Knife River at Manning water level
River gauge, Knife River, North Dakota, United States
Right now
Low for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 0.2 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
At 5.86 ft, the Knife River at Manning is below normal for mid-October.
The median for mid-October is 6.20 ft, based on 26 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.34 ft below typical. It is 9.14 ft below the flood stage of 15.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 6.62 ft, a difference of −0.76 ft.
It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 5.71 ft and 7.12 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.
Compared with 26 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 6.20 ft0.34 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 5.77 ft – 6.71 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (26 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 6.62 ft−0.76 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 5.71 ft – 7.12 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 5.69 ft – 10.25 ft
- Highest on record
- 17.63 ftMarch 18, 2003
What the stage means on the water
Low water means more dragging on shallow riffles and slower floats. Fish crowd into the deeper runs, and warm, low water stresses them, so play and release them quickly.
The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 15.00 ft, still 9.14 ft away.
What happens at each level
- 32.50 ft
- Lowest point of Highway 22 will flood.
- 14.00 ft
- A flood of 14.89 ft created problems and required sandbagging of rural homes in 2009.
- 5.86 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 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17.63 ft | March 18, 2003 |
| 2 | 17.05 ft | March 21, 1997 |
| 3 | 16.93 ft | March 18, 2003 |
| 4 | 16.20 ft | June 15, 1970 |
| 5 | 15.90 ft | March 14, 1972 |
| 6 | 15.70 ft | July 8, 1969 |
| 7 | 15.51 ft | April 1, 1987 |
| 8 | 15.39 ft | March 27, 1978 |
| 9 | 15.37 ft | April 22, 1975 |
| 10 | 15.36 ft | March 22, 2019 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the Knife River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knife River near Golden ValleyRiver gauge, Knife River | 3.95 ft | Very low | −0.01 ft | 34 mi |
| Knife River at HazenRiver gauge, Knife River | 0.85 ft | Low | ±0 | 54 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green River near New HradecRiver gauge, Green River | 5.22 ft | Low | +0.14 ft | 20 mi |
| Edward Arthur Patterson LakeLake | 2,417.40 ft | Normal | 25 mi | |
| Little Missouri River near Watford CityRiver gauge, Little Missouri River | 7.04 ft | High | −0.14 ft | 33 mi |
| Bear Den Creek near MandareeRiver gauge, Bear Den Creek | 6.20 ft | Very high | +0.02 ft | 38 mi |
| Spring Creek at ZapRiver gauge, Spring Creek | 4.76 ft | Normal | +0.02 ft | 40 mi |
| Heart River near RichardtonRiver gauge, Heart River | 3.89 ft | Very low | −0.03 ft | 40 mi |
| Little Missouri River at MedoraRiver gauge, Little Missouri River | 1.26 ft | Very low | +0.05 ft | 42 mi |
| Cherry Creek on State Highway 23 near SchaferRiver gauge, Cherry Creek on State Highway 23 | 6.02 ft | Low | ±0 | 44 mi |
Questions and answers
Is the Knife River at Manning higher than last year?
No, it is 0.76 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 6.62 ft.
What is flood stage for the Knife River at Manning?
The official flood stage is 15.00 ft. The level is currently 9.14 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Knife River at Manning in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 6.20 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 5.77 ft and 6.71 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 Knife River at Manning today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 12:00 AM MDT, the water level was 5.86 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Knife River at Manning rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Knife River at Manning normal?
Low 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:06339100(Agency page)- Coordinates
47.23611, -102.76944(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
| Parameter | Last value | Time (UTC) | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water level | 5.86 ft | 2026-10-18 06:00 | Provisional |
| Flow | 0.2 cfs | 2026-10-18 06:00 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Knife River at Manning (usgs:06339100). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-dakota/knife-river-at-manning
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