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Flow report

Minnesota River Levels & Streamflow

As of Oct 7, 2026, Minnesota rivers are running at 84% of normal across 86 USGS gauges — the highest is 13,900 cfs on the Mississippi River At Winona. Live discharge, gauge height, and percent-of-normal for every USGS streamgauge in Minnesota.

USGS gauges
86
State percent normal
84%
0%normal200%
Paddle runs
1
Updated
Oct 7
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Minnesota river map

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Flow briefing · Oct 7, 2026

Minnesota river conditions today

Where rivers are running versus normal, what’s spiking and what’s coming — refreshed daily from USGS and NOAA.

Streamflow levels across Minnesota are currently 84% of normal, with the Mississippi River At Winona reporting the highest discharge in the state at 13,900 cfs and a gauge stage of 5.73 ft.

Meanwhile, the Mississippi River At Brainerd is seeing a spike today — up 21% since yesterday and currently running near peak.

Tap any gauge below for the full hydrograph, paired weather forecast, and historical context. Use the rivers panel to jump into Minnesota's named rivers.

Minnesota vs normal

How Minnesota’s rivers compare to normal

Every gauge placed by its own percent of normal, and three years of the statewide trend.

Where every gauge actually sits

One dot per Minnesota streamgauge, placed by its own percent of normal. The state average is a single line through all of it.

State average 84%
0% 50% 100% · normal 150% 200%+
Much below normalunder 50% Below normal50–90% Near normal90–110% Above normal110–150% Much above normalover 150%

Percent of normal compares today's discharge with the historical average for this calendar day. Tap any dot to open that gauge.

Minnesota streamflow, three water years

Statewide percent of normal, every day since Oct 2023. The dotted line is normal.

84% of normal today
+22pts vs this day last year (62%)
359of 366 days below normal, past year
211% 3-year peak · Aug 2025 · above the axis
50% 100% normal 150% 200%
Oct 2023 202420252026 Oct 7, 2026

799 daily readings from 87 reporting gauges. Percent of normal is today's statewide discharge against the historical average for the same calendar day — 100% is normal, not "good". The axis tops out at 200%: 11 readings above that — including the 211% peak in Aug 2025 — are drawn along the top edge, so a few flood days cannot flatten three years of everything else. The line breaks in 2 places where the record skips more than five days — those are gaps in reporting, not readings of zero.

Minnesota flow report

86 gauges
Streamgage Streamflow Gage height Water temp Air temp Elevation Watershed
Mississippi River At Winona, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05378500
14,000 cfs 5.76 ft · 52°F 644 ft Buffalo-Whitewater
Mississippi River Below L&D #2 At Hastings, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05331580
10,200 cfs 7.24 ft · 51°F · Twin Cities
Mississippi River At Red Wing, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05355250
10,000 cfs 2.66 ft · 54°F 669 ft Rush-Vermillion
Mississippi River At St. Paul, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05331000
8,780 cfs 3.33 ft · 53°F 695 ft Twin Cities
Minnesota River Near Jordan, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05330000
4,180 cfs 7.77 ft · 50°F 715 ft Lower Minnesota
Mississippi River Near Anoka, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05288500
3,500 cfs 2.02 ft · 52°F 817 ft Twin Cities
Minnesota River At Mankato, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05325000
3,500 cfs 5.28 ft · 51°F 759 ft Middle Minnesota
Mississippi River At Anoka, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05283500
3,320 cfs 4.38 ft · 51°F 827 ft Twin Cities
Mississippi River Near Royalton, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05267000
2,560 cfs 8.79 ft · 48°F 1,017 ft Platte-Spunk
Mississippi River At St. Cloud, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05270700
2,400 cfs 4.30 ft · 50°F 954 ft Clearwater-Elk
Red Lake River At Crookston, Mn
1 day ago · USGS 05079000
1,460 cfs 6.50 ft · 47°F 851 ft Red Lake
Red Lake River At Fisher, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05080000
1,310 cfs 13.08 ft · 46°F 812 ft Red Lake
Blue Earth River Near Rapidan, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05320000
1,230 cfs 9.64 ft · 51°F 807 ft Blue Earth
Mississippi River At Brainerd, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05242300
1,100 cfs 5.01 ft · 47°F 1,167 ft Elk-Nokasippi
Le Sueur River Near Rapidan, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05320500
1,010 cfs 7.67 ft · 54°F 776 ft Le Sueur
Root River Near Houston, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05385000
1,010 cfs 4.23 ft · 52°F 670 ft Root
Mississippi River At Aitkin, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05227500
873 cfs 2.72 ft · 44°F 1,206 ft Elk-Nokasippi
Crow Wing River Near Pillager, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05247500
822 cfs 3.79 ft · 46°F 1,161 ft Crow Wing
Minnesota River At New Ulm, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05316770
822 cfs 786.11 ft · 50°F 794 ft Middle Minnesota
Minnesota River At Morton, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05316580
781 cfs 9.04 ft · 49°F 824 ft Middle Minnesota
Minnesota River At Montevideo, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05311000
584 cfs 3.87 ft · 49°F 928 ft Hawk-Yellow Medicine
Root River Near Pilot Mound, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05383950
504 cfs 8.61 ft · 53°F 855 ft Root
Rapid River Near Baudette, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05134200
497 cfs 4.79 ft · 49°F 1,116 ft Rapid
Cannon River At Welch, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05355200
481 cfs 4.15 ft · 49°F 741 ft Cannon
Crow River At Rockford, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05280000
445 cfs 2.79 ft · 50°F 932 ft Crow
Cedar River Near Austin, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05457000
438 cfs 3.84 ft 69°F 52°F 1,163 ft Upper Cedar
Mississippi River At Grand Rapids, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05211000
406 cfs 3.34 ft · 47°F 1,246 ft Prairie-Willow
St. Louis River At Scanlon, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 04024000
405 cfs 2.60 ft 59°F 45°F 1,109 ft St. Louis
Gold Portage Outlet From Kabetogama Lk Nr Ray, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05129290
399 cfs 16.87 ft · 47°F 1,132 ft Rainy Lake
Thief River Near Thief River Falls, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05076000
372 cfs 6.36 ft · 45°F 1,129 ft Thief
Clearwater River At Red Lake Falls, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05078500
347 cfs 6.28 ft · 44°F 955 ft Clearwater
Minnesota River Near Lac Qui Parle, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05301000
343 cfs 21.88 ft · 49°F 923 ft Lac Qui Parle
Otter Tail River Bl Orwell D Nr Fergus Falls, Mn
12 hours ago · USGS 05046000
338 cfs 2.67 ft · 69°F 1,032 ft Otter Tail
Little Fork River At Littlefork, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05131500
336 cfs 3.08 ft · 43°F 1,083 ft Little Fork
Red Lake River At High Landing Nr Goodridge, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05075000
329 cfs 3.53 ft · 43°F 1,151 ft Red Lake
Big Fork River At Big Falls, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05132000
310 cfs 3.42 ft · 43°F 1,182 ft Big Fork
Otter Tail River Near Elizabeth, Mn
13 hours ago · USGS 05030500
306 cfs 5.62 ft · 66°F 1,272 ft Otter Tail
Chippewa River Near Milan, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05304500
299 cfs 1.70 ft · 49°F 975 ft Chippewa
Roseau River Below State Ditch 51 Nr Caribou, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05112000
226 cfs 3.15 ft · 47°F 1,008 ft Roseau
South Fork Root River Near Houston, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05385500
208 cfs 2.23 ft · 52°F 692 ft Root
Clearwater River At Plummer, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05078000
207 cfs 3.61 ft · 44°F 1,105 ft Clearwater
Roseau River At Ross, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05107500
200 cfs 4.07 ft · 48°F 1,031 ft Roseau
Crow Wing River At Nimrod, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05244000
198 cfs 2.55 ft · 45°F 1,326 ft Crow Wing
Mississippi River Near Bemidji, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05200510
179 cfs 3.30 ft · 47°F 1,318 ft Mississippi Headwaters
Basswood River Near Winton, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05127500
178 cfs 2.19 ft · 45°F 1,299 ft Rainy Headwaters
Rum River Near St. Francis, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05286000
173 cfs 2.29 ft · 49°F 866 ft Rum
Sauk River Near St. Cloud, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05270500
152 cfs 1.63 ft · 49°F 1,024 ft Sauk
Watonwan River Near Garden City, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05319500
141 cfs 1.36 ft · 51°F 931 ft Watonwan
South Kawishiwi R Abv White Iron Lake Nr Ely, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05126210
136 cfs 3.53 ft · 44°F 1,391 ft Rainy Headwaters
High Island Creek Near Henderson, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05327000
128 cfs 4.48 ft · 50°F 731 ft Lower Minnesota
South Fork Zumbro River At Rochester, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05372995
122 cfs 2.73 ft · 51°F 951 ft Zumbro
Chippewa River Near Watson, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05305000
112 cfs 37.00 ft · 49°F 941 ft Chippewa
Snake River Near Pine City, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05338500
98 cfs 2.83 ft · 46°F 922 ft Snake
Kettle River Below Sandstone, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05336700
96 cfs 3.91 ft · 45°F 936 ft Kettle
Pomme De Terre River At Appleton, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05294000
95 cfs 4.48 ft · 53°F 984 ft Pomme De Terre
Wild Rice River At Hendrum, Mn
12 hours ago · USGS 05064000
91 cfs 3.93 ft · 69°F 851 ft Eastern Wild Rice
Vermilion River Nr Crane Lake, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05129115
84 cfs 4.33 ft · 45°F 1,183 ft Vermilion
South Kawishiwi River Near Ely, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05125000
76 cfs 1.87 ft · 47°F 1,427 ft Rainy Headwaters
Des Moines River At Jackson, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05476000
72 cfs 7.25 ft · 52°F 1,315 ft Upper Des Moines
Prairie River Near Taconite, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05212700
70 cfs 2.34 ft · 47°F 1,332 ft Prairie-Willow
Yellow Bank River Near Odessa, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05293000
67 cfs 3.00 ft · 49°F 955 ft Upper Minnesota
Wild Rice River At Twin Valley, Mn
13 hours ago · USGS 05062500
66 cfs 2.06 ft · 66°F 1,016 ft Eastern Wild Rice
Pigeon River At Middle Falls Nr Grand Portage Mn, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 04010500
63 cfs 2.17 ft · 46°F 807 ft Baptism-Brule
Elk River Near Big Lake, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05275000
62 cfs · · 53°F 932 ft Clearwater-Elk
Sand Hill River At Climax, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05069000
61 cfs 4.63 ft · 46°F 829 ft Sandhill-Wilson
Long Prairie River At Long Prairie, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05245100
54 cfs 1.56 ft · 47°F 1,297 ft Long Prairie
Yellow Medicine River Near Granite Falls, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05313500
51 cfs 2.77 ft · 50°F 986 ft Hawk-Yellow Medicine
Cottonwood River Near New Ulm, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05317000
46 cfs 3.33 ft · 50°F 800 ft Cottonwood
Red Lake River Near Red Lake, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05074500
41 cfs 68.71 ft · 45°F 1,175 ft Red Lake
Middle River At Argyle, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05087500
40 cfs 3.95 ft · 47°F 839 ft Snake
Straight River Near Park Rapids, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05243725
39 cfs 1.10 ft · 45°F 1,411 ft Crow Wing
Buffalo River Near Dilworth, Mn
13 hours ago · USGS 05062000
37 cfs 3.08 ft · 69°F 892 ft Buffalo
Redwood River Near Redwood Falls, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05316500
33 cfs 1.72 ft · 50°F 988 ft Redwood
Vermillion River Near Empire, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05345000
20 cfs 1.80 ft · 51°F 863 ft Rush-Vermillion
Sprague Creek Near Sprague, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05106000
17 cfs 2.93 ft · 50°F 1,050 ft Roseau
Kawishiwi River Near Ely, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05124480
16 cfs 2.49 ft 57°F 45°F 1,427 ft Rainy Headwaters
Buffalo River Near Hawley, Mn
13 hours ago · USGS 05061000
12 cfs 3.10 ft · 68°F 1,121 ft Buffalo
Minnesota River At Ortonville, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05292000
10 cfs 1.28 ft · 50°F 972 ft Upper Minnesota
Redwood River Near Marshall, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05315000
8 cfs 6.63 ft · 51°F 1,199 ft Redwood
Knife River Near Two Harbors, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 04015330
7 cfs 25.78 ft 38°F 48°F 620 ft Beaver-Lester
Elm Creek Nr Champlin, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05287890
7 cfs 3.47 ft · 50°F 870 ft Twin Cities
Little Cottonwood River Near Courtland, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05317200
6 cfs 2.77 ft · 50°F 810 ft Middle Minnesota
Shingle Creek At Queen Ave In Minneapolis, Mn
15 hours ago · USGS 05288705
4 cfs 9.22 ft 61°F 52°F 905 ft Twin Cities
South Branch Two Rivers At Lake Bronson, Mn
14 hours ago · USGS 05094000
3 cfs 3.13 ft · 44°F 955 ft Two Rivers
Bois De Sioux River Near Doran, Mn
13 hours ago · USGS 05051300
0 cfs 5.59 ft · 71°F 957 ft Bois De Sioux
Marsh River Near Shelly, Mn
12 hours ago · USGS 05067500
0 cfs 3.47 ft · 69°F 848 ft Elm-Marsh
Whitewater & paddle

Minnesota river runs

Paddleable river sections in Minnesota keyed to USGS gauges, with live streamflow and whitewater class.

River run Status Streamflow Air temp Class
Upper Saint Louis Runnable 6,710 cfs 40°F II+ TO IV
Flow report FAQ

About Minnesota streamflow

What are river levels like in Minnesota right now?

As of October 7, 2026, Minnesota rivers are running at 84% of normal across 86 USGS streamgauges, and the Mississippi River At Winona is reporting the highest discharge at 13,900 cfs. The full sortable gauge table is below.

Which Minnesota river is running highest right now?

As of October 7, 2026, the highest discharge in Minnesota is 13,900 cfs on the Mississippi River At Winona. See the sortable gauge table for the full statewide ranking.

Are Minnesota rivers high or low right now?

Compare the statewide percent-of-normal on this page: above 100% means Minnesota rivers are running higher than the seasonal average for the date, below 100% means lower (a dry spell or drought). Each gauge also shows its own percent of median.

Where does the Minnesota streamflow data come from?

The U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System. USGS streamgauges report continuously (every 15 minutes) and the data is the canonical real-time record for U.S. rivers. Snoflo pulls the latest readings and joins them to a 7-day NOAA weather forecast for each station.

What is cfs?

Cubic feet per second — the standard unit for streamflow. One cfs is about 7.5 gallons per second. Small creeks run at single-digit cfs; the Mississippi at hundreds of thousands.

What does Gauge Height mean?

The water level at the gauge in feet above the reference datum. Used together with discharge to track river state. Flood stage and runnable levels are typically expressed in gauge height (e.g., "flood at 16 ft").

How fresh is the Minnesota data?

USGS streamgauges report every 15 minutes; Snoflo re-pulls throughout the day. The AI briefing regenerates daily.

Can I get a flow alert for a Minnesota gauge?

Yes. Save any USGS gauge as a favorite in the Snoflo iOS app, set a discharge or stage threshold (e.g. "alert me when discharge crosses 2,000 cfs"), and you'll get a push the moment it crosses.

Is this a substitute for an NWS flood warning?

No. Snoflo is informational. For flood life-safety decisions always follow guidance from your local NWS forecast office and state emergency management. Snoflo data is one input among several.