The Madison River has high water quality and is a popular recreation destination. The river begins in Yellowstone National Park and flows out of the park into Hebgen Lake before continuing northwest and joining two other rivers to become the Missouri River. The Greater Yellowstone Network monitors water quality and discharge just outside the park boundary north of West Yellowstone, Montana. We will update our results in this article series each year as we collect more data.
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Yellowstone National Park
Article 1: The Madison River near West Yellowstone, Montana
The Madison River is a renowned recreation destination for fishing birding, and wildlife viewing. The river begins in Yellowstone National Park at the confluence of the Firehole and Gibbon rivers. The Greater Yellowstone Network monitors water quality and discharge outside of the park north of West Yellowstone, Montana. Read more
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Yellowstone National Park
Article 2: Water Flow in the Madison River near West Yellowstone, Montana
Water flow on the Madison River has been monitored since 1913. The hydrograph for the monitoring site near West Yellowstone, MT, is characteristic of a groundwater-fed system. We monitor flow to track how the river may be changing over time. Read more
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Yellowstone National Park
Article 3: Water Quality in the Madison River Near West Yellowstone, Montana
The Madison River has high quality water. There are some arsenic exceedances that are likely naturally occurring from the geothermal geology in the watershed. Natural geothermal activity can contribute to raised temperature, pH, and arsenic levels above state standards. We monitor water chemistry each year to detect potential changes in water quality. Read more
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Yellowstone National Park
Article 4: Water Monitoring Methods for the Madison River near West Yellowstone, Montana
We collect water samples from the Madison River and send them to a lab to analyze the chemical composition. In addition to water chemistry analysis, we collect data on temperature, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, pH, and turbidity. Water discharge data are from a USGS gage east of West Yellowstone, MT. Read more
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Yellowstone National Park
Article 5: Water Quality Criteria for the Madison River near West Yellowstone, Montana
The Madison River is classified as a B-1 water body. This means it is suitable for drinking after being treated, recreation, growth of salmon and other wildlife, and as a water supply for agriculture and industrial purposes. We compare our water quality results to federal and state standards. Read more