Summary
Total streamflow across the
Knife River
was last observed at
77
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
152
acre-ft of water today; about 127%
of normal.
River levels are high.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
60 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2023-04-14 when daily discharge volume was observed at
14,740 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Knife River At Hazen
reporting a streamflow rate of 47.6 cfs.
However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the
Knife River Near Two Harbors
with a gauge stage of 26.24 ft.
This river is monitored from 4 different streamgauging stations along the Knife River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 2,168 ft, the
Knife River At Manning.
River Details
| Last Updated | 2025-11-26 |
| Discharge Volume | 152 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
76.55 cfs
+7.23 cfs (+10.43%) |
| Percent of Normal | 126.74% |
| Maximum |
14,740.0 cfs
2023-04-14 |
| Seasonal Avg | 60 cfs |
River Streamflow Levels
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Knife River At Manning
USGS 06339100 |
2 cfs | 6.16 ft | -10.14 | |||||
|
Knife River Nr Golden Valley
USGS 06339500 |
27 cfs | 4.38 ft | 13.62 | |||||
|
Knife River At Hazen
USGS 06340500 |
48 cfs | 1.39 ft | 8.18 | |||||
|
Knife River Near Two Harbors
USGS 04015330 |
9 cfs | 26.24 ft | 160.65 |
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile
The Knife River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 120 mi (193 km) long, in North Dakota in the United States.Knife is an English translation of the Native American name.It rises in west central North Dakota, in the Killdeer Mountains in Billings County. It flows east, and is joined by Spring Creek near Beulah. It joins the Missouri north of Stanton, at the Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site.
Much of the terrain surrounding the river valley still remains in native grasslands, supporting many species of wildlife, including Whitetail Deer, Mule Deer, Coyote, Fox, Native Grouse, Pheasant, etc. Many of the small tributaries such as the Little Knife support local farms and ranches; some have been family owned for over 100 years. Some of the larger ranches include the Circle Five Ranch, Dressler Ranch, Perhus Bros. Ranch, and Greenshield Ranch.
The river consistently floods after spring melting (frequently as high as 10,000 cfs) but is two to three magnitudes lower during the summer months. The confluence of the river (near Stanton, ND) was largely blocked by sand after the Missouri River flood of 2011 but had cut a new channel by the summer of 2012.