Little Muddy River below Cow Creek near Williston water level

Name: Little Muddy River below Cow Creek near Williston water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

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

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

4.63ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 08:15 AM MDT (54 min ago)

Flow: 5.4 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The gauge at Little Muddy River below Cow Creek near Williston reads 4.63 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 4.68 ft, based on 23 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.05 ft below typical. It is 5.37 ft below the flood stage of 10.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 4.65 ft, a difference of −0.02 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 4.54 ft and 4.76 ft.

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

Compared with 23 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 4.68 ft0.05 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 4.51 ft – 4.76 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (23 years of records)
Same day last year: 4.65 ft−0.02 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 4.54 ft – 4.76 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 4.48 ft – 6.85 ft
Highest on record: 13.57 ftMarch 27, 1960

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.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 10.00 ft, still 5.37 ft away.

What happens at each level

12.00 ft: CO-8 by gage road has water on it. CO-7B also floods at this level. The Little Muddy Recreation area near Williston floods.
4.63 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	13.57 ft	March 27, 1960
2	12.77 ft	April 18, 1979
3	12.72 ft	March 14, 1972
4	12.65 ft	March 19, 1976
5	12.50 ft	March 18, 2003
6	12.43 ft	March 18, 2003
7	12.43 ft	April 4, 1969
8	12.37 ft	April 12, 2011
9	12.15 ft	March 30, 1955
10	12.07 ft	March 27, 1997

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:22 AM Sunset 05:57 PM Daylight 10 hr, 35 min First quarter 69%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Missouri River North 9 at WillistonRiver gauge, Missouri River North 9	22.51 ft	Low	±0	10 mi
Missouri River near WillistonRiver gauge, Missouri River	13.11 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	14 mi
Tobacco Garden Creek near Watford CityRiver gauge, Tobacco Garden Creek	1.8 cfs	Normal	−1.0 cfs	28 mi
Missouri River North 5A at BufordRiver gauge, Missouri River North 5A	7.28 ft	Normal	+0.07 ft	28 mi
Missouri River North 5 at NohlyRiver gauge, Missouri River North 5	63.88 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	31 mi
Missouri River North 4 near NohlyRiver gauge, Missouri River North 4	10.73 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	32 mi
Yellowstone River North 2 near CartwrightRiver gauge, Yellowstone River North 2	62.93 ft	Very low	−0.05 ft	34 mi
White Earth River at White EarthRiver gauge, White Earth River	0.48 ft	Normal	+0.04 ft	38 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Little Muddy River below Cow Creek near Williston higher than last year?

No, it is 0.02 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 4.65 ft.

What is flood stage for the Little Muddy River below Cow Creek near Williston?

The official flood stage is 10.00 ft. The level is currently 5.37 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Little Muddy River below Cow Creek near Williston in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 4.68 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 4.51 ft and 4.76 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 Muddy River below Cow Creek near Williston today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 08:15 AM MDT, the water level was 4.63 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Little Muddy River below Cow Creek near Williston rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.11 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Little Muddy River below Cow Creek near Williston normal?

Normal 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:06331000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 48.28444, -103.57250 (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	4.63 ft	2026-10-20 14:15	Provisional
Flow	5.4 cfs	2026-10-20 14:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Little Muddy River below Cow Creek near Williston (usgs:06331000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-dakota/little-muddy-river-below-cow-creek-near-williston

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