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Red River of the North at Wahpeton

Highest listed crest 19.42 ftFlood stage 11.0 ft92 crests since 1897

The Red River of the North at Wahpeton crested at major flood stage 11 times among the 92 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1897 to 2026. The highest, 19.42 ft on April 6, 1997, was major flooding, 8.42 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
19.42 ft
April 6, 1997
Flood stage
11.0 ft
Major flooding from 15.0 ft
Crests at major
11
9th of 54 gauges in North Dakota
Most recent flood crest
June 5, 2024
11.93 ft, minor flooding
Location
Richland County
North Dakota

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 Wahpeton
Action stage9.516May 22, 2025The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)11.012Jun 5, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage13.017Jun 1, 2022Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage15.011Apr 7, 2011Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

92 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 Wahpeton, 1897 to 2026 05101520ft Flood stage 11.0 ftMajor 15.0 ft Jan 1, 1897: 17.00 ft, major flooding; 10,500 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 1942: 10.49 ft, action stage; 3,280 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1943: 14.75 ft, moderate flooding; 5,000 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 1944: 12.11 ft, minor flooding; 4,360 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1945: 11.44 ft, minor flooding; 3,910 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1946: 9.74 ft, action stage; 3,110 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 1947: 11.90 ft, minor flooding; 4,610 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1948: 8.58 ft, below flood stage; 2,300 cubic feet per secondJul 10, 1949: 9.24 ft, below flood stage; 2,290 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1950: 11.62 ft, minor flooding; 4,190 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1951: 14.01 ft, moderate flooding; 6,090 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 1952: 14.99 ft, moderate flooding; 7,130 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 1953: 9.87 ft, action stage; 3,150 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1954: 7.59 ft, below flood stage; 1,860 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1955: 6.99 ft, below flood stage; 1,150 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1956: 7.88 ft, below flood stage; 1,980 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1957: 8.82 ft, below flood stage; 2,290 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1958: 5.59 ft, below flood stage; 866 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1959: 6.17 ft, below flood stage; 1,050 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1960: 8.89 ft, below flood stage; 2,370 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 1961: 4.72 ft, below flood stage; 548 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 1962: 13.98 ft, moderate flooding; 5,650 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 1963: 11.38 ft, minor flooding; 3,830 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 1964: 7.39 ft, below flood stage; 1,700 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1965: 14.34 ft, moderate flooding; 5,690 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 1966: 13.93 ft, moderate floodingMar 28, 1967: 9.14 ft, below flood stageJun 15, 1967: 8.81 ft, below flood stage; 2,500 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1968: 4.97 ft, below flood stageMay 18, 1968: 4.95 ft, below flood stage; 708 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1969: 16.34 ft, major flooding; 9,200 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1970: 6.93 ft, below flood stage; 1,450 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1971: 6.74 ft, below flood stage; 927 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1972: 11.67 ft, minor flooding; 3,380 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1973: 6.41 ft, below flood stageMar 15, 1974: 6.26 ft, below flood stageMay 24, 1974: 6.14 ft, below flood stage; 1,250 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 1975: 10.84 ft, action stage; 3,850 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1976: 9.00 ft, below flood stage; 2,700 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 1977: 4.49 ft, below flood stage; 526 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1978: 14.81 ft, moderate floodingApr 14, 1979: 15.44 ft, major flooding; 7,050 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1980: 10.71 ft, action stage; 3,100 cubic feet per secondAug 2, 1981: 4.54 ft, below flood stage; 512 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1982: 12.26 ft, minor flooding; 3,120 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1983: 5.70 ft, below flood stage; 880 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1984: 13.43 ft, moderate flooding; 4,710 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 1985: 10.71 ft, action stage; 3,690 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1986: 14.31 ft, moderate flooding; 6,140 cubic feet per secondOct 1, 1986: 7.46 ft, below flood stage; 1,770 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1987: 7.95 ft, below flood stageMar 27, 1988: 5.58 ft, below flood stage; 911 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 1989: 17.95 ft, major flooding; 8,370 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1990: 5.72 ft, below flood stage; 900 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 1991: 9.52 ft, action stage; 2,980 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1992: 8.46 ft, below flood stage; 2,000 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1993: 14.33 ft, moderate flooding; 6,080 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1994: 13.59 ft, moderate flooding; 5,000 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1995: 14.88 ft, moderate flooding; 6,370 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1996: 13.49 ft, moderate floodingApr 6, 1997: 19.42 ft, major floodingJun 29, 1998: 11.06 ft, minor flooding; 4,250 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 1999: 11.02 ft, minor flooding; 4,220 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 2000: 9.34 ft, below flood stageMar 9, 2000: 8.97 ft, below flood stage; 2,630 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 2001: 16.94 ft, major flooding; 9,340 cubic feet per secondJul 12, 2002: 10.09 ft, action stage; 3,350 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 2003: 10.72 ft, action stage; 3,800 cubic feet per secondSep 25, 2004: 10.03 ft, action stage; 3,160 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 2005: 13.10 ft, moderate flooding; 5,410 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 2006: 15.93 ft, major flooding; 7,180 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 2007: 15.60 ft, major flooding; 7,080 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 2008: 9.93 ft, action stage; 3,190 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 2009: 17.50 ft, major flooding; 10,400 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 2010: 16.49 ft, major flooding; 6,400 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 2011: 15.69 ft, major flooding; 7,490 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 2012: 9.31 ft, below flood stage; 2,770 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 2013: 14.30 ft, moderate flooding; 6,600 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 2014: 12.48 ft, minor flooding; 5,220 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 2015: 10.02 ft, action stage; 3,250 cubic feet per secondJul 13, 2016: 7.69 ft, below flood stage; 1,790 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 2017: 10.36 ft, action stage; 2,530 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 2018: 8.17 ft, below flood stage; 1,950 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 2019: 14.66 ft, moderate floodingOct 23, 2019: 10.40 ft, action stage; 3,360 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2020: 10.21 ft, action stage; 3,230 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 2021: 8.48 ft, below flood stageJun 1, 2022: 13.18 ft, moderate flooding; 5,660 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 2023: 12.54 ft, minor flooding; 5,270 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 2024: 11.93 ft, minor flooding; 4,750 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 2025: 10.24 ft, action stage; 3,420 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 2026: 8.61 ft, below flood stage Highest, 19.42 ft, Apr 6, 1997 1900192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Red River of the North at Wahpeton 1890s: 1 1900s: 0 1910s: 0 1920s: 0 1930s: 0 1940s: 4 1950s: 3 1960s: 5 1970s: 3 1980s: 4 1990s: 7 7 2000s: 5 2010s: 5 2020s: 3 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 92 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Red River of the North at Wahpeton
1Apr 6, 199719.42+8.42Major—
2Apr 5, 198917.95+6.95Major8,370
3Mar 24, 200917.50+6.50Major10,400
4Jan 1, 189717.00+6.00Major10,500
5Apr 9, 200116.94+5.94Major9,340
6Mar 16, 201016.49+5.49Major6,400
7Apr 10, 196916.34+5.34Major9,200
8Apr 1, 200615.93+4.93Major7,180
9Apr 7, 201115.69+4.69Major7,490
10Jun 3, 200715.60+4.60Major7,080
11Apr 14, 197915.44+4.44Major7,050
12Apr 12, 195214.99+3.99Moderate7,130
13Mar 17, 199514.88+3.88Moderate6,370
14Mar 28, 197814.81+3.81Moderate—
15Apr 2, 194314.75+3.75Moderate5,000
16Apr 1, 201914.66+3.66Moderate—
17Apr 11, 196514.34+3.34Moderate5,690
18Mar 31, 199314.33+3.33Moderate6,080
19Mar 30, 198614.31+3.31Moderate6,140
20Apr 26, 201314.30+3.30Moderate6,600
21Apr 7, 195114.01+3.01Moderate6,090
22Jun 11, 196213.98+2.98Moderate5,650
23Mar 16, 196613.93+2.93Moderate—
24Mar 23, 199413.59+2.59Moderate5,000
25Apr 10, 199613.49+2.49Moderate—
26Mar 28, 198413.43+2.43Moderate4,710
27Jun 1, 202213.18+2.18Moderate5,660
28Jun 15, 200513.10+2.10Moderate5,410
29Apr 19, 202312.54+1.54Minor5,270
30Apr 29, 201412.48+1.48Minor5,220
31Apr 1, 198212.26+1.26Minor3,120
32Jun 6, 194412.11+1.11Minor4,360
33Jun 5, 202411.93+0.93Minor4,750
34Apr 12, 194711.90+0.90Minor4,610
35Mar 19, 197211.67+0.67Minor3,380
36Apr 2, 195011.62+0.62Minor4,190
37Mar 17, 194511.44+0.44Minor3,910
38Jun 11, 196311.38+0.38Minor3,830
39Jun 29, 199811.06+0.06Minor4,250
40Jun 7, 199911.02+0.02Minor4,220
41Jul 3, 197510.84−0.16Action3,850
42Jun 26, 200310.72−0.28Action3,800
43Apr 1, 198010.71−0.29Action3,100
44Jun 1, 198510.71−0.29Action3,690
45Jun 7, 194210.49−0.51Action3,280
46Oct 23, 201910.40−0.60Action3,360
47Feb 22, 201710.36−0.64Action2,530
48May 22, 202510.24−0.76Action3,420
49Apr 8, 202010.21−0.79Action3,230
50Jul 12, 200210.09−0.91Action3,350

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 5, 1989: 17.95 ft here, major flooding

  • FargoND · Apr 9, 1989 · 35.39 ft · Major
  • Grand ForksND · Apr 12, 1989 · 44.37 ft · Moderate
  • HicksonMN · Apr 7, 1989 · 35.81 ft · Moderate
  • HalstadMN · Apr 9, 1989 · 35.65 ft · Moderate

March 24, 2009: 17.50 ft here, major flooding

  • FargoND · Mar 28, 2009 · 40.84 ft · Major · its highest
  • HalstadMN · Mar 30, 2009 · 40.63 ft · Major
  • HicksonMN · Mar 26, 2009 · 39.04 ft · Major · its highest

April 9, 2001: 16.94 ft here, major flooding

  • HalstadMN · Apr 15, 2001 · 38.44 ft · Major
  • OsloMN · Apr 16, 2001 · 37.00 ft · Major
  • FargoND · Apr 14, 2001 · 36.69 ft · Major
  • Grand ForksND · Apr 14, 2001 · 44.87 ft · Moderate
  • HicksonMN · Apr 13, 2001 · 35.80 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
Wahpeton this gaugeND11.019.42 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 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 Richland County

Flood gauges in Richland County
Abercrombie20.037.78 ft, Mar 25, 200922

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge WHNN8, 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.