Root River river
Total streamflow across the Root River was last observed at 1,190 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 2,360 acre-ft of water today; about 52% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 2,298 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2016-09-24 when daily discharge volume was observed at 29,110 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Root River Near Houston reporting a streamflow rate of 829 cfs. However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the Root River At Grange Avenue At Greenfield with a gauge stage of 10.83 ft. This river is monitored from 6 different streamgauging stations along the Root River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 855 ft, the Root River Near Pilot Mound.
River streamflow levels
Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Root River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.
Total streamflow
Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily
Every streamgauge along the Root River
All 6 USGS gauges Snoflo tracks for this river, with current flow, stage, recent change, percent of normal, and the gauge's all-time min / max. Click any header to sort. Cells are heatmapped relative to the column min/max -- darker blue = higher.
| Streamgauge▾ | Streamflow (cfs)▾ | Gauge stage (ft)▾ | 24h Δ (%)▾ | % Normal▾ | Min (cfs)▾ | Max (cfs)▾ | Elevation (ft)▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Root River Near Pilot Mound
MN
USGS 05383950
|
361 | 8.23 | -2.2 | 56% | 104 | 18,200 | 855 |
|
Root River At Grange Avenue At Greenfield
WI
USGS 04087214
|
7 | 10.83 | 193.9 | 89% | 0 | 1,230 | 720 |
|
Root River Canal Near Franklin
WI
USGS 04087233
|
21 | 2.46 | 71.3 | 66% | 0 | 1,270 | 693 |
|
Root River Near Franklin
WI
USGS 04087220
|
31 | 2.45 | 110.9 | 87% | 1 | 4,170 | 678 |
|
Root River Near Houston
MN
USGS 05385000
|
829 | 3.74 | -0.6 | 61% | 340 | 20,600 | 670 |
|
Root River At Racine
WI
USGS 04087240
|
65 | 2.76 | 25.5 | 51% | 1 | 4,110 | 644 |
Maximum streamflow discharge by year
The single highest aggregate discharge recorded each year. Spotting the multi-year trend reveals droughts vs. wet cycles long before the headline daily flow does.
Annual peak discharge
From the river's full record · one point per water year
Streamflow elevation profile
Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by current streamflow (x-axis) vs elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-to-bottom traces the river from headwaters down to its mouth -- you can see flow accumulate as elevation drops.
Elevation vs streamflow
One point per monitored gauge · bubble size = gauge stage
Root River
The Root River is a 80-mile-long river in southeastern Minnesota that runs through the Root River Valley. It has played an important role in the state's history, serving as a transportation route for people and goods. The river is fed by numerous tributaries and has a drainage area of about 1,800 square miles. The river's hydrology has been affected by human activities and development, leading to issues such as erosion and pollution. Specific reservoirs and dams along the river include the Forestville Dam, the Lanesboro Dam, and the Lake Byllesby Dam. The river is popular for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and hiking. Agricultural uses include irrigation and livestock grazing. Efforts have been made to restore and protect the river's ecosystem through various conservation initiatives.
Recreation along the Root River
Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.
Track the Root River in the Snoflo app
Set per-gauge push alerts (e.g. "alert me when flow at the Russian R Nr Healdsburg crosses 5,000 cfs"), and Snoflo's iOS app pushes the moment USGS reports the crossing.
About the Root River
Where does the data for the Root River come from?
Streamflow and gauge stage data are sourced from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information System. The aggregate flow shown at the top of the page is computed by Snoflo as the sum of all monitored gauges along the river.
How is "percent of normal" calculated?
Today's aggregate streamflow is compared to the historical average aggregate streamflow on this calendar day across the river's full record. 100% means right on average; values above 100% indicate above-normal flow (wet year); values below indicate below-normal (dry year or drought).
Why are some gauges showing very different flows?
Gauges along a river measure flow at different points: headwater gauges read what's coming off the snowpack or mountain runoff; downstream gauges integrate everything upstream, including tributary inputs. Wide spreads usually mean a tributary is contributing significantly between gauges.
What's the elevation profile chart showing?
Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by streamflow (x-axis) and elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-down traces the river from headwaters to mouth -- you can see flow build as elevation drops.
Can I get alerts when a specific gauge crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app on a per-gauge basis. Open any individual streamgauge from the table above and favorite it to set a discharge threshold.