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Red River of the North at Fargo

Highest listed crest 40.84 ftFlood stage 18.0 ft129 crests since 1897

The Red River of the North at Fargo crested at major flood stage 17 times among the 129 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1897 to 2026. The highest, 40.84 ft on March 28, 2009, was major flooding, 22.84 feet above flood stage. 5 other gauges on the Red River of the North crested above flood stage within a week of it, 2 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
40.84 ft
March 28, 2009; 29,500 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
18.0 ft
Major flooding from 30.0 ft
Crests at major
17
6th of 54 gauges in North Dakota
Most recent flood crest
May 24, 2025
19.15 ft, minor flooding
Location
Cass County
Near Moorhead (1.8 mi), Fargo (2.2 mi), West Fargo (5.7 mi)

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Red River of the North at Fargo
Action stage17.07Mar 25, 2026The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)18.031May 24, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage25.016Apr 22, 2023Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage30.017Apr 8, 2019Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

129 crests from 1897 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Red River of the North at Fargo, 1897 to 2026 01020304050ft Flood stage 18.0 ftMajor 30.0 ft Apr 7, 1897: 39.10 ft, major flooding; 25,000 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 1902: 10.50 ft, below flood stage; 1,180 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1903: 13.90 ft, below flood stage; 2,450 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 1904: 21.30 ft, minor flooding; 5,220 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 1905: 18.40 ft, minor flooding; 4,250 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 1906: 15.50 ft, below flood stage; 3,050 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1907: 29.80 ft, moderate flooding; 7,000 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 1908: 14.70 ft, below flood stage; 2,600 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1909: 13.04 ft, below flood stageMar 19, 1910: 23.10 ft, minor flooding; 5,000 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1911: 8.70 ft, below flood stage; 608 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 1912: 10.60 ft, below flood stage; 1,100 cubic feet per secondJul 8, 1913: 11.90 ft, below flood stage; 1,560 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 1914: 16.10 ft, below flood stage; 3,140 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 1915: 9.73 ft, below flood stage; 3,130 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1916: 23.63 ft, minor floodingApr 3, 1917: 17.80 ft, action stage; 5,240 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1918: 6.87 ft, below flood stage; 874 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1919: 6.50 ft, below flood stage; 680 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1920: 17.20 ft, action stage; 6,200 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1921: 8.40 ft, below flood stage; 1,970 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1922: 14.70 ft, below flood stage; 5,200 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 1923: 11.60 ft, below flood stage; 3,960 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 1924: 6.20 ft, below flood stage; 530 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 1925: 7.00 ft, below flood stage; 940 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1926: 8.00 ft, below flood stage; 1,600 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1927: 9.10 ft, below flood stage; 2,650 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1928: 13.30 ft, below flood stage; 3,840 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1929: 12.80 ft, below flood stage; 4,440 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1930: 10.00 ft, below flood stage; 1,340 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1931: 8.55 ft, below flood stage; 365 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1932: 9.45 ft, below flood stage; 875 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1933: 9.04 ft, below flood stage; 605 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1934: 8.55 ft, below flood stage; 323 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1935: 9.72 ft, below flood stage; 942 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1936: 9.90 ft, below flood stage; 1,050 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 1937: 10.17 ft, below flood stage; 1,390 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 1938: 10.02 ft, below flood stage; 1,350 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1939: 13.00 ft, below flood stage; 3,870 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1940: 9.63 ft, below flood stage; 1,030 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1941: 10.10 ft, below flood stage; 1,390 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 1942: 12.27 ft, below flood stage; 3,380 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1943: 28.40 ft, moderate flooding; 16,000 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1944: 14.26 ft, below flood stage; 4,150 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1945: 20.70 ft, minor flooding; 7,700 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1946: 17.13 ft, action stage; 5,970 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1947: 22.93 ft, minor flooding; 9,300 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1948: 12.45 ft, below flood stage; 3,390 cubic feet per secondJul 12, 1949: 11.27 ft, below flood stage; 2,660 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1950: 20.88 ft, minor flooding; 7,800 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1951: 20.73 ft, minor flooding; 8,010 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1952: 28.79 ft, moderate flooding; 16,300 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 1953: 18.05 ft, minor flooding; 6,720 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 1954: 10.53 ft, below flood stage; 1,920 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1955: 11.12 ft, below flood stage; 2,760 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1956: 12.54 ft, below flood stage; 3,870 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 1957: 11.10 ft, below flood stage; 2,540 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 1958: 10.90 ft, below flood stage; 2,280 cubic feet per secondJul 8, 1959: 10.42 ft, below flood stage; 1,250 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1960: 12.48 ft, below flood stage; 3,900 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1961: 9.24 ft, below flood stage; 1,020 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 1962: 22.83 ft, minor flooding; 9,580 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 1963: 19.97 ft, minor flooding; 4,930 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1964: 16.22 ft, below flood stage; 2,400 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1965: 30.50 ft, major flooding; 11,400 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1966: 30.16 ft, major flooding; 10,700 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 1967: 22.34 ft, minor flooding; 5,900 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 1968: 14.77 ft, below flood stageApr 15, 1969: 37.34 ft, major flooding; 25,300 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 1970: 16.27 ft, below flood stage; 2,480 cubic feet per secondJul 7, 1971: 15.87 ft, below flood stage; 1,910 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1972: 25.36 ft, moderate flooding; 7,250 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1973: 16.41 ft, below flood stage; 1,950 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1974: 20.25 ft, minor flooding; 4,150 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 1975: 33.26 ft, major flooding; 13,200 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1976: 18.70 ft, minor flooding; 3,200 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 1977: 14.99 ft, below flood stage; 878 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1978: 34.41 ft, major flooding; 17,500 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 1979: 34.93 ft, major flooding; 17,300 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1980: 20.74 ft, minor flooding; 5,470 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 1981: 15.84 ft, below flood stage; 1,710 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1982: 25.07 ft, moderate flooding; 5,920 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 1983: 15.99 ft, below flood stage; 1,750 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1984: 28.27 ft, moderate flooding; 9,550 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 1985: 20.08 ft, minor flooding; 4,690 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1986: 27.19 ft, moderate flooding; 8,640 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1987: 17.75 ft, action stage; 3,300 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1988: 15.10 ft, below flood stage; 981 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 1989: 35.39 ft, major flooding; 18,900 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 1990: 15.40 ft, below flood stage; 1,220 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 1991: 16.99 ft, below flood stage; 2,630 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 1992: 16.93 ft, below flood stage; 2,590 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1993: 28.27 ft, moderate flooding; 10,100 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1994: 26.69 ft, moderate flooding; 11,200 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1995: 28.37 ft, moderate flooding; 11,000 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1996: 28.75 ft, moderate flooding; 9,940 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1997: 39.72 ft, major floodingMay 19, 1998: 24.87 ft, minor flooding; 8,610 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1999: 20.81 ft, minor flooding; 4,900 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 2000: 22.82 ft, minor floodingApr 14, 2001: 36.69 ft, major flooding; 20,300 cubic feet per secondJul 14, 2002: 19.17 ft, minor floodingJun 30, 2003: 22.63 ft, minor flooding; 6,710 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 2004: 20.47 ft, minor flooding; 5,430 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 2005: 28.18 ft, moderate flooding; 9,810 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 2006: 37.13 ft, major flooding; 19,900 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 2007: 30.88 ft, major floodingMay 5, 2008: 19.50 ft, minor flooding; 4,840 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 2008: 20.04 ft, minor floodingMar 28, 2009: 40.84 ft, major flooding; 29,500 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 2010: 36.99 ft, major flooding; 21,200 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 2011: 38.81 ft, major flooding; 27,200 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 2012: 17.83 ft, action stage; 4,120 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 2013: 33.31 ft, major floodingJun 23, 2014: 27.85 ft, moderate flooding; 10,400 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 2015: 19.20 ft, minor flooding; 4,920 cubic feet per secondJul 14, 2016: 17.12 ft, action stage; 3,370 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 2017: 22.26 ft, minor flooding; 5,660 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 2018: 18.64 ft, minor flooding; 4,590 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2019: 35.04 ft, major flooding; 19,700 cubic feet per secondOct 16, 2019: 23.40 ft, minor flooding; 7,620 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 2020: 28.19 ft, moderate flooding; 11,800 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 2021: 16.78 ft, below flood stage; 2,960 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 2022: 26.49 ft, moderate floodingApr 22, 2023: 29.75 ft, moderate flooding; 11,900 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 2023: 18.64 ft, minor flooding; 4,520 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 2024: 22.16 ft, minor flooding; 6,960 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 2025: 19.15 ft, minor flooding; 4,880 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 2026: 17.17 ft, action stage Highest, 40.84 ft, Mar 28, 2009 1900192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Red River of the North at Fargo 1890s: 1 1900s: 3 1910s: 2 1920s: 0 1930s: 0 1940s: 3 1950s: 4 1960s: 6 1970s: 6 1980s: 6 1990s: 7 2000s: 11 11 2010s: 9 2020s: 6 1890s1900s1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 129 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Red River of the North at Fargo
1Mar 28, 200940.84+22.84Major29,500
2Apr 18, 199739.72+21.72Major—
3Apr 7, 189739.10+21.10Major25,000
4Apr 9, 201138.81+20.81Major27,200
5Apr 15, 196937.34+19.34Major25,300
6Apr 5, 200637.13+19.13Major19,900
7Mar 21, 201036.99+18.99Major21,200
8Apr 14, 200136.69+18.69Major20,300
9Apr 9, 198935.39+17.39Major18,900
10Apr 8, 201935.04+17.04Major19,700
11Apr 19, 197934.93+16.93Major17,300
12Apr 2, 197834.41+16.41Major17,500
13May 1, 201333.31+15.31Major—
14Jul 4, 197533.26+15.26Major13,200
15Jun 9, 200730.88+12.88Major—
16Apr 15, 196530.50+12.50Major11,400
17Mar 22, 196630.16+12.16Major10,700
18Mar 31, 190729.80+11.80Moderate7,000
19Apr 22, 202329.75+11.75Moderate11,900
20Apr 16, 195228.79+10.79Moderate16,300
21Apr 15, 199628.75+10.75Moderate9,940
22Apr 7, 194328.40+10.40Moderate16,000
23Mar 22, 199528.37+10.37Moderate11,000
24Apr 1, 198428.27+10.27Moderate9,550
25Apr 5, 199328.27+10.27Moderate10,100
26Apr 1, 202028.19+10.19Moderate11,800
27Jun 18, 200528.18+10.18Moderate9,810
28Jun 23, 201427.85+9.85Moderate10,400
29Apr 2, 198627.19+9.19Moderate8,640
30Apr 3, 199426.69+8.69Moderate11,200
31May 14, 202226.49+8.49Moderate—
32Mar 24, 197225.36+7.36Moderate7,250
33Apr 4, 198225.07+7.07Moderate5,920
34May 19, 199824.87+6.87Minor8,610
35Apr 6, 191623.63+5.63Minor—
36Oct 16, 201923.40+5.40Minor7,620
37Mar 19, 191023.10+5.10Minor5,000
38Apr 15, 194722.93+4.93Minor9,300
39Jun 14, 196222.83+4.83Minor9,580
40Jun 21, 200022.82+4.82Minor—
41Jun 30, 200322.63+4.63Minor6,710
42Jun 19, 196722.34+4.34Minor5,900
43Feb 24, 201722.26+4.26Minor5,660
44May 27, 202422.16+4.16Minor6,960
45Apr 20, 190421.30+3.30Minor5,220
46Apr 7, 195020.88+2.88Minor7,800
47Mar 22, 199920.81+2.81Minor4,900
48Apr 5, 198020.74+2.74Minor5,470
49Apr 11, 195120.73+2.73Minor8,010
50Mar 22, 194520.70+2.70Minor7,700

The worst floods along the Red River of the North

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Red River of the North that crested above flood stage within a week.

March 28, 2009: 40.84 ft here, major flooding

  • Grand ForksND · Apr 1, 2009 · 49.33 ft · Major
  • HalstadMN · Mar 30, 2009 · 40.63 ft · Major
  • HicksonMN · Mar 26, 2009 · 39.04 ft · Major · its highest
  • OsloMN · Apr 1, 2009 · 38.37 ft · Major · its highest
  • WahpetonND · Mar 24, 2009 · 17.50 ft · Major

April 18, 1997: 39.72 ft here, major flooding

  • Grand ForksND · Apr 22, 1997 · 54.35 ft · Major · its highest
  • DraytonMN · Apr 24, 1997 · 45.55 ft · Major · its highest
  • HalstadMN · Apr 19, 1997 · 40.74 ft · Major · its highest
  • OsloMN · Apr 23, 1997 · 38.00 ft · Major
  • HicksonMN · Apr 16, 1997 · 37.60 ft · Moderate

April 7, 1897: 39.10 ft here, major flooding

  • Grand ForksND · Apr 10, 1897 · 50.20 ft · Major
  • DraytonMN · Apr 1, 1897 · 41.00 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Red River of the North

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the Red River of the North
WahpetonND11.019.42 ft, Apr 6, 199711
HicksonMN30.039.04 ft, Mar 26, 20091
Fargo this gaugeND18.040.84 ft, Mar 28, 200917
HalstadMN26.040.74 ft, Apr 19, 199711
Grand ForksND28.054.35 ft, Apr 22, 199711
OsloMN26.038.37 ft, Apr 1, 200918
DraytonMN32.045.55 ft, Apr 24, 199711
PembinaND39.054.94 ft, Apr 26, 199711

Other gauges in Cass County

Flood gauges in Cass County
Mapleton (South of I-94)18.023.43 ft, Apr 1, 20065
Harwood84.092.02 ft, Apr 16, 19977
West Fargo Diversion18.028.77 ft, Apr 18, 199613
Kindred16.022.33 ft, Apr 8, 199712

Cass County: every hazard · River floods across the country · North Dakota

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge FGON8, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.