Red River of The North at Grand Forks water level

Name: Red River of The North at Grand Forks 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, Red River of The North, North Dakota, United States

Directions

High for late October

Water level

16.41ft Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 01:45 AM CDT (37 min ago)

Flow: 2,180 cfs
Water temperature: 50 °F

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 Red River of The North at Grand Forks shows 16.41 ft, above normal for late October.

The median for late October is 7.47 ft, based on 121 years of readings, so the river stage is 8.94 ft above typical. It is 11.59 ft below the flood stage of 28.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 16.43 ft, a difference of −0.02 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.06 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 15.65 ft and 17.69 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest. The water temperature at the gauge is 50 °F.

Compared with 121 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 7.47 ft8.94 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 2.91 ft – 17.12 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (121 years of records)
Same day last year: 16.43 ft−0.02 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 15.65 ft – 17.69 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 15.28 ft – 27.02 ft
Highest on record: 54.35 ftApril 22, 1997

What the stage means on the water

Fast, high water is not the time for casual paddling. Strainers, debris and cold water make an unplanned swim dangerous.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 28.00 ft, still 11.59 ft away.

What happens at each level

63.00 ft: Top of the flood walls for the city of Grand Forks.
60.00 ft: Top of the levee constructed by the Corps of Engineers for the city of Grand Forks.
57.00 ft: Mallory Bridge closes. (East Grand Forks)
55.00 ft: Close Business Highway 2 with earthen closures. (East Grand Forks)
54.35 ft: **** Record flood level - 22 April 1997...from floodmarks. ****
53.50 ft: Close Highway 220 with earthen closures. (East Grand Forks)
53.00 ft: Top of the rails on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad Bridge over the Red River.
52.60 ft: Water on Gateway Drive approach to Kennedy Bridge. (Grand Forks)
52.00 ft: Close railroad at US Highway 2 and Kennedy Bridge with earthen closures.
50.10 ft: Hill St closure to be assembled. (East Grand Forks)
48.50 ft: Second Ave NE at 2nd St NE closure to be constructed. Bygland Road at Murray Bridge closure to be assembled. Murray Bridge closed. (East Grand Forks)
47.00 ft: Hill St railroad closure and 4th St NW road closure to be assembled. (East Grand Forks)
16.41 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: 6 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	54.35 ft	April 22, 1997
2	50.20 ft	April 10, 1897
3	49.86 ft	April 14, 2011
4	49.33 ft	April 1, 2009
5	48.81 ft	April 26, 1979
6	48.00 ft	April 18, 1882
7	47.93 ft	April 6, 2006
8	47.70 ft	April 10, 2020
9	46.94 ft	April 11, 2019
10	46.09 ft	March 20, 2010

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

17 Sat 65° 37° – Wind 16 mph

18 Sun 67° 44° – Wind 13 mph

19 Mon 63° 34° – Wind 9 mph

20 Tue 68° 45° – Wind 15 mph

21 Wed 67° 50° – Wind 11 mph

22 Thu 72° 48° – Wind 13 mph

23 Fri 65° 55° 0.37 in, 26% Wind 14 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:57 AM Sunset 06:30 PM Daylight 10 hr, 33 min Waxing gibbous 75%

Map

Other gauges on the Red River of The North

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Red River of The North at WahpetonRiver gauge, Red River of The North	3.89 ft	Low	−0.15 ft	117 mi
Red River of The North at EnloeRiver gauge, Red River of The North	14.39 ft	Low	−0.02 ft	100 mi
Red River of The North at HicksonRiver gauge, Red River of The North	10.27 ft	Low	+0.01 ft	88 mi
Red River of The North near Wild RiceRiver gauge, Red River of The North	23.00 ft	No reference yet	+0.01 ft	83 mi
Red River of The North at FargoRiver gauge, Red River of The North	14.11 ft	Normal	+0.03 ft	75 mi
Red River of The North near GeorgetownRiver gauge, Red River of The North	14.11 ft	Very low	+0.01 ft	58 mi
Red River of The North at HalstadRiver gauge, Red River of The North	3.78 ft	Very low	−0.02 ft	41 mi
Red River of The North near ThompsonRiver gauge, Red River of The North	17.01 ft	Low	−0.07 ft	12 mi
Red River of The North at OsloRiver gauge, Red River of The North	7.35 ft	Normal	+0.03 ft	19 mi
Red River of The North at DraytonRiver gauge, Red River of The North	12.79 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	45 mi
Red River of The North at PembinaRiver gauge, Red River of The North	12.65 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	73 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Red Lake River at FisherRiver gauge, Red Lake River	1,380 cfs	High	−50.0 cfs	13 mi
Red Lake River at CrookstonRiver gauge, Red Lake River	6.38 ft	Below flood stage	−0.09 ft	22 mi
Turtle River at Turtle R State Park near ArvillaRiver gauge, Turtle River	1.04 ft	Very low	±0	22 mi
Sand Hill River at ClimaxRiver gauge, Sand Hill River	4.33 ft	Below flood stage	+0.03 ft	24 mi
Snake River above WarrenRiver gauge, Snake River	61.96 ft	Below flood stage	−0.20 ft	24 mi
Forest River at MintoRiver gauge, Forest River	1.56 ft	Normal	+0.02 ft	29 mi
Middle River at ArgyleRiver gauge, Middle River	8.6 cfs	Normal	−0.9 cfs	30 mi
Goose River near PortlandRiver gauge, Goose River	0.1 cfs	Normal	±0	33 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Red River of The North at Grand Forks higher than last year?

No, it is 0.02 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 16.43 ft.

What is flood stage for the Red River of The North at Grand Forks?

The official flood stage is 28.00 ft. The level is currently 11.59 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Red River of The North at Grand Forks in late October?

The median for late October is 7.47 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.91 ft and 17.12 ft, based on 121 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 Red River of The North at Grand Forks today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 01:45 AM CDT, the water level was 16.41 ft. Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Red River of The North at Grand Forks rising or falling?

Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.06 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Red River of The North at Grand Forks normal?

High for late October. Compared with 121 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:05082500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 47.92694, -97.02889 (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	16.41 ft	2026-10-21 06:45	Provisional
Flow	2,180 cfs	2026-10-21 06:45	Provisional
Water temperature	50 °F	2026-10-21 06:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Red River of The North at Grand Forks (usgs:05082500). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-dakota/red-river-of-the-north-at-grand-forks

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