Vermilion River near Crane Lake water level

Name: Vermilion River near Crane Lake 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, Vermilion River, Minnesota, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

4.18ft Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 06:30 AM CDT (40 min ago)

Flow: 71.0 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

The gauge at Vermilion River near Crane Lake reads 4.18 ft, a normal level.

It is 9.82 ft below the flood stage of 14.00 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.06 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 4.18 ft and 4.26 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: 16.43 ftMay 14, 2022

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 14.00 ft, still 9.82 ft away.

What happens at each level

16.00 ft: Gold Mine Road not passable. Flooding over roadway and public river access.
14.00 ft: Gold Mine Road flooding likely at public river access. Access to Gold Mine Camp affected.
12.00 ft: Flooding of Gold Mine Road and public river access begins.
4.18 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	16.43 ft	May 14, 2022
2	15.20 ft	April 25, 1985
3	15.15 ft	April 1, 1979
4	14.76 ft	April 14, 2011
5	14.19 ft	May 26, 2001
6	14.01 ft	April 26, 2008
7	13.98 ft	May 4, 2013
8	13.96 ft	June 4, 2014
9	13.92 ft	June 23, 2024
10	13.38 ft	April 26, 1996

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:36 AM Sunset 06:15 PM Daylight 10 hr, 39 min First quarter 59%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Namakan Lake at Squirrel IslandLake, Namakan Lake	340.23 m	Low	−0.03 m	27 km
Namakan River at Outlet of Lac La CroixRiver gauge, Namakan River	360.36 m	Low	−0.01 m	32 km
Gold Portage Outlet From Kabetogama Lake near RayRiver gauge, Gold Portage Outlet From Kabetogama Lake	16.17 ft	Below flood stage	−0.10 ft	29 mi
Turtle River near Mine CentreRiver gauge, Turtle River	0.70 m	Low	−0.01 m	66 km
Rainy River at Point Park Site No.1River gauge, Rainy River	337.38 m	Normal	+0.02 m	70 km
Rainy Lake near Fort FrancesLake, Rainy Lake	337.39 m	Normal	−0.01 m	70 km
Rainy River at Point Park Site No.2River gauge, Rainy River	337.37 m	Normal	+0.02 m	70 km
South Kawishiwi River above White Iron Lake near ElyRiver gauge, South Kawishiwi River	122 cfs	Low	−2.0 cfs	46 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Vermilion River near Crane Lake?

The official flood stage is 14.00 ft. The level is currently 9.82 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 Vermilion River near Crane Lake today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 06:30 AM CDT, the water level was 4.18 ft. Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Vermilion River near Crane Lake rising or falling?

Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Vermilion River near Crane Lake normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Vermilion River near Crane Lake?

The highest level on record is 16.43 ft on May 14, 2022.

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:05129115 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 48.26507, -92.56543 (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	4.18 ft	2026-10-19 11:30	Provisional
Flow	71.0 cfs	2026-10-19 11:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Vermilion River near Crane Lake (usgs:05129115). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/minnesota/vermilion-river-near-crane-lake

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