Sheyenne River at Valley City water level

Name: Sheyenne River at Valley City 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, Sheyenne River, North Dakota, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.20ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 02:45 PM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 197 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Sheyenne River at Valley City reads 3.20 ft, a normal level.

It is 11.80 ft below the flood stage of 15.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 4.51 ft (−1.31 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.24 ft and 6.44 ft.

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

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Same day last year: 4.51 ft−1.31 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.24 ft – 6.44 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.24 ft – 8.72 ft
Highest on record: 20.69 ftApril 13, 2009

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 15.00 ft, still 11.80 ft away.

What happens at each level

24.00 ft: Top of I-94 bridge.
20.69 ft: RECORD FLOOD. April 13, 2009.
20.00 ft: Elevation of the top of the emergency dikes. Low steel in I-94 bridge.
18.00 ft: Actions are taken to protect electrical distribution equipment.
17.20 ft: The City of Valley City installs removable floodwalls in the University district.
17.00 ft: MAJOR FLOOD. Levees and low spots are re-enforced.
16.00 ft: MODERATE FLOOD. Storm drains are closed.
15.00 ft: MINOR FLOOD. Actions are taken to protect the power plant.
14.00 ft: Diking required to keep river in channel. Highway 10 in Valley City flooded.
12.50 ft: ACTION STAGE/FLOOD SERVICE STAGE.
3.20 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	20.69 ft	April 13, 2009
2	20.66 ft	April 18, 2011
3	20.00 ft	April 1, 1882
4	18.78 ft	April 21, 1996
5	18.07 ft	May 1, 2022
6	18.05 ft	July 16, 1993
7	18.01 ft	April 19, 1997
8	17.62 ft	April 19, 1969
9	17.51 ft	April 28, 1948
10	16.57 ft	March 29, 1995

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:56 AM Sunset 06:39 PM Daylight 10 hr, 43 min First quarter 62%

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	11.02 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	95 mi
Sheyenne River below Devils Lake State Outlet near BremenRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	18.14 ft	Low	±0	86 mi
Sheyenne River near WarwickRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	2.87 ft	Normal	−0.08 ft	70 mi
Sheyenne River at Co Road 20 near KlotenRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	30.77 ft	Very low	−0.03 ft	54 mi
Sheyenne River near CooperstownRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	10.08 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	36 mi
Sheyenne River below Baldhill DamRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	24.44 ft	Normal	±0	9 mi
Sheyenne River at Fort Ransom State ParkRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	17.62 ft	No reference yet	+0.02 ft	26 mi
Sheyenne River at LisbonRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	3.22 ft	Low	±0	36 mi
Sheyenne River near KindredRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	3.65 ft	Low	−0.07 ft	52 mi
Sheyenne River above Sheyenne R Diversion near HoraceRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	14.31 ft	Normal	−0.08 ft	53 mi
Sheyenne River at West FargoRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	6.63 ft	Low	+0.06 ft	52 mi
Sheyenne River at HarwoodRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	68.80 ft	Low	+0.03 ft	53 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Baldhill Creek near DazeyRiver gauge, Baldhill Creek	6.82 ft	Very high	−0.04 ft	22 mi
Maple River near EnderlinRiver gauge, Maple River	1.87 ft	Very low	−0.04 ft	29 mi
James River at JamestownRiver gauge, James River	4.23 ft	Normal	−0.06 ft	32 mi
Jamestown Dam and ReservoirReservoir	1,430.00 ft	Normal		33 mi
Rush River at AmeniaRiver gauge, Rush River	9.28 ft	Very high	+0.01 ft	38 mi
James River at LamoureRiver gauge, James River	8.04 ft	Normal	−0.07 ft	41 mi
James River above Arrowwood Lake near KensalRiver gauge, James River	2.04 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	50 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Sheyenne River at Valley City compare with last year?

It is 1.31 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 4.51 ft.

What is flood stage for the Sheyenne River at Valley City?

The official flood stage is 15.00 ft. The level is currently 11.80 ft below it.

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 Valley City today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 02:45 PM CDT, the water level was 3.20 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Sheyenne River at Valley City rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.10 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Sheyenne River at Valley City normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Sheyenne River at Valley City?

The highest level on record is 20.69 ft on April 13, 2009.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:05058500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 46.91556, -98.01056 (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	3.20 ft	2026-10-19 19:45	Provisional
Flow	197 cfs	2026-10-19 19:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Sheyenne River at Valley City (usgs:05058500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-dakota/sheyenne-river-at-valley-city

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