Major Flood
15 ft
Current Water Level
Gage Height
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Streamflow
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Last Reading
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FLOOD STAGES
Know the flood categories.
Flood stages defined by the National Weather Service. Gage height data from USGS Water Resources.
Moderate Flood
13 ft
Minor Flood
11 ft
Action Stage
9.5 ft
What Floods at Each Level
22.5 ft
Top of the permanent dike.
18 ft
Close dike openings at Minnesota St (MN) and Dakota St (ND). Close dike openings at railroad bridge (requires removal of railroad tracks).
17.5 ft
RECORD FLOOD. Post-Diversion Flood of Record (March 24, 2009). Post-1900 Flood Flow of Record (10.4 kcfs on March 24, 2009).
16.5 ft
City mobilizes as patrolling of levees and storm sewer outlets begins.
16 ft
Wells Park floods. Flooding of a portion of the sanitary sewer system begins.
15 ft
MAJOR FLOOD. Wahpeton storm sewer outlets and Main Sreet closed.
13.5 ft
North Main Street and bridge closed (Breckenridge).
13 ft
MODERATE FLOOD. Start to put up flood wall (Breckenridge) if river is forecast to go above 15 feet.
12 ft
Storm sewer valves are closed and interior pumping begins (Breckenridge).
11.6 ft
Otter Tail River water starts to flow into the Breckenridge Diversion. Water on Main Street (Breckenridge).
11 ft
MINOR FLOOD.
9.5 ft
ACTION STAGE/FORECAST SERVICE STAGE.
8 ft
Otter Tail River starts to overflow downstream of Highway 75 bridge. This breakout flow will enter the Red River 600 feet downstream of the gage. As stage rises, water fans out and floods the entire east side of bottomlands.
7 ft
Close storm sewer outfalls.
Impact statements from the National Weather Service, describing what typically happens at each water level.
7-Day Water Level Chart
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Historic Crests
| Date | Stage | Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 5, 1997 | 19.42 ft | — |
| Apr 4, 1989 | 17.95 ft | 8,370 cfs |
| Mar 23, 2009 | 17.5 ft | 10,400 cfs |
About This Gauge
USGS Site
NWS LID
WHNN8
River
Red River of the North
County
Richland, ND
Coordinates
46.2661°N, 96.5983°W
Get Flood Alerts for Red River of the North
StormCast monitors this gauge and sends a push notification to your phone when the water level crosses into a new flood category — even at 3 AM.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current water level of Red River of the North at Wahpeton?
The Red River of the North at Wahpeton gauge is maintained by USGS (site 05051500) and reports water levels every 15 minutes. Visit this page to see the latest reading updated live, or download StormCast to get push alerts when levels rise.
What is flood stage for Red River of the North at Wahpeton?
The NWS-defined flood stage for Red River of the North at Wahpeton is 11 feet. Action stage begins at 9.5 feet. Moderate flooding starts at 13 feet, and major flooding at 15 feet.
How do I get alerts when Red River of the North rises?
Download StormCast free on Google Play, go to River Gauges, and add Red River of the North at Wahpeton to your watchlist. StormCast will send a push notification to your phone whenever the water level crosses into a new NWS flood category.
Where is the Red River of the North at Wahpeton gauge located?
The gauge is located in Richland County, North Dakota at coordinates 46.2661°N, 96.5983°W. USGS site number: 05051500. Data is provided by the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Weather Service.
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Source & Notes
Data provided by: Observations courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey
- River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 24 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time.
- River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 48 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time.
- Stage may be affected by ice during winter months.