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Forest River at Minto water level

River gauge, Forest River, North Dakota, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

1.58ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
40.3 cfs
5 10 Highest onrecord 11.80 ft Minor floodstage 6.00 ft

History

1.41.61.82.0ftOct 12Oct 13Oct 15Oct 16Oct 181.41.61.82.0ftOct 12Oct 15Oct 18
1.31.51.82.0ftSep 19Sep 26Oct 3Oct 10Oct 181.31.51.82.0ftSep 19Oct 3Oct 18
246ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage246ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
24ftJanMarMayJulSepNov202624ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

The Forest River at Minto is at 1.58 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

That puts it 0.07 ft above the median of 1.51 ft for mid-October, based on 26 years of readings. It is 4.42 ft below the flood stage of 6.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 1.53 ft (+0.05 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 1.43 ft and 1.59 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Compared with 26 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
1.51 ft0.07 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
1.40 ft – 1.96 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (26 years of records)
Same day last year
1.53 ft+0.05 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
1.43 ft – 1.59 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
1.23 ft – 5.08 ft
Highest on record
11.80 ftApril 18, 1950

Floating and fishing near Forest River at Minto

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 6.00 ft, 4.42 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

11.00 ft
MAJOR FLOOD.
10.40 ft
Bridge with wire-weight gage upstream from gage house floods.
8.00 ft
MODERATE FLOOD. During high flow, river may bypass Minto to the south and flow into Lake Ardoch. Urban flooding begins.
7.50 ft
Old Highway 81 is underwater.
6.00 ft
MINOR FLOOD. Left bank flooding.
4.50 ft
ACTION STAGE/FORECAST SERVICE STAGE.
4.00 ft
Right bank flooding.
1.58 ft
Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: < 5 %.

RankLevelDate
111.80 ftApril 18, 1950
211.80 ftApril 19, 1948
39.28 ftApril 17, 2023
49.27 ftMarch 29, 2004
59.11 ftApril 4, 1997
69.11 ftApril 10, 2014
78.93 ftApril 20, 1979
88.64 ftApril 25, 2022
98.62 ftMarch 18, 2010
108.56 ftApril 2, 1955

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:54 AM Sunset 06:36 PM Daylight 10 hr, 42 min First quarter 46%

Map

Other gauges on the Forest River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Forest River near FordvilleRiver gauge, Forest River 1.71 ft Normal −0.01 ft 18 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Park River at GraftonRiver gauge, Park River 7.28 ft Normal −0.02 ft 10 mi
Red River of The North at OsloRiver gauge, Red River of The North 7.33 ft Normal +0.14 ft 12 mi
Homme Reservoir near Park RiverReservoir, Homme Reservoir 79.72 ft Low +0.01 ft 21 mi
Red River of The North at DraytonRiver gauge, Red River of The North 12.73 ft Normal +0.01 ft 22 mi
Turtle River at Turtle R State Park near ArvillaRiver gauge, Turtle River 1.05 ft Very low −0.03 ft 25 mi
Middle River at ArgyleRiver gauge, Middle River 8.9 cfs Normal ±0 26 mi
Red River of The North at Grand ForksRiver gauge, Red River of The North 16.50 ft High −0.01 ft 29 mi
Snake River above WarrenRiver gauge, Snake River 63.14 ft Below flood stage −0.17 ft 30 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Forest River at Minto compare with last year?

It is 0.05 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.53 ft.

What is flood stage for the Forest River at Minto?

The official flood stage is 6.00 ft. The level is currently 4.42 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Forest River at Minto in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.51 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.40 ft and 1.96 ft, based on 26 years of records.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of Forest River at Minto today?

On Oct 17, 2026, 10:15 PM CDT, the water level was 1.58 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Forest River at Minto rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Forest River at Minto normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 26 years of daily readings for this time of year.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:05085000 (Agency page)
Coordinates
48.28611, -97.36972 (WGS84)
Vertical datum
NAVD88
Update interval
every 15 minutes
Licence
Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 1.58 ft 2026-10-18 03:15 Provisional
Flow 40.3 cfs 2026-10-18 03:15 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Forest River at Minto (usgs:05085000). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-dakota/forest-river-at-minto

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer