Belknap canal near Chinook, Mont.............................. 84 Lodge Creek at international boundary.............................. 86 Battle Creek at international boundary............................. ^ 88 Battle Creek near Chinook, Mont................................... 90 Cook canal near Chinook, Mont...................................... 91 Matheson canal near Chinook, Mont................................ 92 Paradise canal near Chinook, Mont.................................. 94 Harlem canal near Zurich, Mont.................................... 95 Agency ditch near Harlem, Mont.................................... 96 Peoples Creek near Dodson, Mont.................................. 97 Frenchman River at international boundary......................... 98 Beaver Creek near Malta, Mont...................................... 100 Beaver Creek near Bowdoin, Mont........................^.......... 101 Beaver Creek near Hinsdale, Mont.................................. 102 Rock Creek near Hinsdale, Mont..................................... 104 Rock Creek canal near Hinsdale, Mont............................... 106 Porcupine Creek at Nashua, Mont.................................. 107 Little Porcupine Creek basin........................................... 109 Little Porcupine Creek at Frazer, Mont.............................. 109 Poplar River basiu.................................................... 110 Poplar River near Poplar, Mont.................................... 110 Big Muddy Creek basin.... i........................................... 112 Big Muddy Creek near Culbertson, Mont............................. 112 Wolf Creek near Medicine Lake, Mont.............................. 113 Smoke Creek near Poplar, Mont..................................... 115 Yellowstone River basin............................................... 116 Yellowstone River near Canyon Hotel, Yellowstone National Park, a... 116 Yellowstone River at Corwin Springo, Mont......................... 117 Yellowstone River at Intake, Mont.................................. 119 Big Timber Creek near Big Timber, Mont............................ 121 Sweetgrass Creek above Melville, Mont....... ^..................... 123 Sweetgrass Creek below Melville, Mont............................. 125 Pryor Creek at Coburn, Mont........................................ 126 Wind River at Riverton, Wyo...................................... 128 Big Horn River at Thermopolis, Wyo............................... 129 Big Horn River near Hardin, Mont.................................. 131 Dinwoody Creek near Lenore, Wyo,.................................. 133 Bull Lake Creek near Lenore, Wyo.................................. 134 Popo Agie River below Arapahoe, Wyo............................. 135 Middle Fork of Popo Agie River near Lander, Wyo..................... 137 Little Wind River above Arapahoe, Wyo............................. 138 No Wood Creek at Bonanza, Wyo-.......-_........................... 139 Tensleep Creek near Tensleep, Wyo...... ............................ 141 CONTENTS. 5 Gaging-station records Continued. Yellowstone River basin Continued. Page. Paintrock Creek near Bonanza, Wyo................................. 142 Shell Creek at Shell, Wyo........................................... 144 Shoshone River near Ishawooa, Wyo................................ 146 Soap Creek near St. Xavier, Mont.................................. 148 Rottengrass Creek near St. Xavier, Mont............................. 149 Little Horn River near Wyola, Mont................................ 151 Little Horn River near Crow Agency, Mont............................ 153 Lodgegrass Creek at Lodgegrass, Mont................................ 154 Powder River near Arvada, Wyo................................... 156 Clear Creek near Buffalo, Wyo..................................... 158 Clear Creek near Arvada, Wyo..................................... 160 Piney Creek at TJcross, Wyo.........................v................. 161 Little Missouri River basin.............................................. 163 Little Missouri River near Alzada, Mont............................. 163 Knife River basin..................................................... 164 Knife River near Broncho. N. Dak................................. 164 Heart River basin..................................................... 166 Heart River near Richardton, N. Dak.............................. 166 Cannonball River basin................................................. 168 Cannonball River at Stevenson, N. Dak............................