USGS Water-Year Summary 2024
06307500 TONGUE RIVER AT TONGUE RIVER DAM, NEAR DECKER, MT
LOCATION - Lat 45°08'28.59", long 106°46'16.88" referenced to North American Datum of 1983, in SW 1/4 SE 1/4 SE 1/4 sec.12, T.8 S., R.40 E., Big Horn County, MT, Hydrologic Unit 10090101, on left bank 0.5 mi downstream from Tongue River Dam, 4 mi upstream from Post Creek, 8 mi northeast of Decker, 16 mi southeast of Kirby, and at river mile 188.4.
DRAINAGE AREA - 1,783 mi².
REVISIONS HISTORY - Water Supply Paper 1729: Drainage area.
SURFACE-WATER RECORDS
PERIOD OF RECORD - May 1939 to current year.
GAGE - Water-stage recorder. Elevation of gage is 3,344.40 ft, referenced to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (levels by Bureau of Reclamation). Prior to Aug. 5, 1975, at elevation 10.00 ft lower.
WATER-QUALITY RECORDS
PERIOD OF RECORD - Water years 1951, 1976 to 1995, January 2004 to current year.
PERIOD OF DAILY RECORD - SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE: November 1980 to December 1986, May 2004 to October 2014, March 2016 to November 2017 (seasonal).
INSTRUMENTATION - Specific conductance probe was installed in May 2004. Design Analysis H500XL/ H-222 DCP. The DCP collects specific conductance and water temperature from a YSI 600LS probe. Values are collected at 15-minute intervals and are transmitted with other DCP data every hour. A solar panel provides electricity for the gage. The sensor and cable are housed in a 4-in diameter PVC pipe running down the bank from the gage house to the river.
EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF DAILY RECORD - SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE: Maximum daily, 950 microsiemens per centimeter (uS/cm) at 25.0°C, Apr. 17, 2018; minimum daily, 209 uS/cm at 25.0°C, June 9, 2007.
EXTREMES FOR CURRENT YEAR - SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE: During seasonal operation, maximum recorded, 792 uS/cm at 25.0°C, April 1, 2013; minimum recorded, 401 uS/cm at 25.0°C, July 14 and July 22, 2013.