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Forest River near Fordville water level

River gauge, Forest River, North Dakota, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

1.69ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
32.9 cfs
1.5 1.8 2.0 2.2

History

1.51.82.02.3ftOct 13Oct 14Oct 16Oct 18Oct 191.51.82.02.3ftOct 13Oct 16Oct 19
1.52.0ftSep 20Sep 27Oct 4Oct 12Oct 191.52.0ftSep 20Oct 4Oct 19
246ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026246ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
246ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026246ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

The gauge at Forest River near Fordville reads 1.69 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 1.70 ft, based on 26 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.01 ft below typical. On the same day last year the reading was 1.79 ft, a difference of −0.10 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.38 ft and 1.76 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
1.70 ft0.01 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
1.46 ft – 2.20 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (26 years of records)
Same day last year
1.79 ft−0.10 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
1.38 ft – 1.76 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
1.38 ft – 6.12 ft

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

What happens at each level

13.50 ft
Ponded water floods road 400-800 ft south of gage.
9.85 ft
Fordville Diversion keeps the gage at 9.85 ft (March 28, 2004).
1.69 ft
Right now

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

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

18 Sun 63° 45° – Wind 19 mph
19 Mon 59° 36° – Wind 9 mph
20 Tue 67° 43° – Wind 14 mph
21 Wed 61° 47° – Wind 15 mph
22 Thu 68° 43° – Wind 13 mph
23 Fri 70° 59° 0.27 in, 37% Wind 18 mph
24 Sat 61° 37° 1.13 in, 36% Wind 27 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:57 AM Sunset 06:36 PM Daylight 10 hr, 39 min First quarter 63%

Map

Other gauges on the Forest River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Forest River at MintoRiver gauge, Forest River 1.52 ft Normal −0.06 ft 18 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Homme Reservoir near Park RiverReservoir, Homme Reservoir 79.68 ft Very low +0.01 ft 15 mi
Turtle River at Turtle R State Park near ArvillaRiver gauge, Turtle River 1.05 ft Very low +0.01 ft 21 mi
Park River at GraftonRiver gauge, Park River 7.19 ft Normal −0.06 ft 21 mi
Red River of The North at OsloRiver gauge, Red River of The North 7.35 ft Normal +0.03 ft 27 mi
Eastern Stump Lake near LakotaLake, Eastern Stump Lake 49.91 ft Flooding −0.02 ft 37 mi
Red River of The North at DraytonRiver gauge, Red River of The North 12.83 ft Normal +0.07 ft 37 mi
Red River of The North at Grand ForksRiver gauge, Red River of The North 16.49 ft High −0.01 ft 37 mi
Sheyenne River at Co Road 20 near KlotenRiver gauge, Sheyenne River 30.77 ft Very low −0.02 ft 40 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Forest River near Fordville higher than last year?

No, it is 0.10 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.79 ft.

What is a normal level for the Forest River near Fordville in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.70 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.46 ft and 2.20 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 near Fordville today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 05:15 PM CDT, the water level was 1.69 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Forest River near Fordville rising or falling?

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

Is the level of Forest River near Fordville normal?

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

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
Operator
U.S. Geological Survey
Station code
usgs:05084000 (Agency page)
Coordinates
48.19722, -97.73028 (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 1.69 ft 2026-10-19 22:15 Provisional
Flow 32.9 cfs 2026-10-19 22:15 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Forest River near Fordville (usgs:05084000). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-dakota/forest-river-near-fordville

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