Sheyenne River at Lisbon water level
River gauge, Sheyenne River, North Dakota, United States
Right now
Low for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 231 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
Low water at Sheyenne River at Lisbon: the gauge reads 3.21 ft, below normal for mid-October.
That puts it 0.93 ft below the median of 4.14 ft for mid-October, based on 26 years of readings. It is 11.79 ft below the flood stage of 15.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 3.51 ft (−0.30 ft).
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 2.62 ft – 6.33 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.
Compared with 26 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 4.14 ft0.93 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 2.76 ft – 5.62 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (26 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 3.51 ft−0.30 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 2.62 ft – 6.33 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 2.62 ft – 8.08 ft
- Highest on record
- 22.86 ftApril 16, 2009
Paddling and fishing conditions
At low levels, plan for shorter paddling trips and expect to walk your boat through a few shoals.
For reference, flood stage is 15.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 20.00 ft
- Top elevation of the emergency levees (1087.5 ft MSL).
- 19.00 ft
- MAJOR FLOOD.
- 17.00 ft
- MODERATE FLOOD.
- 16.00 ft
- Some rural flooding begins.
- 15.00 ft
- MINOR FLOOD. Raw sewage begins being dumped into the river.
- 14.00 ft
- Storm sewer outlets are closed. Interior drainage pumping begins.
- 11.00 ft
- ACTION STAGE/FORECAST SERVICE STAGE.
- 3.21 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: < 5 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22.86 ft | April 16, 2009 |
| 2 | 21.70 ft | April 20, 2011 |
| 3 | 19.46 ft | March 22, 2010 |
| 4 | 19.31 ft | May 4, 2022 |
| 5 | 19.29 ft | April 5, 1997 |
| 6 | 19.20 ft | April 13, 1996 |
| 7 | 19.04 ft | July 1, 1975 |
| 8 | 17.58 ft | May 2, 1979 |
| 9 | 16.54 ft | April 24, 1969 |
| 10 | 16.34 ft | August 2, 1993 |
Weather at the gauge
No rain in the last 3 days.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the Sheyenne River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheyenne River above Devils Lake State Outlet near FloraRiver gauge, Sheyenne River | 11.05 ft | Normal | −0.05 ft | 130 mi |
| Sheyenne River below Devils Lake State Outlet near BremenRiver gauge, Sheyenne River | 18.11 ft | Low | −0.05 ft | 121 mi |
| Sheyenne River near WarwickRiver gauge, Sheyenne River | 2.94 ft | Normal | −0.10 ft | 106 mi |
| Sheyenne River at Co Road 20 near KlotenRiver gauge, Sheyenne River | 30.79 ft | Very low | −0.09 ft | 88 mi |
| Sheyenne River near CooperstownRiver gauge, Sheyenne River | 10.10 ft | Low | +0.02 ft | 70 mi |
| Sheyenne River below Baldhill DamRiver gauge, Sheyenne River | 24.44 ft | Normal | ±0 | 45 mi |
| Sheyenne River at Valley CityRiver gauge, Sheyenne River | 3.22 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 36 mi |
| Sheyenne River at Fort Ransom State ParkRiver gauge, Sheyenne River | 17.63 ft | No reference yet | −0.01 ft | 14 mi |
| Sheyenne River near KindredRiver gauge, Sheyenne River | 3.70 ft | Low | −0.06 ft | 35 mi |
| Sheyenne River above Sheyenne R Diversion near HoraceRiver gauge, Sheyenne River | 14.40 ft | Normal | +0.15 ft | 41 mi |
| Sheyenne River at West FargoRiver gauge, Sheyenne River | 6.57 ft | Low | +0.04 ft | 48 mi |
| Sheyenne River at HarwoodRiver gauge, Sheyenne River | 68.77 ft | Low | −0.04 ft | 52 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maple River near EnderlinRiver gauge, Maple River | 1.90 ft | Very low | −0.03 ft | 13 mi |
| Bear Creek near OakesRiver gauge, Bear Creek | 5.35 ft | Very low | +0.04 ft | 24 mi |
| Wild Rice River near RutlandRiver gauge, Wild Rice River | 0.0 cfs | Normal | ±0 | 30 mi |
| James River at LamoureRiver gauge, James River | 8.07 ft | Normal | −0.02 ft | 30 mi |
| Sheyenne River on Gol Road near KindredRiver gauge, Sheyenne River on Gol Road | 35.74 ft | Very low | −0.10 ft | 33 mi |
| Wild Rice River near MantadorRiver gauge, Wild Rice River | 1.5 cfs | Low | +0.1 cfs | 37 mi |
| Maple River near MapletonRiver gauge, Maple River | 8.37 ft | Below flood stage | −0.06 ft | 40 mi |
Questions and answers
How does the Sheyenne River at Lisbon compare with last year?
It is 0.30 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.51 ft.
What is flood stage for the Sheyenne River at Lisbon?
The official flood stage is 15.00 ft. The level is currently 11.79 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Sheyenne River at Lisbon in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 4.14 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.76 ft and 5.62 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 Sheyenne River at Lisbon today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 05:45 PM CDT, the water level was 3.21 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Sheyenne River at Lisbon rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.12 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Sheyenne River at Lisbon 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:05058700(Agency page)- Coordinates
46.44694, -97.67889(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 | 3.21 ft | 2026-10-18 22:45 | Provisional |
| Flow | 231 cfs | 2026-10-18 22:45 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Sheyenne River at Lisbon (usgs:05058700). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-dakota/sheyenne-river-at-lisbon
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