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Missouri River North 5A at Buford water level

River gauge, Missouri River North 5A, North Dakota, United States

Directions

Right now

Normal for mid-October

Water level

7.28ft Up 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours

5 8 10

History

History
68ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 1968ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 19
6810ftSep 21Sep 28Oct 5Oct 12Oct 196810ftSep 21Oct 5Oct 19
-02040ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026-02040ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026
-02040ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026-02040ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

The Missouri River North 5A at Buford is at 7.28 ft, in the normal range for mid-October.

That puts it 0.53 ft below the median of 7.81 ft for mid-October, based on 35 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 8.01 ft (−0.73 ft).

It has risen 0.07 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 6.69 ft and 8.04 ft.

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

Compared with 35 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
7.81 ft0.53 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date
4.77 ft – 9.57 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (35 years of records)
Same day last year
8.01 ft−0.73 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
6.69 ft – 8.04 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
5.82 ft – 13.33 ft

Floating and fishing near Missouri River North 5A at Buford

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:23 AM Sunset 06:00 PM Daylight 10 hr, 36 min First quarter 63%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Missouri River North 5 at NohlyRiver gauge, Missouri River North 5 63.88 ft Normal −0.05 ft 5.1 mi
Yellowstone River North 2 near CartwrightRiver gauge, Yellowstone River North 2 62.90 ft Very low −0.06 ft 9 mi
Missouri River North 4 near NohlyRiver gauge, Missouri River North 4 10.73 ft Normal −0.04 ft 9 mi
Yellowstone River North 1 near FairviewRiver gauge, Yellowstone River North 1 8.79 ft Very low +0.03 ft 13 mi
Missouri River near WillistonRiver gauge, Missouri River 13.18 ft Normal +0.09 ft 15 mi
Missouri River North 9 at WillistonRiver gauge, Missouri River North 9 23.10 ft Normal +0.31 ft 20 mi
Yellowstone River near Sidney MTRiver gauge, Yellowstone River 2.76 ft Below flood stage −0.02 ft 23 mi
Missouri River near Culbertson MTRiver gauge, Missouri River 3.37 ft Below flood stage +0.01 ft 24 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Missouri River North 5A at Buford compare with last year?

It is 0.73 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 8.01 ft.

What is a normal level for the Missouri River North 5A at Buford in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 7.81 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 4.77 ft and 9.57 ft, based on 35 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 North 5A at Buford today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 04:15 PM MDT, the water level was 7.28 ft. Up 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Missouri River North 5A at Buford rising or falling?

Up 0.07 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.40 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Missouri River North 5A at Buford normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 35 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:06329640 (Agency page)
Coordinates
47.98556, -103.98528 (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 7.28 ft 2026-10-19 22:15 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Missouri River North 5A at Buford (usgs:06329640). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-dakota/missouri-river-north-5a-at-buford

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.