River Report

Sheyenne River river

9 streamgauges 44% of normal Last updated 2026-05-22
Aggregate flow
3,106cfs
% of normal
44%
Daily volume
6,160AF
Seasonal avg
7,039cfs

Total streamflow across the Sheyenne River was last observed at 3,106 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 6,160 acre-ft of water today; about 44% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 7,039 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2011-05-01 when daily discharge volume was observed at 31,618 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Sheyenne River Below Baldhill Dam reporting a streamflow rate of 652 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Sheyenne River, with a gauge stage of 25.46 ft at this location. This river is monitored from 9 different streamgauging stations along the Sheyenne River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 1,555 ft, the Sheyenne River Above Harvey.

Max discharge

Sheyenne River Below Baldhill Dam

652cfs
Highest stage

Sheyenne River Below Baldhill Dam

25.46ft
Highest-elevation gauge

Sheyenne River Above Harvey

1,555ft
Aggregate trend

River streamflow levels

Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Sheyenne River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.

Total streamflow

Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily

Per-gauge breakdown

Every streamgauge along the Sheyenne River

All 9 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)
Sheyenne River Above Harvey ND
USGS 05054500
19 5.99 21.4 42% 0 2,100 1,555
Sheyenne River Nr Warwick ND
USGS 05056000
286 4.06 12.6 80% 0 8,200 1,385
Sheyenne River Nr Cooperstown ND
USGS 05057000
540 11.41 3.5 80% 19 8,460 1,288
Sheyenne River Below Baldhill Dam ND
USGS 05058000
652 25.46 1.1 69% 1 7,060 1,223
Sheyenne River At Lisbon ND
USGS 05058700
621 4.92 18.5 49% 26 9,250 1,068
Sheyenne River Near Kindred ND
USGS 05059000
448 4.75 8.7 31% 33 6,290 931
Sheyenne River Diversion At West Fargo ND
USGS 05059480
4 7.80 · 1% 0 4,830 905
Sheyenne R Ab Sheyenne R Diversion Nr Horace ND
USGS 05059300
440 15.72 17.3 34% 24 5,720 903
Sheyenne River At West Fargo ND
USGS 05059500
423 7.67 18.2 118% 3 1,340 900
Annual peaks

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

Profile

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

About this river

Sheyenne River

The Sheyenne River is a 591-kilometer-long tributary of the Red River located in North Dakota, USA. The river has played a significant role in the history of the area, serving as a transportation route for Native Americans and early European settlers. The river's hydrology consists of a drainage area of about 12,000 square kilometers, and it is fed by numerous small tributaries. The Baldhill Dam and Lake Ashtabula are two major reservoirs on the river. The Baldhill Dam provides flood control and helps regulate water levels, while Lake Ashtabula is used for flood control, irrigation, and recreation. The Sheyenne River offers opportunities for fishing, canoeing, and hiking, and it serves as a critical source of irrigation water for farmers in the region.

Track the Sheyenne 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.

FAQ

About the Sheyenne River

Where does the data for the Sheyenne 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.