Sheyenne River at West Fargo water level

Name: Sheyenne River at West Fargo 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

Low for mid-October

Water level

6.64ft Up 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 10:00 AM CDT (30 min ago)

Flow: 271 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

At 6.64 ft, the Sheyenne River at West Fargo is below normal for mid-October.

That puts it 1.43 ft below the median of 8.07 ft for mid-October, based on 25 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 6.71 ft (−0.07 ft).

The water is rising: up 0.08 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 5.25 ft and 9.38 ft.

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

Compared with 25 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 8.07 ft1.43 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 5.36 ft – 9.80 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (25 years of records)
Same day last year: 6.71 ft−0.07 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 5.25 ft – 9.38 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 5.25 ft – 14.62 ft

What the stage means on the water

Low water means more dragging on shallow riffles and slower floats. Fish crowd into the deeper runs, and warm, low water stresses them, so play and release them quickly.

What happens at each level

23.10 ft: Top elevation (904.7 to 908.7 ft) of West Fargo permanent project.
18.00 ft: Agricultural flooding begins.
6.64 ft: Right now

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

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.06 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

17 Sat 67° 38° – Wind 20 mph

18 Sun 71° 43° – Wind 13 mph

19 Mon 66° 36° – Wind 9 mph

20 Tue 70° 46° – Wind 16 mph

21 Wed 69° 51° – Wind 11 mph

22 Thu 75° 51° – Wind 14 mph

23 Fri 71° 62° 0.05 in, 24% Wind 15 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:52 AM Sunset 06:35 PM Daylight 10 hr, 43 min First quarter 60%

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	−0.02 ft	137 mi
Sheyenne River below Devils Lake State Outlet near BremenRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	18.14 ft	Low	−0.03 ft	128 mi
Sheyenne River near WarwickRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	2.89 ft	Normal	−0.09 ft	106 mi
Sheyenne River at Co Road 20 near KlotenRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	30.77 ft	Very low	−0.04 ft	79 mi
Sheyenne River near CooperstownRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	10.09 ft	Low	+0.01 ft	65 mi
Sheyenne River below Baldhill DamRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	24.53 ft	Normal	+0.09 ft	56 mi
Sheyenne River at Valley CityRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	3.20 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	52 mi
Sheyenne River at Fort Ransom State ParkRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	17.63 ft	No reference yet	+0.02 ft	54 mi
Sheyenne River at LisbonRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	3.22 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	48 mi
Sheyenne River near KindredRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	3.66 ft	Low	−0.08 ft	18 mi
Sheyenne River above Sheyenne R Diversion near HoraceRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	14.32 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	10 mi
Sheyenne River at HarwoodRiver gauge, Sheyenne River	68.80 ft	Low	+0.03 ft	6.0 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Sheyenne River Diversion at West FargoRiver gauge, Sheyenne River Diversion	6.62 ft	Low	−0.02 ft	0.5 mi
Red River of The North at FargoRiver gauge, Red River of The North	14.06 ft	Normal	±0	6.2 mi
Maple River below MapletonRiver gauge, Maple River	8.78 ft	Low	−0.06 ft	7 mi
Maple River near MapletonRiver gauge, Maple River	8.35 ft	Below flood stage	−0.03 ft	10 mi
Buffalo River near DilworthRiver gauge, Buffalo River	3.15 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	13 mi
Wild Rice River near St BenedictRiver gauge, Wild Rice River	23.30 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	13 mi
Red River of The North near GeorgetownRiver gauge, Red River of The North	14.13 ft	Very low	−0.07 ft	15 mi
South Branch Buffalo River at SabinRiver gauge, South Branch Buffalo River	7.17 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	15 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Sheyenne River at West Fargo compare with last year?

It is 0.07 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 6.71 ft.

What is a normal level for the Sheyenne River at West Fargo in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 8.07 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 5.36 ft and 9.80 ft, based on 25 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 West Fargo today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 10:00 AM CDT, the water level was 6.64 ft. Up 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Sheyenne River at West Fargo rising or falling?

Up 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.16 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Sheyenne River at West Fargo normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 25 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:05059500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 46.89111, -96.90667 (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	6.64 ft	2026-10-19 15:00	Provisional
Flow	271 cfs	2026-10-19 15:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Sheyenne River at West Fargo (usgs:05059500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-dakota/sheyenne-river-at-west-fargo

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