South Fork Root River near Houston water level

Name: South Fork Root River near Houston 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, South Fork Root River, Minnesota, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

2.21ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 02:30 PM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 201 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The South Fork Root River near Houston is at 2.21 ft, in the normal range.

It is 7.79 ft below the flood stage of 10.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 2.19 ft and 2.28 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: 14.90 ftJune 2, 2000

Floating and fishing near South Fork Root River near Houston

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 10.00 ft, 7.79 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	14.90 ft	June 2, 2000
2	14.75 ft	March 12, 1976
3	14.35 ft	June 9, 2008
4	13.81 ft	June 21, 1974
5	13.79 ft	July 1, 1978
6	13.73 ft	July 3, 2026
7	13.64 ft	March 2, 1965
8	13.35 ft	March 29, 1962
9	13.21 ft	September 23, 2016
10	13.08 ft	March 17, 1980

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:25 AM Sunset 06:19 PM Daylight 10 hr, 55 min First quarter 52%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Root River near HoustonRiver gauge, Root River	4.17 ft	Below flood stage	+0.18 ft	2.1 mi
Root River above RushfordRiver gauge, Root River	10.02 ft	Below flood stage	+0.16 ft	13 mi
Crooked Creek at FreeburgRiver gauge, Crooked Creek	6.65 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	13 mi
La Crosse River near La CrosseRiver gauge, La Crosse River	2.99 ft	Below flood stage	−0.35 ft	20 mi
Waterloo Creek near DorchesterRiver gauge, Waterloo Creek	7.20 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	20 mi
Upper Iowa River near DorchesterRiver gauge, Upper Iowa River	7.63 ft	Below flood stage	+0.03 ft	22 mi
Mississippi River at WinonaRiver gauge, Mississippi River	5.75 ft	Below flood stage	+0.02 ft	22 mi
Root River near Pilot MoundRiver gauge, Root River	8.78 ft	Below flood stage	+0.10 ft	24 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the South Fork Root River near Houston?

The official flood stage is 10.00 ft. The level is currently 7.79 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 South Fork Root River near Houston today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 02:30 PM CDT, the water level was 2.21 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is South Fork Root River near Houston rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of South Fork Root River near Houston normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at South Fork Root River near Houston?

The highest level on record is 14.90 ft on June 2, 2000.

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:05385500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 43.73882, -91.56425 (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	2.21 ft	2026-10-18 19:30	Provisional
Flow	201 cfs	2026-10-18 19:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: South Fork Root River near Houston (usgs:05385500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/minnesota/south-fork-root-river-near-houston

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