Little Missouri River near Watford City water level

Name: Little Missouri River near Watford 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, Little Missouri River, North Dakota, United States

Directions

High for late October

Water level

7.05ft Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 02:15 AM MDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 17.6 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The Little Missouri River near Watford City is above normal at 7.05 ft.

That puts it 6.98 ft above the median of 0.07 ft for late October, based on 21 years of readings. It is 12.95 ft below the flood stage of 20.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 9.36 ft (−2.31 ft).

It has dropped 0.04 ft over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 6.81 ft and 7.84 ft.

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

Compared with 21 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 0.07 ft6.98 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: −0.75 ft – 7.21 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (21 years of records)
Same day last year: 9.36 ft−2.31 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 6.81 ft – 7.84 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 6.77 ft – 12.20 ft
Highest on record: 24.00 ftMarch 25, 1947

Floating and fishing near Little Missouri River near Watford City

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

Flood stage here is 20.00 ft, 12.95 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

50.20 ft: North end of Long-X bridge becomes flooded.
38.80 ft: Gage house shelter will become flooded.
36.70 ft: South end of bridge deck will become flooded.
23.00 ft: South bank is tree covered with trees and brush and subject to overflow at this level.
7.05 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	24.00 ft	March 25, 1947
2	21.42 ft	April 1, 1950
3	17.93 ft	April 10, 1965
4	17.23 ft	March 15, 1996
5	17.16 ft	March 22, 1997
6	16.70 ft	May 27, 2011
7	16.07 ft	March 22, 1967
8	15.53 ft	April 10, 1952
9	15.27 ft	March 28, 1971
10	15.09 ft	February 9, 2015

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 70° 42° – Wind 10 mph

21 Wed 64° 39° – Wind 13 mph

22 Thu 77° 48° – Wind 11 mph

23 Fri 78° 57° – Wind 25 mph

24 Sat 54° 41° 0.01 in Wind 26 mph

25 Sun 39° 32° 0.05 in Wind 13 mph

26 Mon 40° 27° 0.01 in Wind 6 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:21 AM Sunset 05:55 PM Daylight 10 hr, 34 min Waxing gibbous 76%

Map

Other gauges on the Little Missouri River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Little Missouri River at Camp CrookRiver gauge, Little Missouri River	1.72 ft	Below flood stage	±0	145 mi
Little Missouri River at MarmarthRiver gauge, Little Missouri River	0.79 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	95 mi
Little Missouri River at MedoraRiver gauge, Little Missouri River	1.30 ft	Very low	+0.01 ft	48 mi
Little Missouri River above Mouth near OakdaleRiver gauge, Little Missouri River	5.82 ft	No reference yet	−0.04 ft	23 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Cherry Creek on State Highway 23 near SchaferRiver gauge, Cherry Creek on State Highway 23	6.00 ft	Low	+0.02 ft	15 mi
Bear Den Creek near MandareeRiver gauge, Bear Den Creek	6.19 ft	Very high	±0	26 mi
Tobacco Garden Creek near Watford CityRiver gauge, Tobacco Garden Creek	1.8 cfs	Normal	−1.0 cfs	28 mi
Knife River at ManningRiver gauge, Knife River	6.03 ft	Normal	−0.10 ft	33 mi
Yellowstone River North 2 near CartwrightRiver gauge, Yellowstone River North 2	62.88 ft	Very low	−0.04 ft	38 mi
Yellowstone River North 1 near FairviewRiver gauge, Yellowstone River North 1	8.79 ft	Very low	+0.03 ft	40 mi
Green River near New HradecRiver gauge, Green River	5.68 ft	Low	+0.14 ft	40 mi
Missouri River North 9 at WillistonRiver gauge, Missouri River North 9	22.51 ft	Normal	−0.32 ft	41 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Little Missouri River near Watford City compare with last year?

It is 2.31 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 9.36 ft.

What is flood stage for the Little Missouri River near Watford City?

The official flood stage is 20.00 ft. The level is currently 12.95 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Little Missouri River near Watford City in late October?

The median for late October is 0.07 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between −0.75 ft and 7.21 ft, based on 21 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 Little Missouri River near Watford City today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 02:15 AM MDT, the water level was 7.05 ft. Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Little Missouri River near Watford City rising or falling?

Down 0.04 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.37 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Little Missouri River near Watford City normal?

High for late October. Compared with 21 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:06337000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 47.59141, -103.25267 (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	7.05 ft	2026-10-21 08:15	Provisional
Flow	17.6 cfs	2026-10-21 08:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Little Missouri River near Watford City (usgs:06337000). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/north-dakota/little-missouri-river-near-watford-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