Red Lake River at Crookston water level

Name: Red Lake River at Crookston 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, Red Lake River, Minnesota, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

6.55ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 09:00 AM CDT (36 min ago)

Flow: 1,500 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Red Lake River at Crookston, where the gauge shows 6.55 ft.

It is 8.45 ft below the flood stage of 15.00 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 6.50 ft – 6.59 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 28.40 ftApril 17, 1997

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 15.00 ft.

What happens at each level

31.00 ft: Level of areas of certified levee system.
26.00 ft: Evacuation Committee meets to consider need for evacuations.
25.00 ft: Lowest level of uncertified levee system.
23.00 ft: MAJOR FLOOD STAGE. Ward Command Posts activated if advised by EOC Committee. Levee patrols begin.
20.00 ft: MODERATE FLOOD STAGE. EOC activated if advised by EOC Committee.
19.00 ft: Central Park begins flooding.
18.00 ft: EOC Committee meets to determine when to open EOC. Decision based on river level predictions and forecasted weather.
16.00 ft: Public Works begins 24 hour monitoring of pumps, gates, and valves.
15.00 ft: MINOR FLOOD STAGE.
12.00 ft: ACTION STAGE/FORECAST SERVICE STAGE.
6.55 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: 6 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	28.40 ft	April 17, 1997
2	27.33 ft	April 12, 1969
3	27.15 ft	April 24, 2022
4	26.51 ft	April 9, 2001
5	25.82 ft	April 12, 1965
6	25.70 ft	May 7, 1950
7	25.63 ft	March 24, 2009
8	25.24 ft	April 2, 2006
9	25.20 ft	April 11, 1897
10	24.99 ft	April 26, 1979

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:50 AM Sunset 06:34 PM Daylight 10 hr, 44 min First quarter 50%

Map

Other gauges on the Red Lake River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Red Lake River near Red LakeRiver gauge, Red Lake River	30.4 cfs	Very low	−2.1 cfs	63 mi
Red Lake River at High Landing near GoodridgeRiver gauge, Red Lake River	2.76 ft	Below flood stage	−0.10 ft	42 mi
Red Lake River at FisherRiver gauge, Red Lake River	1,520 cfs	Normal	+30.0 cfs	9 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Sand Hill River at ClimaxRiver gauge, Sand Hill River	4.27 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	15 mi
Red River of The North near ThompsonRiver gauge, Red River of The North	17.13 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	16 mi
Clearwater River at Red Lake FallsRiver gauge, Clearwater River	167 cfs	Normal	−5.0 cfs	17 mi
Red River of The North at Grand ForksRiver gauge, Red River of The North	16.49 ft	High	−0.01 ft	22 mi
Marsh River near ShellyRiver gauge, Marsh River	3.46 ft	Below flood stage	±0	26 mi
Clearwater River at PlummerRiver gauge, Clearwater River	62.4 cfs	Normal	−5.6 cfs	28 mi
Snake River above WarrenRiver gauge, Snake River	63.00 ft	Below flood stage	−0.24 ft	30 mi
Red River of The North at HalstadRiver gauge, Red River of The North	3.91 ft	Very low	−0.10 ft	31 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Red Lake River at Crookston?

The official flood stage is 15.00 ft. The level is currently 8.45 ft below it.

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 Red Lake River at Crookston today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 09:00 AM CDT, the water level was 6.55 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Red Lake River at Crookston rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Red Lake River at Crookston normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Red Lake River at Crookston?

The highest level on record is 28.40 ft on April 17, 1997.

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:05079000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 47.77556, -96.60917 (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	6.55 ft	2026-10-18 14:00	Provisional
Flow	1,500 cfs	2026-10-18 14:00	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Red Lake River at Crookston (usgs:05079000). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/minnesota/red-lake-river-at-crookston

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