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Red River of the North at Grand Forks

Highest listed crest 54.35 ftFlood stage 28.0 ft146 crests since 1882

The Red River of the North at Grand Forks crested at major flood stage 11 times among the 146 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1882 to 2026. The highest, 54.35 ft on April 22, 1997, was major flooding, 26.35 feet above flood stage. 6 other gauges on the Red River of the North crested above flood stage within a week of it, 3 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
54.35 ft
April 22, 1997
Flood stage
28.0 ft
Major flooding from 46.0 ft
Crests at major
11
9th of 54 gauges in North Dakota
Most recent flood crest
April 24, 2023
40.80 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Grand Forks County
Near Grand Forks (2.8 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 Grand Forks
Action stage27.05Apr 15, 2026The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)28.043Apr 24, 2018Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage40.023Apr 24, 2023Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage46.011Apr 26, 2022Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

146 crests from 1882 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 Grand Forks, 1882 to 2026 0204060ft Flood stage 28.0 ftMajor 46.0 ft Apr 18, 1882: 48.00 ft, major flooding; 75,000 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1883: 42.20 ft, moderate flooding; 38,600 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1884: 31.10 ft, minor flooding; 20,600 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1885: 23.10 ft, below flood stage; 13,040 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 1886: 20.60 ft, below flood stage; 10,800 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1887: 16.30 ft, below flood stage; 7,300 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 1888: 29.50 ft, minor flooding; 19,000 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1889: 12.00 ft, below flood stage; 3,000 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1890: 10.60 ft, below flood stage; 3,470 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 1891: 17.70 ft, below flood stage; 6,000 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1892: 33.40 ft, minor flooding; 23,000 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 1893: 45.50 ft, moderate flooding; 53,300 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 1894: 26.90 ft, below flood stage; 16,450 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1895: 9.90 ft, below flood stage; 2,000 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 1896: 32.00 ft, minor flooding; 21,600 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1897: 50.20 ft, major flooding; 85,000 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1898: 15.00 ft, below flood stage; 4,500 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1899: 20.90 ft, below flood stage; 9,000 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1900: 13.20 ft, below flood stage; 4,000 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1901: 26.30 ft, below flood stage; 14,000 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1902: 26.00 ft, below flood stage; 15,000 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1903: 28.00 ft, minor flooding; 18,800 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 1904: 40.65 ft, moderate flooding; 33,000 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1905: 26.11 ft, below flood stage; 16,800 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1906: 36.00 ft, minor flooding; 27,600 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1907: 39.95 ft, minor flooding; 30,400 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1908: 32.80 ft, minor flooding; 20,500 cubic feet per secondJul 30, 1909: 18.80 ft, below flood stage; 9,260 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1910: 30.70 ft, minor flooding; 18,500 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 1911: 10.70 ft, below flood stage; 3,520 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1912: 12.73 ft, below flood stage; 4,730 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1913: 26.70 ft, below flood stage; 17,200 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1914: 17.50 ft, below flood stage; 8,240 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 1915: 30.80 ft, minor flooding; 21,500 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1916: 41.00 ft, moderate floodingApr 6, 1917: 32.50 ft, minor flooding; 19,800 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1918: 11.30 ft, below flood stage; 4,480 cubic feet per secondJul 8, 1919: 23.20 ft, below flood stage; 13,600 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1920: 41.00 ft, moderate floodingApr 10, 1921: 20.90 ft, below flood stage; 11,500 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1922: 28.72 ft, minor flooding; 19,000 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 1923: 26.60 ft, below flood stageMay 2, 1924: 8.20 ft, below flood stage; 2,530 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 1925: 19.00 ft, below flood stage; 9,690 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1926: 18.10 ft, below flood stage; 7,720 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1927: 21.70 ft, below flood stageMar 23, 1929: 28.30 ft, minor floodingApr 7, 1930: 18.90 ft, below flood stage; 9,610 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1931: 6.48 ft, below flood stage; 1,630 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1932: 22.07 ft, below flood stage; 10,400 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1933: 15.18 ft, below flood stage; 4,380 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 1934: 10.02 ft, below flood stage; 3,210 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1935: 13.07 ft, below flood stage; 2,920 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1936: 25.00 ft, below flood stage; 14,500 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 1937: 11.57 ft, below flood stage; 4,180 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 1938: 15.49 ft, below flood stage; 6,660 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1939: 20.13 ft, below flood stage; 6,720 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1940: 21.88 ft, below flood stage; 10,000 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 1941: 27.86 ft, action stage; 13,400 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1942: 24.10 ft, below flood stage; 11,000 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 1943: 38.16 ft, minor flooding; 28,200 cubic feet per secondAug 13, 1944: 19.79 ft, below flood stage; 10,400 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1945: 32.00 ft, minor floodingMar 28, 1946: 33.23 ft, minor floodingApr 22, 1947: 40.71 ft, moderate floodingApr 16, 1948: 41.68 ft, moderate flooding; 34,200 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1949: 29.11 ft, minor flooding; 15,200 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 1950: 45.61 ft, moderate flooding; 54,000 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 1951: 33.52 ft, minor flooding; 23,600 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 1952: 33.60 ft, minor floodingJun 25, 1953: 24.63 ft, below flood stage; 14,600 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1954: 18.63 ft, below flood stage; 9,620 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1955: 26.17 ft, below flood stage; 15,400 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1956: 32.43 ft, minor flooding; 21,400 cubic feet per secondJul 2, 1957: 24.67 ft, below flood stage; 14,700 cubic feet per secondJul 9, 1958: 16.03 ft, below flood stage; 7,500 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1959: 16.10 ft, below flood stageApr 12, 1960: 28.88 ft, minor flooding; 17,200 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1961: 9.75 ft, below flood stage; 3,400 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1962: 34.45 ft, minor flooding; 26,600 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1963: 21.23 ft, below flood stage; 10,800 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 1964: 22.71 ft, below flood stage; 13,200 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1965: 44.92 ft, moderate flooding; 52,000 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1966: 45.55 ft, moderate flooding; 55,000 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1967: 37.50 ft, minor flooding; 28,200 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 1968: 20.03 ft, below flood stage; 9,420 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1969: 45.69 ft, moderate flooding; 53,500 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 1970: 34.42 ft, minor floodingApr 11, 1971: 27.86 ft, action stage; 15,800 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1972: 38.73 ft, minor floodingMar 20, 1973: 27.32 ft, action stage; 11,300 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 1974: 40.25 ft, moderate flooding; 34,300 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1975: 43.30 ft, moderate floodingJul 14, 1975: 43.08 ft, moderate flooding; 42,800 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1976: 34.58 ft, minor flooding; 23,600 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1977: 8.71 ft, below flood stageApr 11, 1978: 45.73 ft, moderate flooding; 54,200 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1979: 48.81 ft, major floodingApr 6, 1980: 31.01 ft, minor flooding; 22,000 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 1981: 14.68 ft, below flood stage; 6,710 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 1982: 37.18 ft, minor flooding; 23,900 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1983: 29.17 ft, minor flooding; 14,300 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1984: 37.06 ft, minor flooding; 32,300 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 1985: 25.90 ft, below flood stage; 17,800 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1986: 37.00 ft, minor flooding; 31,900 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1987: 33.19 ft, minor flooding; 17,500 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1988: 21.16 ft, below flood stage; 8,500 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 1989: 44.37 ft, moderate floodingApr 5, 1990: 17.56 ft, below flood stage; 5,040 cubic feet per secondJul 8, 1991: 17.63 ft, below flood stage; 4,870 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1992: 23.30 ft, below flood stage; 8,000 cubic feet per secondAug 3, 1993: 36.39 ft, minor flooding; 26,200 cubic feet per secondJul 12, 1994: 34.30 ft, minor flooding; 26,800 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1995: 39.81 ft, minor flooding; 34,800 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 1996: 45.93 ft, moderate flooding; 58,400 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1997: 54.35 ft, major floodingMar 4, 1998: 39.84 ft, minor floodingApr 1, 1999: 44.26 ft, moderate floodingJun 28, 2000: 37.14 ft, minor floodingApr 14, 2001: 44.87 ft, moderate flooding; 57,800 cubic feet per secondJul 14, 2002: 38.67 ft, minor floodingJun 29, 2003: 24.35 ft, below flood stageApr 1, 2004: 38.34 ft, minor flooding; 34,300 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 2005: 40.11 ft, moderate flooding; 38,300 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 2006: 47.93 ft, major flooding; 72,800 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 2007: 38.73 ft, minor flooding; 35,300 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 2008: 26.56 ft, below flood stage; 17,700 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 2009: 49.33 ft, major flooding; 76,700 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 2010: 46.09 ft, major flooding; 62,900 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 2011: 49.86 ft, major flooding; 87,500 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 2012: 23.47 ft, below flood stage; 14,600 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 2013: 41.17 ft, moderate flooding; 44,000 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 2014: 36.16 ft, minor flooding; 29,000 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 2015: 23.04 ft, below flood stage; 14,400 cubic feet per secondSep 10, 2016: 20.03 ft, below flood stage; 9,660 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 2017: 29.58 ft, minor flooding; 19,600 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 2018: 35.02 ft, minor flooding; 28,000 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 2019: 46.94 ft, major flooding; 65,400 cubic feet per secondOct 16, 2019: 40.93 ft, moderate flooding; 40,200 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 2020: 47.70 ft, major flooding; 72,900 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 2021: 18.36 ft, below flood stage; 6,220 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 2022: 46.07 ft, major flooding; 64,800 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 2023: 40.80 ft, moderate flooding; 43,000 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 2024: 27.34 ft, action stage; 19,400 cubic feet per secondAug 12, 2025: 20.01 ft, below flood stageApr 15, 2026: 27.12 ft, action stage Highest, 54.35 ft, Apr 22, 1997 1900192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Red River of the North at Grand Forks 1880s: 4 1890s: 4 1900s: 5 1910s: 4 1920s: 3 1930s: 0 1940s: 6 1950s: 4 1960s: 6 1970s: 8 8 1980s: 7 1990s: 7 2000s: 8 2010s: 8 2020s: 3 1880s1900s1920s1940s1960s1980s2000s2020s
  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 146 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Red River of the North at Grand Forks
1Apr 22, 199754.35+26.35Major—
2Apr 10, 189750.20+22.20Major85,000
3Apr 14, 201149.86+21.86Major87,500
4Apr 1, 200949.33+21.33Major76,700
5Apr 26, 197948.81+20.81Major—
6Apr 18, 188248.00+20.00Major75,000
7Apr 6, 200647.93+19.93Major72,800
8Apr 10, 202047.70+19.70Major72,900
9Apr 11, 201946.94+18.94Major65,400
10Mar 20, 201046.09+18.09Major62,900
11Apr 26, 202246.07+18.07Major64,800
12Apr 21, 199645.93+17.93Moderate58,400
13Apr 11, 197845.73+17.73Moderate54,200
14Apr 16, 196945.69+17.69Moderate53,500
15May 12, 195045.61+17.61Moderate54,000
16Apr 4, 196645.55+17.55Moderate55,000
17Apr 24, 189345.50+17.50Moderate53,300
18Apr 17, 196544.92+16.92Moderate52,000
19Apr 14, 200144.87+16.87Moderate57,800
20Apr 12, 198944.37+16.37Moderate—
21Apr 1, 199944.26+16.26Moderate—
22Apr 23, 197543.30+15.30Moderate—
23Jul 14, 197543.08+15.08Moderate42,800
24Apr 26, 188342.20+14.20Moderate38,600
25Apr 16, 194841.68+13.68Moderate34,200
26Apr 30, 201341.17+13.17Moderate44,000
27Apr 17, 191641.00+13.00Moderate—
28Mar 29, 192041.00+13.00Moderate—
29Oct 16, 201940.93+12.93Moderate40,200
30Apr 24, 202340.80+12.80Moderate43,000
31Apr 22, 194740.71+12.71Moderate—
32Apr 27, 190440.65+12.65Moderate33,000
33Apr 19, 197440.25+12.25Moderate34,300
34Jun 18, 200540.11+12.11Moderate38,300
35Apr 7, 190739.95+11.95Minor30,400
36Mar 4, 199839.84+11.84Minor—
37Mar 31, 199539.81+11.81Minor34,800
38Apr 18, 197238.73+10.73Minor—
39Jun 22, 200738.73+10.73Minor35,300
40Jul 14, 200238.67+10.67Minor—
41Apr 1, 200438.34+10.34Minor34,300
42Apr 12, 194338.16+10.16Minor28,200
43Apr 4, 196737.50+9.50Minor28,200
44Apr 12, 198237.18+9.18Minor23,900
45Jun 28, 200037.14+9.14Minor—
46Apr 2, 198437.06+9.06Minor32,300
47Apr 2, 198637.00+9.00Minor31,900
48Aug 3, 199336.39+8.39Minor26,200
49Apr 13, 201436.16+8.16Minor29,000
50Apr 18, 190636.00+8.00Minor27,600

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.

April 22, 1997: 54.35 ft here, major flooding

  • PembinaND · Apr 26, 1997 · 54.94 ft · Major · its highest
  • DraytonMN · Apr 24, 1997 · 45.55 ft · Major · its highest
  • HalstadMN · Apr 19, 1997 · 40.74 ft · Major · its highest
  • FargoND · Apr 18, 1997 · 39.72 ft · Major
  • OsloMN · Apr 23, 1997 · 38.00 ft · Major
  • HicksonMN · Apr 16, 1997 · 37.60 ft · Moderate

April 10, 1897: 50.20 ft here, major flooding

  • FargoND · Apr 7, 1897 · 39.10 ft · Major

April 14, 2011: 49.86 ft here, major flooding

  • DraytonMN · Apr 19, 2011 · 43.17 ft · Major
  • HalstadMN · Apr 12, 2011 · 40.51 ft · Major
  • FargoND · Apr 9, 2011 · 38.81 ft · Major
  • OsloMN · Apr 14, 2011 · 38.09 ft · Major
  • WahpetonND · Apr 7, 2011 · 15.69 ft · Major
  • HicksonMN · Apr 7, 2011 · 37.15 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
FargoND18.040.84 ft, Mar 28, 200917
HalstadMN26.040.74 ft, Apr 19, 199711
Grand Forks this gaugeND28.054.35 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

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge EGFM5, 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.