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Missouri River at Washburn water level

River gauge, Missouri River, North Dakota, United States

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Right now

Very low for mid-October

Water level

7.82ft Down 0.12 ft over the last 24 hours

10 15

History

History
1015ftOct 13Oct 14Oct 16Oct 17Oct 191015ftOct 13Oct 16Oct 19
1015ftSep 20Sep 27Oct 4Oct 12Oct 191015ftSep 20Oct 4Oct 19
10203040ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 202610203040ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
10203040ftJanMarMayJulSepNov202610203040ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

Low water at Missouri River at Washburn: the gauge reads 7.82 ft, far below normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 10.74 ft, based on 61 years of readings, so the river stage is 2.92 ft below typical. On the same day last year the reading was 8.12 ft, a difference of −0.30 ft.

It is still going down, by 0.12 ft over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 7.73 ft – 8.23 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.

Compared with 61 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
10.74 ft2.92 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
8.30 ft – 16.22 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (61 years of records)
Same day last year
8.12 ft−0.30 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
7.73 ft – 8.23 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
7.79 ft – 13.93 ft

Paddling and fishing conditions

At low levels, plan for shorter paddling trips and expect to walk your boat through a few shoals.

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

17 Sat 78° 32° – Wind 14 mph
18 Sun 64° 40° – Wind 13 mph
19 Mon 64° 37° – Wind 13 mph
20 Tue 71° 45° – Wind 15 mph
21 Wed 66° 48° – Wind 11 mph
22 Thu 75° 48° – Wind 18 mph
23 Fri 66° 48° 0.18 in, 40% Wind 21 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:09 AM Sunset 05:51 PM Daylight 10 hr, 42 min First quarter 60%

Map

Other gauges on the Missouri River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Missouri River near WillistonRiver gauge, Missouri River 13.13 ft Normal +0.05 ft 137 mi
Missouri River above StantonRiver gauge, Missouri River 61.08 ft Very low −0.18 ft 16 mi
Missouri River near StantonRiver gauge, Missouri River 6.83 ft Very low −0.06 ft 14 mi
Missouri River near HenslerRiver gauge, Missouri River 11.71 ft Very low −0.11 ft 7 mi
Missouri River at PriceRiver gauge, Missouri River 16.95 ft Very low −0.03 ft 15 mi
Missouri River above MandanRiver gauge, Missouri River 11.36 ft No reference yet +0.04 ft 31 mi
Missouri River at BismarckRiver gauge, Missouri River 3.80 ft Normal +0.04 ft 34 mi
Missouri River below MandanRiver gauge, Missouri River 18.75 ft Very low +0.05 ft 38 mi
Missouri River near SchmidtRiver gauge, Missouri River 11.94 ft Low +0.08 ft 46 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Square Butte Creek below CenterRiver gauge, Square Butte Creek 1.06 ft Low −0.01 ft 18 mi
Audubon Lake North DakotaReservoir 1,846.35 ft High 25 mi
Knife River at HazenRiver gauge, Knife River 0.84 ft Low ±0 27 mi
Heart River near MandanRiver gauge, Heart River 8.87 ft Below flood stage +0.01 ft 32 mi
Drain on Wachter Ave at BismarckRiver gauge, Drain on Wachter Ave 26.18 ft Low ±0 37 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Missouri River at Washburn higher than last year?

No, it is 0.30 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 8.12 ft.

What is a normal level for the Missouri River at Washburn in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 10.74 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 8.30 ft and 16.22 ft, based on 61 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 Missouri River at Washburn today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 09:15 AM MDT, the water level was 7.82 ft. Down 0.12 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Missouri River at Washburn rising or falling?

Down 0.12 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.12 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Missouri River at Washburn normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 61 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:06341000 (Agency page)
Coordinates
47.28889, -101.03750 (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 7.82 ft 2026-10-19 15:15 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Missouri River at Washburn (usgs:06341000). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-dakota/missouri-river-at-washburn

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.