James River above Arrowwood Lake near Kensal water level
River gauge, James River, North Dakota, United States
Right now
Normal for late October
Water level
- Flow
- 52.1 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
The gauge at James River above Arrowwood Lake near Kensal reads 2.02 ft, a normal level for late October.
That puts it 0.39 ft below the median of 2.41 ft for late October, based on 26 years of readings. It is 6.98 ft below the flood stage of 9.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 1.91 ft (+0.11 ft).
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.07 ft and 2.29 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.
Compared with 26 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 2.41 ft0.39 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 1.21 ft – 3.65 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (26 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 1.91 ft+0.11 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 1.07 ft – 2.29 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 0.50 ft – 5.91 ft
- Highest on record
- 16.69 ftApril 28, 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 9.00 ft, still 6.98 ft away.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16.69 ft | April 28, 2009 |
| 2 | 14.70 ft | April 18, 2009 |
| 3 | 14.41 ft | April 12, 2011 |
| 4 | 14.35 ft | January 1, 1979 |
| 5 | 14.00 ft | April 7, 1997 |
| 6 | 13.00 ft | April 5, 1997 |
| 7 | 11.48 ft | March 28, 1987 |
| 8 | 10.64 ft | July 29, 1993 |
| 9 | 10.37 ft | October 26, 2019 |
| 10 | 10.30 ft | March 30, 1999 |
Weather at the gauge
No rain in the last 3 days.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the James River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James River near Grace CityRiver gauge, James River | 4.40 ft | Normal | −0.03 ft | 11 mi |
| James River at JamestownRiver gauge, James River | 3.97 ft | Normal | −0.27 ft | 36 mi |
| James River at LamoureRiver gauge, James River | 8.00 ft | Normal | −0.03 ft | 76 mi |
| James River at Nd-Sd State LineRiver gauge, James River | 88.17 ft | Normal | −0.02 ft | 105 mi |
| James River at ColumbiaRiver gauge, James River | 9.53 ft | Below flood stage | +0.11 ft | 126 mi |
| James River near StratfordRiver gauge, James River | 8.68 ft | Below flood stage | +0.24 ft | 150 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pipestem Creek near PingreeRiver gauge, Pipestem Creek | 5.65 ft | High | +0.04 ft | 18 mi |
| Pipestem Creek near BuchananRiver gauge, Pipestem Creek | 6.6 cfs | Normal | −1.5 cfs | 24 mi |
| Sheyenne River near WarwickRiver gauge, Sheyenne River | 2.82 ft | Normal | −0.03 ft | 28 mi |
| Jamestown Dam and ReservoirReservoir | 1,429.91 ft | Normal | 33 mi | |
| Baldhill Creek near DazeyRiver gauge, Baldhill Creek | 6.78 ft | Very high | −0.02 ft | 34 mi |
| Tolna Coulee near TolnaRiver gauge, Tolna Coulee | 15.46 ft | Very low | −0.02 ft | 35 mi |
| Sheyenne River near CooperstownRiver gauge, Sheyenne River | 10.04 ft | Low | −0.02 ft | 36 mi |
| Sheyenne River below Devils Lake State Outlet near BremenRiver gauge, Sheyenne River | 18.11 ft | Low | −0.03 ft | 37 mi |
Questions and answers
How does the James River above Arrowwood Lake near Kensal compare with last year?
It is 0.11 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 1.91 ft.
What is flood stage for the James River above Arrowwood Lake near Kensal?
The official flood stage is 9.00 ft. The level is currently 6.98 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the James River above Arrowwood Lake near Kensal in late October?
The median for late October is 2.41 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.21 ft and 3.65 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 James River above Arrowwood Lake near Kensal today?
On Oct 21, 2026, 04:15 AM CDT, the water level was 2.02 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is James River above Arrowwood Lake near Kensal rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Up 0.05 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of James River above Arrowwood Lake near Kensal normal?
Normal for late 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:06468250(Agency page)- Coordinates
47.39972, -98.79722(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 | 2.02 ft | 2026-10-21 09:15 | Provisional |
| Flow | 52.1 cfs | 2026-10-21 09:15 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: James River above Arrowwood Lake near Kensal (usgs:06468250). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-dakota/james-river-above-arrowwood-lake-near-kensal
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