Summary
Total streamflow across the
Sauk River
was last observed at
2,903
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
5,758
acre-ft of water today; about 49%
of normal.
River levels are low and may signify a drought.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
5,879 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2021-11-15 when daily discharge volume was observed at
75,153 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Sauk River At Darrington
reporting a streamflow rate of 5,220 cfs.
This is also the highest stage along the Sauk River, with a gauge stage of
8.24 ft at this location.
This river is monitored from 4 different streamgauging stations along the Sauk River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 1,024 ft, the
Sauk River Near St. Cloud.
River Details
| Last Updated | 2025-12-04 |
| Discharge Volume | 5,758 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
2,903.0 cfs
-203.0 cfs (-6.54%) |
| Percent of Normal | 49.38% |
| Maximum |
75,153.0 cfs
2021-11-15 |
| Seasonal Avg | 5,879 cfs |
River Streamflow Levels
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sauk River Near St. Cloud
USGS 05270500 |
225 cfs | 3.7 ft | -15.41 | |||||
|
Sauk River Ab Whitechuck River Near Darrington
USGS 12186000 |
573 cfs | 2.94 ft | -6.98 | |||||
|
Sauk River At Darrington
USGS 12187500 |
5220 cfs | 8.24 ft | ||||||
|
Sauk River Near Sauk
USGS 12189500 |
2330 cfs | 3.94 ft | -6.43 |
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile
The Sauk River is a 122-mile-long (196 km) tributary of the Mississippi River in central Minnesota in the United States. It drains small lakes in Stearns County. In the Ojibwe language it is called Ozaagi-ziibi, meaning "River of the Sauks".It issues from Lake Osakis on the Todd County line and flows east through Guernsey Lake, Little Sauk Lake and Juergens Lake, then south through Sauk Lake and past Sauk Centre, southeast past Melrose and Richmond, then northeast through Cedar Island Lake and Zumwalde Lake, past Cold Spring and Waite Park to the Mississippi River 2 miles (3 km) north of St. Cloud.
The rapids that occur south of the river's mouth on the Mississippi River lent their name to the nearby city of Sauk Rapids.