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Wild Rice River near Abercrombie water level

River gauge, Wild Rice River, North Dakota, United States

Directions

High for mid-October

Water level

9.81ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
0.1 cfs
0 13 25 38 Highest onrecord 37.78 ft Minor floodstage 20.00 ft

History

-01020ftOct 13Oct 14Oct 16Oct 17Oct 19Minor flood stage-01020ftOct 13Oct 16Oct 19Minor flood stage
-01020ftSep 20Sep 27Oct 4Oct 12Oct 19Minor flood stage-01020ftSep 20Oct 4Oct 19Minor flood stage
-01020ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage-01020ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
-01020ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026-01020ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

What this means

The Wild Rice River near Abercrombie is above normal at 9.81 ft.

That puts it 8.73 ft above the median of 1.08 ft for mid-October, based on 26 years of readings. It is 10.19 ft below the flood stage of 20.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 10.80 ft (−0.99 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 9.66 ft and 9.93 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.

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

Key numbers

Median for this date
1.08 ft8.73 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
0.32 ft – 10.37 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (26 years of records)
Same day last year
10.80 ft−0.99 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
9.66 ft – 9.93 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
9.58 ft – 13.91 ft
Highest on record
37.78 ftMarch 25, 2009

Floating and fishing near Wild Rice River near Abercrombie

Experienced paddlers may enjoy higher water, but many outfitters stop rentals once a river runs this high.

Flood stage here is 20.00 ft, 10.19 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

30.00 ft
County Road 3 bridge (downstream of gage) starts to flood.
28.00 ft
MAJOR FLOOD. Bridge near the gage is inaccessible due to agricultural flooding.
25.00 ft
Some local flooding begins on rural roads and approaches to bridges.
22.00 ft
MODERATE FLOOD. City begins to mobilize.
20.00 ft
MINOR FLOOD.
18.40 ft
Flood damage to the village of Great Bend, ND.
17.20 ft
Agricultural damage from river mile 77 to river mile 108.
17.00 ft
ACTION STAGE/FORECAST SERVICE STAGE.
14.00 ft
Small dam 0.75 mile downstream floods.
9.81 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: 9 %.

RankLevelDate
137.78 ftMarch 25, 2009
237.50 ftJanuary 1, 1897
336.59 ftApril 6, 1997
435.99 ftApril 6, 2011
535.20 ftApril 9, 2001
635.06 ftApril 2, 2006
734.61 ftMarch 19, 2010
834.58 ftApril 11, 1969
933.62 ftApril 6, 1989
1032.76 ftApril 6, 2019

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:51 AM Sunset 06:35 PM Daylight 10 hr, 44 min First quarter 60%

Map

Other gauges on the Wild Rice River

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Wild Rice River near RutlandRiver gauge, Wild Rice River 0.0 cfs Normal ±0 47 mi
Wild Rice River near MantadorRiver gauge, Wild Rice River 1.4 cfs Low ±0 23 mi
Wild Rice River below Wild Rice Diversion StructureRiver gauge, Wild Rice River 0.00 ft No reference yet ±0 16 mi
Wild Rice River near St BenedictRiver gauge, Wild Rice River 23.30 ft Very low −0.01 ft 17 mi
Wild Rice River at Twin ValleyRiver gauge, Wild Rice River 2.09 ft Below flood stage ±0 60 mi
Wild Rice River at HendrumRiver gauge, Wild Rice River 3.52 ft Below flood stage +0.02 ft 55 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Red River of The North at EnloeRiver gauge, Red River of The North 14.38 ft Low +0.04 ft 2.8 mi
Red River of The North at HicksonRiver gauge, Red River of The North 10.23 ft Low +0.06 ft 13 mi
Sheyenne River on Gol Road near KindredRiver gauge, Sheyenne River on Gol Road 35.71 ft Very low −0.06 ft 15 mi
Sheyenne River near KindredRiver gauge, Sheyenne River 3.67 ft Low −0.07 ft 15 mi
Red River of The North at WahpetonRiver gauge, Red River of The North 4.03 ft Low +0.02 ft 17 mi
Sheyenne River above Sheyenne R Diversion near HoraceRiver gauge, Sheyenne River 14.32 ft Normal −0.01 ft 20 mi
South Branch Buffalo River at SabinRiver gauge, South Branch Buffalo River 7.17 ft Below flood stage −0.01 ft 22 mi
Bois De Sioux River near DoranRiver gauge, Bois De Sioux River 1.2 cfs Low +0.2 cfs 24 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Wild Rice River near Abercrombie compare with last year?

It is 0.99 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 10.80 ft.

What is flood stage for the Wild Rice River near Abercrombie?

The official flood stage is 20.00 ft. The level is currently 10.19 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Wild Rice River near Abercrombie in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 1.08 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.32 ft and 10.37 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 Wild Rice River near Abercrombie today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 09:00 AM CDT, the water level was 9.81 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Wild Rice River near Abercrombie rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.04 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Wild Rice River near Abercrombie normal?

High 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:05053000 (Agency page)
Coordinates
46.47056, -96.78194 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 9.81 ft 2026-10-19 14:00 Provisional
Flow 0.1 cfs 2026-10-19 14:00 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Wild Rice River near Abercrombie (usgs:05053000). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-dakota/wild-rice-river-near-abercrombie

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