Red River of The North at Hickson water level

Name: Red River of The North at Hickson 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

Low for mid-October

Water level

10.27ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 10:45 AM CDT (34 min ago)

Flow: 323 cfs
Water temperature: 49 °F

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The Red River of The North at Hickson is running below normal at 10.27 ft.

That puts it 0.54 ft below the median of 10.81 ft for mid-October, based on 26 years of readings. It is 19.73 ft below the flood stage of 30.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 11.21 ft (−0.94 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between 10.15 ft and 10.45 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that. The sensor also reports a water temperature of 49 °F.

Compared with 26 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 10.81 ft0.54 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 10.00 ft – 14.97 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (26 years of records)
Same day last year: 11.21 ft−0.94 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 10.15 ft – 10.45 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 9.49 ft – 16.02 ft
Highest on record: 39.04 ftMarch 26, 2009

Floating and fishing near Red River of The North at Hickson

Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.

Flood stage here is 30.00 ft, 19.73 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

38.00 ft: MAJOR FLOOD.
34.00 ft: MODERATE FLOOD. Oxbow Golf Course begins sandbagging.
32.00 ft: Water on bridge deck.
31.00 ft: North Dakota Hwy 18 bridge approach closed.
30.00 ft: MINOR FLOOD.
28.00 ft: ACTION STAGE/FORECAST SERVICE STAGE.
27.90 ft: Low steel at WW on bridge.
10.27 ft: Right now
8.69 ft: Point of zero flow - 1976.
1.70 ft: Channel bottom at WW - August 2012.

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	39.04 ft	March 26, 2009
2	37.60 ft	April 16, 1997
3	37.15 ft	April 7, 2011
4	36.40 ft	April 3, 2006
5	36.15 ft	March 19, 2010
6	35.81 ft	April 7, 1989
7	35.80 ft	April 13, 2001
8	34.27 ft	April 5, 2019
9	33.89 ft	April 29, 2013
10	33.54 ft	April 2, 1978

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:52 AM Sunset 06:33 PM Daylight 10 hr, 41 min Waxing gibbous 69%

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	3.98 ft	Low	−0.05 ft	29 mi
Red River of The North at EnloeRiver gauge, Red River of The North	14.39 ft	Low	+0.01 ft	11 mi
Red River of The North near Wild RiceRiver gauge, Red River of The North	22.99 ft	No reference yet	+0.05 ft	5.0 mi
Red River of The North at FargoRiver gauge, Red River of The North	14.08 ft	Normal	+0.03 ft	14 mi
Red River of The North near GeorgetownRiver gauge, Red River of The North	14.10 ft	Very low	±0	30 mi
Red River of The North at HalstadRiver gauge, Red River of The North	3.79 ft	Very low	−0.04 ft	48 mi
Red River of The North near ThompsonRiver gauge, Red River of The North	17.05 ft	Low	−0.08 ft	76 mi
Red River of The North at Grand ForksRiver gauge, Red River of The North	16.45 ft	High	−0.05 ft	88 mi
Red River of The North at OsloRiver gauge, Red River of The North	7.35 ft	Normal	+0.03 ft	107 mi
Red River of The North at DraytonRiver gauge, Red River of The North	12.82 ft	Normal	±0	133 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Wild Rice River near St BenedictRiver gauge, Wild Rice River	23.29 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	4.1 mi
Sheyenne River above Sheyenne R Diversion near HoraceRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	14.21 ft	Low	−0.11 ft	9 mi
Sheyenne River near KindredRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	3.64 ft	Low	−0.02 ft	10 mi
South Branch Buffalo River at SabinRiver gauge, South Branch Buffalo River	7.19 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	11 mi
Sheyenne River on Gol Road near KindredRiver gauge, Sheyenne River on Gol Road	35.68 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	12 mi
Wild Rice River near AbercrombieRiver gauge, Wild Rice River	9.82 ft	High	±0	13 mi
Sheyenne River at West FargoRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	6.55 ft	Low	−0.09 ft	17 mi
Sheyenne River Diversion at West FargoRiver gauge, Sheyenne River Diversion	6.60 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	17 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Red River of The North at Hickson compare with last year?

It is 0.94 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 11.21 ft.

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

The official flood stage is 30.00 ft. The level is currently 19.73 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Red River of The North at Hickson in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 10.81 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 10.00 ft and 14.97 ft, based on 26 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 Hickson today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 10:45 AM CDT, the water level was 10.27 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Red River of The North at Hickson rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Red River of The North at Hickson normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 26 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:05051522 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 46.65972, -96.79556 (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	10.27 ft	2026-10-20 15:45	Provisional
Flow	323 cfs	2026-10-20 15:45	Provisional
Water temperature	49 °F	2026-10-20 15:45	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Red River of The North at Hickson (usgs:05051522). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-dakota/red-river-of-the-north-at-hickson

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