Red River of The North near Thompson water level

Name: Red River of The North near Thompson 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

17.01ft Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 06:15 PM CDT (39 min ago)

Flow: 813 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

The Red River of The North near Thompson is running below normal at 17.01 ft.

That puts it 2.03 ft below the median of 19.04 ft for mid-October, based on 27 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 17.72 ft (−0.71 ft).

It has dropped 0.08 ft over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between 16.15 ft and 18.72 ft.

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

Compared with 27 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 19.04 ft2.03 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 16.44 ft – 27.99 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (27 years of records)
Same day last year: 17.72 ft−0.71 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 16.15 ft – 18.72 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 15.72 ft – 32.65 ft

Floating and fishing near Red River of The North near Thompson

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

What happens at each level

68.70 ft: Polk Co. closes Thompson bridge, low road on MN side (847.7 ft AMSL).
17.01 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

17 Sat 64° 36° – Wind 18 mph

18 Sun 67° 43° – Wind 13 mph

19 Mon 64° 33° – Wind 9 mph

20 Tue 68° 45° – Wind 15 mph

21 Wed 68° 50° – Wind 12 mph

22 Thu 73° 49° – Wind 15 mph

23 Fri 66° 57° 0.82 in, 25% Wind 16 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:55 AM Sunset 06:32 PM Daylight 10 hr, 37 min Waxing gibbous 72%

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	3.92 ft	Low	−0.12 ft	104 mi
Red River of The North at EnloeRiver gauge, Red River of The North	14.40 ft	Low	±0	88 mi
Red River of The North at HicksonRiver gauge, Red River of The North	10.27 ft	Low	+0.02 ft	76 mi
Red River of The North near Wild RiceRiver gauge, Red River of The North	23.00 ft	No reference yet	+0.03 ft	71 mi
Red River of The North at FargoRiver gauge, Red River of The North	14.10 ft	Normal	+0.03 ft	62 mi
Red River of The North near GeorgetownRiver gauge, Red River of The North	14.12 ft	Very low	+0.03 ft	46 mi
Red River of The North at HalstadRiver gauge, Red River of The North	3.79 ft	Very low	−0.03 ft	29 mi
Red River of The North at Grand ForksRiver gauge, Red River of The North	16.44 ft	High	−0.04 ft	12 mi
Red River of The North at OsloRiver gauge, Red River of The North	7.35 ft	Normal	+0.03 ft	31 mi
Red River of The North at DraytonRiver gauge, Red River of The North	12.84 ft	Normal	+0.03 ft	57 mi
Red River of The North at PembinaRiver gauge, Red River of The North	12.74 ft	Normal	+0.07 ft	85 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Red Lake River at FisherRiver gauge, Red Lake River	1,390 cfs	Normal	−60.0 cfs	7 mi
Sand Hill River at ClimaxRiver gauge, Sand Hill River	4.28 ft	Below flood stage	±0	12 mi
Red Lake River at CrookstonRiver gauge, Red Lake River	6.38 ft	Below flood stage	−0.09 ft	16 mi
Goose River at HillsboroRiver gauge, Goose River	1.78 ft	Very low	±0	25 mi
Marsh River near ShellyRiver gauge, Marsh River	3.47 ft	Below flood stage	±0	25 mi
Goose River near PortlandRiver gauge, Goose River	0.1 cfs	Normal	±0	28 mi
Turtle River at Turtle R State Park near ArvillaRiver gauge, Turtle River	1.04 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	29 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Red River of The North near Thompson compare with last year?

It is 0.71 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 17.72 ft.

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

The median for mid-October is 19.04 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 16.44 ft and 27.99 ft, based on 27 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 near Thompson today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 06:15 PM CDT, the water level was 17.01 ft. Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Red River of The North near Thompson rising or falling?

Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.39 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Red River of The North near Thompson normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 27 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:05070000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 47.75889, -96.94361 (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	17.01 ft	2026-10-20 23:15	Provisional
Flow	813 cfs	2026-10-20 23:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Red River of The North near Thompson (usgs:05070000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-dakota/red-river-of-the-north-near-thompson

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