Kawishiwi River near Ely water level

Name: Kawishiwi River near Ely 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, Kawishiwi River, Minnesota, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Water level

2.46ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 17, 2026, 10:00 PM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 14.3 cfs
Water temperature: 53 °F

History

7 days

Water level

What this means

Low water at Kawishiwi River near Ely: the gauge reads 2.46 ft, far below normal for mid-October.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 2.45 ft – 2.47 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that. The water temperature at the gauge is 53 °F.

Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 6.07 ftMay 4, 2001

Paddling and fishing conditions

At low levels, plan for shorter paddling trips and expect to walk your boat through a few shoals.

What happens at each level

2.46 ft: Right now
0.00 ft: No known impacts at this location.

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

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	6.07 ft	May 4, 2001
2	5.92 ft	April 24, 1976
3	5.88 ft	April 29, 1969
4	5.88 ft	May 18, 2022
5	5.83 ft	June 13, 1970
6	5.81 ft	August 27, 1988
7	5.75 ft	May 12, 1972
8	5.66 ft	May 11, 1979
9	5.61 ft	May 20, 1996
10	5.56 ft	April 30, 1981

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:30 AM Sunset 06:14 PM Daylight 10 hr, 43 min First quarter 46%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
South Kawishiwi River near ElyRiver gauge, South Kawishiwi River	1.77 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	9 mi
Basswood River near WintonRiver gauge, Basswood River	2.15 ft	Below flood stage	±0	12 mi
South Kawishiwi River above White Iron Lake near ElyRiver gauge, South Kawishiwi River	127 cfs	Low	±0	13 mi
St. Louis River near SkiboRiver gauge, St. Louis River	1.8 cfs	Low	−0.3 cfs	39 mi
Namakan River at Outlet of Lac La CroixRiver gauge, Namakan River	360.37 m	Low	±0	70 km

Questions and answers

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 Kawishiwi River near Ely today?

On Oct 17, 2026, 10:00 PM CDT, the water level was 2.46 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Kawishiwi River near Ely rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Kawishiwi River near Ely normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 5 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Kawishiwi River near Ely?

The highest level on record is 6.07 ft on May 4, 2001.

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.

Where does this data come from?

The values come directly from the U.S. Geological Survey, the official operator of this gauge, and are in the public domain. We do not estimate or model live values.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:05124480 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 47.92281, -91.53514 (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	2.46 ft	2026-10-18 03:00	Provisional
Flow	14.3 cfs	2026-10-18 03:00	Provisional
Water temperature	53 °F	2026-10-18 03:00	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Kawishiwi River near Ely (usgs:05124480). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/minnesota/kawishiwi-river-near-ely

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