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Little Missouri River at Medora water level

River gauge, Little Missouri River, North Dakota, United States

Directions

Right now

Very low for mid-October

Water level

1.30ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
25.4 cfs
0 10 20 Highest onrecord 20.50 ft Minor floodstage 15.00 ft

History

History
1234ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 201234ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 20
1234ftSep 21Sep 28Oct 5Oct 13Oct 201234ftSep 21Oct 5Oct 20
-051015ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage-051015ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
510ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026510ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

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 %.

RankLevelDate
120.50 ftMarch 23, 1947
220.39 ftMay 25, 2011
318.68 ftMarch 11, 1972
418.57 ftMarch 25, 2019
517.32 ftApril 8, 1952
617.20 ftJune 7, 1929
716.52 ftMarch 28, 1978
816.43 ftApril 19, 2009
916.05 ftMarch 14, 2014
1016.00 ftApril 24, 1907

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:20 AM Sunset 05:59 PM Daylight 10 hr, 40 min First quarter 68%

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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 1.30 ft 2026-10-20 12:00 Provisional
Flow 25.4 cfs 2026-10-20 12:00 Provisional

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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.