Flow report

North Dakota River Levels & Streamflow

As of Aug 3, 2026, North Dakota rivers are running at 61% of normal across 92 USGS gauges — the highest is 19,000 cfs on the Missouri River At Bismarck. Live discharge, gauge height, and percent-of-normal for every USGS streamgauge in North Dakota.

USGS gauges
92
State percent normal
61%
Paddle runs
0
Updated
Aug 3
Open the North Dakota flow layer on the map Every USGS streamgauge filtered to North Dakota.
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August
3
2026
Flow briefing

Streamflow levels across North Dakota are currently 61% of normal, with the Missouri River At Bismarck reporting the highest discharge in the state at 19,000 cfs and a gauge stage of 5.34 ft.

Meanwhile, the Red River Of The North At Wahpeton is seeing a spike today — up 157% 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 North Dakota's named rivers.

Active weather warnings for North Dakota

North Dakota is under critical fire weather conditions today with a Red Flag Warning in effect until 9 PM CDT. Southwest North Dakota and parts of south central North Dakota, including Mercer, Oliver, Morton, Grant, and Sioux Counties, face dangerous fire conditions with northerly winds increasing to 25-30 mph and gusts reaching 40 mph. Relative humidity will drop to as low as 25 percent this afternoon, creating ideal conditions for rapid fire spread. Residents in affected areas should avoid all outdoor burning and exercise extreme caution with any potential ignition sources. Any fires that develop will spread rapidly and be difficult to contain.

Source: National Weather Service

North Dakota at a glance

State-wide streamflow overview

The North Dakota flow picture in four data points -- where the state sits versus historical norms, what's flowing hardest, and what's spiking fastest.

Percent of normal

61%

100% is the historical norm. Below 70% indicates drought; above 130% can flag elevated flood risk.

Highest discharge

Missouri River At Bismarck 19,000 cfs

Gauge stage 5.34 ft

Biggest 24h spike

Red River Of The North At Wahpeton +157%

Now 601 cfs

Network coverage

Gauges + rivers tracked 92 + 0

USGS gauges feeding 0 named rivers in North Dakota.

Full streamgauge inventory

North Dakota USGS streamgauges

Every USGS gauge Snoflo tracks in North Dakota. Sortable, quickly filterable. Numeric columns heat-mapped from light to deep. Tap any gauge for its full hydrograph and forecast.

92 gauges
Streamgage Streamflow Gage height Water temp Air temp Elevation Watershed
Missouri River At Bismarck, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06342500
19,000 cfs 5.36 ft 70°F 65°F 1,623 ft Painted Woods-Square Butte
Red River Of The North At Drayton, Nd
5 hours ago · USGS 05092000
1,210 cfs 11.86 ft · 65°F 768 ft Lower Red
Red River Of The North At Grand Forks, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05082500
1,040 cfs 15.59 ft 83°F 68°F 798 ft Sandhill-Wilson
Red River Of The North Near Thompson, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05070000
660 cfs 16.11 ft · 71°F 804 ft Sandhill-Wilson
Red River Of The North At Wahpeton, Nd
5 hours ago · USGS 05051500
623 cfs 5.04 ft · 68°F 952 ft Bois De Sioux
Red River Of The North At Halstad, Nd
5 hours ago · USGS 05064500
573 cfs 3.62 ft 75°F 70°F 838 ft Elm-Marsh
Pembina River At Neche, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05100000
459 cfs 4.67 ft · 63°F 833 ft Pembina
Pembina River At Walhalla, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05099600
429 cfs 2.67 ft · 64°F 937 ft Pembina
Red River Of The North At Hickson, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05051522
338 cfs 10.31 ft 81°F 66°F 894 ft Upper Red
Sheyenne River At Lisbon, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05058700
302 cfs 3.60 ft · 66°F 1,068 ft Lower Sheyenne
Sheyenne River Nr Cooperstown, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05057000
287 cfs 10.66 ft 80°F 66°F 1,288 ft Middle Sheyenne
Sheyenne R Ab Sheyenne R Diversion Nr Horace, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05059300
270 cfs 14.28 ft 79°F 66°F 903 ft Lower Sheyenne
Sheyenne River Below Baldhill Dam, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05058000
270 cfs 24.78 ft 77°F 66°F 1,223 ft Lower Sheyenne
Sheyenne River At West Fargo, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05059500
269 cfs 6.54 ft · 70°F 900 ft Lower Sheyenne
Sheyenne River Near Kindred, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05059000
257 cfs 3.73 ft · 65°F 931 ft Lower Sheyenne
Red River Of The North At Fargo, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05054000
255 cfs 13.97 ft 82°F 68°F 878 ft Upper Red
Sheyenne River Nr Warwick, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05056000
165 cfs 3.55 ft · 66°F 1,385 ft Middle Sheyenne
Souris River Nr Westhope, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05124000
164 cfs 6.93 ft · 58°F 1,410 ft Lower Souris
E. Fork Shell Creek Nr Parshall, Nd
1 day ago · USGS 06332523
83 cfs 5.11 ft · 61°F 1,886 ft Lake Sakakawea
Heart River At Stark Bridge Nr Judson, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06348300
80 cfs 2.30 ft 32°F 64°F 1,731 ft Lower Heart
James River At Lamoure, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06470500
79 cfs 7.39 ft 62°F 69°F 1,303 ft Upper James
Wintering River Nr Karlsruhe, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05120500
71 cfs 5.56 ft · 59°F 1,508 ft Lower Souris
Heart River Nr Mandan, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06349000
63 cfs 9.25 ft 43°F 64°F 1,649 ft Lower Heart
Edmore Coulee Trib Nr Webster, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05056215
60 cfs 68.91 ft · 63°F 1,467 ft Devils Lake
Souris River Nr Bantry, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05122000
58 cfs 2.10 ft · 60°F 1,434 ft Lower Souris
Little Coulee Nr Leeds, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05056340
37 cfs 65.15 ft · 58°F 1,488 ft Devils Lake
Forest River At Minto, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05085000
32 cfs 1.48 ft · 68°F 812 ft Forest
Long Creek Nr Noonan, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05113600
32 cfs 3.53 ft · 54°F 1,858 ft Upper Souris
Edmore Coulee Nr Edmore, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05056200
31 cfs 81.24 ft · 61°F 1,486 ft Devils Lake
Forest River Nr Fordville, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05084000
27 cfs 1.48 ft · 65°F 1,042 ft Forest
Starkweather Coulee Nr Webster, Nd
5 hours ago · USGS 05056239
24 cfs 2.64 ft · 59°F 1,454 ft Devils Lake
Souris River Nr Verendrye, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05120000
22 cfs 3.63 ft · 59°F 1,479 ft Lower Souris
Maple River Nr Mapleton, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05060000
22 cfs 7.96 ft · 65°F 898 ft Maple
Apple Creek Nr Menoken, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06349500
21 cfs 4.96 ft · 66°F 1,657 ft Apple
James River At Jamestown, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06470000
21 cfs 3.21 ft 32°F 69°F 1,382 ft Upper James
Souris River Nr Sherwood, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05114000
21 cfs 1.77 ft 35°F 56°F 1,615 ft Upper Souris
Wild Rice River Nr Abercrombie, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05053000
21 cfs 10.09 ft · 68°F 923 ft Western Wild Rice
Knife River At Hazen, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06340500
19 cfs · · 64°F 1,724 ft Knife
Mauvais Coulee Nr Cando, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05056100
15 cfs 36.01 ft · 60°F 1,452 ft Devils Lake
Tongue River At Akra, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05101000
13 cfs 6.87 ft · 64°F 974 ft Pembina
Park River At Grafton, Nd
5 hours ago · USGS 05090000
13 cfs 7.23 ft · 65°F 822 ft Park
Souris River Nr Foxholm, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05116000
12 cfs 5.42 ft · 58°F 1,572 ft Upper Souris
Souris River Above Minot, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05117500
11 cfs 4.02 ft 50°F 62°F 1,564 ft Upper Souris
Willow Creek Nr Willow City, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05123400
11 cfs 4.81 ft · 60°F 1,434 ft Willow
Maple River Bl Mapleton, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05060100
11 cfs 8.32 ft · 66°F 896 ft Maple
Turtle River At Turtle R State Park Nr Arvilla, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05082625
9 cfs · · 70°F 963 ft Turtle
Little Missouri River Nr Watford City, Nd
5 hours ago · USGS 06337000
9 cfs 6.92 ft · 64°F 1,934 ft Lower Little Missouri
Maple River Nr Enderlin, Nd
3 days ago · USGS 05059700
7 cfs 1.74 ft · 66°F 1,061 ft Maple
Beaver Creek Bl Linton, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06354580
6 cfs 4.27 ft · 67°F 1,697 ft Beaver
Maple R At Nd-Sd State Line, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06471200
5 cfs 1.67 ft · 67°F 1,371 ft Elm
James River Above Arrowwood Lake Nr Kensal, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06468250
5 cfs · · 68°F 1,442 ft James Headwaters
Heart R Ab Lake Tschida Nr Glen Ullin, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06345780
4 cfs 2.18 ft · 61°F 2,076 ft Upper Heart
Pipestem Creek Nr Pingree, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06469400
4 cfs 4.99 ft · 69°F 1,509 ft Pipestem
Baldhill Creek Nr Dazey, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05057200
4 cfs 6.10 ft 41°F 65°F 1,322 ft Middle Sheyenne
Little Muddy River Bl Cow Creek Nr Williston, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06331000
4 cfs 4.56 ft 52°F 57°F 1,874 ft Little Muddy
James River Nr Grace City, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06468170
3 cfs 4.19 ft · 65°F 1,464 ft James Headwaters
Spring Creek At Zap, Nd
5 hours ago · USGS 06340000
3 cfs 4.57 ft · 58°F 1,827 ft Knife
Heart River Nr Richardton, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06345500
3 cfs 3.46 ft · 60°F 2,180 ft Upper Heart
Knife River Nr Golden Valley, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06339500
2 cfs 3.71 ft · 64°F 1,854 ft Knife
Cannonball River At Regent, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06350000
2 cfs 4.52 ft · 60°F 2,436 ft Upper Cannonball
Big Muddy Creek Near Almont, Nd
8 hours ago · USGS 06347500
2 cfs 1.13 ft · 63°F 1,867 ft Lower Heart
Goose River At Hillsboro, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05066500
1 cfs 1.64 ft · 66°F 887 ft Goose
Little South Pembina River Nr Walhalla, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05099400
1 cfs · · 64°F 1,105 ft Pembina
Cannonball River Nr Raleigh, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06351200
1 cfs 1.47 ft · 66°F 1,863 ft Upper Cannonball
Mauvais Coulee Trib No. 3 Nr Cando, Nd
5 hours ago · USGS 05056060
1 cfs 2.39 ft · 60°F 1,466 ft Devils Lake
Square Butte Creek Below Center, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06342260
1 cfs 1.05 ft · 61°F 1,865 ft Painted Woods-Square Butte
Bear Creek Nr Oakes, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06470800
1 cfs 5.50 ft · 66°F 1,298 ft Upper James
White Earth River At White Earth, Nd
5 hours ago · USGS 06332000
1 cfs · · 55°F 2,078 ft Lake Sakakawea
Knife River At Manning, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06339100
0 cfs 5.80 ft · 60°F 2,168 ft Knife
Hay Creek At Main Avenue In Bismarck, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06349600
0 cfs 5.11 ft · 65°F 1,657 ft Apple
Deep River Nr Upham, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05123510
0 cfs 6.34 ft · 60°F 1,439 ft Deep
Little Missouri River At Marmarth, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06335500
0 cfs · · 60°F 2,691 ft Middle Little Missouri
Sweetbriar Creek Nr Judson, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06348500
0 cfs 2.03 ft · 62°F 1,903 ft Lower Heart
Antelope Creek Nr Carson, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06347000
0 cfs 4.33 ft · 63°F 1,970 ft Lower Heart
Wild Rice River Nr Rutland, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05051600
0 cfs 1.47 ft · 67°F 1,203 ft Western Wild Rice
Cedar Creek Nr Haynes, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06352000
0 cfs 3.95 ft · 61°F 2,480 ft Cedar
Goose River Near Portland, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05065500
0 cfs 9.23 ft · 65°F 987 ft Goose
Burnt Creek Nr Bismarck, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06342450
0 cfs 4.61 ft · 64°F 1,701 ft Painted Woods-Square Butte
Deep Creek Nr Amidon, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06335750
0 cfs 11.32 ft · 60°F 2,469 ft Middle Little Missouri
Antelope Creek At Dwight, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05052500
0 cfs 21.59 ft · 65°F 930 ft Western Wild Rice
Sheyenne River Above Harvey, Nd
5 hours ago · USGS 05054500
0 cfs 5.25 ft 74°F 62°F 1,555 ft Upper Sheyenne
Sheyenne River Diversion At West Fargo, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05059480
0 cfs 6.06 ft · 70°F 905 ft Lower Sheyenne
Rush River At Amenia, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05060500
0 cfs 10.89 ft · 65°F 948 ft Lower Sheyenne
Deepwater Creek At Mouth Nr Raub, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06332770
0 cfs 4.64 ft · 62°F 1,859 ft Lake Sakakawea
Bear Den Creek Nr Mandaree, Nd
5 hours ago · USGS 06332515
0 cfs 2.61 ft · 61°F 1,954 ft Lake Sakakawea
Little Missouri River At Medora, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06336000
0 cfs 1.10 ft 38°F 59°F 2,253 ft Middle Little Missouri
Beaver Creek Nr Trotters, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06336600
0 cfs 1.19 ft · 57°F 2,383 ft Beaver
Heart River Nr South Heart, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06343000
0 cfs 2.72 ft · 60°F 2,452 ft Upper Heart
Green River Nr New Hradec, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06344600
0 cfs 5.55 ft · 61°F 2,527 ft Upper Heart
Cedar Creek Nr Raleigh, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06353000
0 cfs · · 66°F 1,884 ft Cedar
Cannonball River At Breien, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 06354000
0 cfs 1.58 ft · 66°F 1,687 ft Lower Cannonball
Maple River Nr Hope, Nd
6 hours ago · USGS 05059600
0 cfs 1.26 ft · 65°F 1,301 ft Maple
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Flow report FAQ

About North Dakota streamflow

What are river levels like in North Dakota right now?

As of August 3, 2026, North Dakota rivers are running at 61% of normal across 92 USGS streamgauges, and the Missouri River At Bismarck is reporting the highest discharge at 19,000 cfs. The full sortable gauge table is below.

Which North Dakota river is running highest right now?

As of August 3, 2026, the highest discharge in North Dakota is 19,000 cfs on the Missouri River At Bismarck. See the sortable gauge table for the full statewide ranking.

Are North Dakota rivers high or low right now?

Compare the statewide percent-of-normal on this page: above 100% means North Dakota 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 North Dakota 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 North Dakota 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 North Dakota 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.