Little Missouri River at Medora water level
River gauge, Little Missouri River, North Dakota, United States
Right now
Very low for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 25.4 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
At 1.30 ft, the Little Missouri River at Medora is far below normal for mid-October.
That puts it 0.76 ft below the median of 2.06 ft for mid-October, based on 23 years of readings. It is 13.70 ft below the flood stage of 15.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 4.71 ft (−3.41 ft).
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 0.99 ft and 1.30 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.
Compared with 23 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 2.06 ft0.76 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 1.44 ft – 4.38 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (23 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 4.71 ft−3.41 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 0.99 ft – 1.30 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 0.95 ft – 5.76 ft
- Highest on record
- 20.50 ftMarch 23, 1947
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 13.70 ft away.
What happens at each level
- 19.00 ft
- Much of the town of Medora is susceptible to flooding. The steep bank on the left side is subject to overflow.
- 18.00 ft
- Highway 10 begins to flood-town of Medora very flat and is subject to flooding.
- 17.00 ft
- A few rural homes next to the river near Medora may be flooded.
- 15.00 ft
- Right bank overflows and damages camping area on the west side of Medora.
- 13.00 ft
- Water backs up into ditches along Highway 10. Cottonwood campground-5 mi into park has water out of banksin very low spots. Campground and Visitor Center unharmed.
- 12.00 ft
- Low spots on right bank overflow.
- 1.30 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 | 20.50 ft | March 23, 1947 |
| 2 | 20.39 ft | May 25, 2011 |
| 3 | 18.68 ft | March 11, 1972 |
| 4 | 18.57 ft | March 25, 2019 |
| 5 | 17.32 ft | April 8, 1952 |
| 6 | 17.20 ft | June 7, 1929 |
| 7 | 16.52 ft | March 28, 1978 |
| 8 | 16.43 ft | April 19, 2009 |
| 9 | 16.05 ft | March 14, 2014 |
| 10 | 16.00 ft | April 24, 1907 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the Little Missouri River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Missouri River at Camp CrookRiver gauge, Little Missouri River | 1.72 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 97 mi |
| Little Missouri River at MarmarthRiver gauge, Little Missouri River | 0.79 ft | Very low | −0.01 ft | 47 mi |
| Little Missouri River near Watford CityRiver gauge, Little Missouri River | 7.09 ft | High | −0.03 ft | 48 mi |
| Little Missouri River above Mouth near OakdaleRiver gauge, Little Missouri River | 5.86 ft | No reference yet | −0.04 ft | 59 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deep Creek near AmidonRiver gauge, Deep Creek | 11.44 ft | Normal | +0.03 ft | 24 mi |
| Green River near New HradecRiver gauge, Green River | 5.57 ft | Low | +0.16 ft | 24 mi |
| Beaver Creek near TrottersRiver gauge, Beaver Creek | 1.64 ft | No reference yet | +0.10 ft | 28 mi |
| Edward Arthur Patterson LakeLake | 2,417.38 ft | Normal | 33 mi | |
| Knife River at ManningRiver gauge, Knife River | 6.11 ft | Normal | −0.10 ft | 42 mi |
Questions and answers
How does the Little Missouri River at Medora compare with last year?
It is 3.41 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 4.71 ft.
What is flood stage for the Little Missouri River at Medora?
The official flood stage is 15.00 ft. The level is currently 13.70 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Little Missouri River at Medora in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 2.06 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.44 ft and 4.38 ft, based on 23 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 Little Missouri River at Medora today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 06:00 AM MDT, the water level was 1.30 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Little Missouri River at Medora rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Up 0.05 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Little Missouri River at Medora normal?
Very low for mid-October. Compared with 23 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:06336000(Agency page)- Coordinates
46.91684, -103.53228(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 | 1.30 ft | 2026-10-20 12:00 | Provisional |
| Flow | 25.4 cfs | 2026-10-20 12:00 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Little Missouri River at Medora (usgs:06336000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-dakota/little-missouri-river-at-medora
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