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Souris River at Sawyer

Highest listed crest 1,530.50 ftFlood stage 1,524.0 ft11 crests since 1969

The Souris River at Sawyer crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 11 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1969 to 2013. The highest, 1,530.50 ft on June 26, 2011, was major flooding, 6.50 feet above flood stage. 8 other gauges on the Souris River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 7 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
1,530.50 ft
June 26, 2011
Flood stage
1,524.0 ft
Major flooding from 1,528.0 ft
Crests at major
1
37th of 54 gauges in North Dakota
Most recent flood crest
April 12, 2013
1,525.72 ft, minor flooding
Location
Ward County
Near Minot (14.1 mi)
Identifiers
NWS SWRN8
No USGS station

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Souris River at Sawyer
Action stage1,523.01Apr 18, 1999The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)1,524.05Apr 12, 2013Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage1,526.02May 11, 1979Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage1,528.01Jun 26, 2011Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

11 crests from 1969 to 2013. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Souris River at Sawyer, 1969 to 2013 1520152215241526152815301532ft Flood stage 1,524.0 ftMajor 1,528.0 ft Apr 29, 1969: 1,524.72 ft, minor floodingMay 15, 1975: 1,524.92 ft, minor floodingApr 21, 1976: 1,527.39 ft, moderate floodingMay 11, 1979: 1,526.52 ft, moderate floodingApr 10, 1996: 1,524.27 ft, minor floodingMar 29, 1997: 1,520.82 ft, below flood stageApr 18, 1999: 1,523.12 ft, action stageJun 30, 2005: 1,521.07 ft, below flood stageApr 14, 2009: 1,525.69 ft, minor floodingJun 26, 2011: 1,530.50 ft, major floodingApr 12, 2013: 1,525.72 ft, minor flooding Highest, 1,530.50 ft, Jun 26, 2011 19701980199020002010

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Souris River at Sawyer 1960s: 1 1970s: 3 3 1980s: 0 1990s: 1 2000s: 1 2010s: 2 1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s
  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

Highest listed crests, Souris River at Sawyer
1Jun 26, 20111,530.50+6.50Major—
2Apr 21, 19761,527.39+3.39Moderate—
3May 11, 19791,526.52+2.52Moderate—
4Apr 12, 20131,525.72+1.72Minor—
5Apr 14, 20091,525.69+1.69Minor—
6May 15, 19751,524.92+0.92Minor—
7Apr 29, 19691,524.72+0.72Minor—
8Apr 10, 19961,524.27+0.27Minor—
9Apr 18, 19991,523.12−0.88Action—
10Jun 30, 20051,521.07−2.93Below flood stage—
11Mar 29, 19971,520.82−3.18Below flood stage—

The worst floods along the Souris River

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

June 26, 2011: 1,530.50 ft here, major flooding

  • SherwoodND · Jun 23, 2011 · 1,633.15 ft · Major · its highest
  • FoxholmND · Jun 25, 2011 · 1,584.44 ft · Major · its highest
  • Minot 4NWND · Jun 25, 2011 · 1,571.34 ft · Major
  • Minot-Broadway BridgeND · Jun 25, 2011 · 1,562.86 ft · Major · its highest
  • LoganND · Jun 26, 2011 · 1,542.12 ft · Major · its highest
  • TownerND · Jun 28, 2011 · 1,459.95 ft · Major · its highest
  • BantryND · Jun 28, 2011 · 1,445.66 ft · Major · its highest
  • VelvaND · Jun 26, 2011 · 1,515.73 ft · Moderate · its highest

April 21, 1976: 1,527.39 ft here, moderate flooding

  • FoxholmND · Apr 17, 1976 · 1,579.17 ft · Major
  • Minot-Broadway BridgeND · Apr 18, 1976 · 1,557.30 ft · Major
  • BantryND · Apr 23, 1976 · 1,443.35 ft · Major
  • Minot 4NWND · Apr 17, 1976 · 1,568.31 ft · Moderate
  • LoganND · Apr 19, 1976 · 1,539.49 ft · Moderate
  • TownerND · Apr 22, 1976 · 1,456.90 ft · Moderate
  • VelvaND · Apr 20, 1976 · 1,511.13 ft · Minor

May 11, 1979: 1,526.52 ft here, moderate flooding

  • FoxholmND · May 9, 1979 · 1,577.67 ft · Moderate
  • Minot 4NWND · May 9, 1979 · 1,566.54 ft · Moderate
  • LoganND · May 11, 1979 · 1,538.61 ft · Moderate
  • BantryND · May 17, 1979 · 1,442.38 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Souris River

Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.

Flood gauges on the Souris River
LoganND1,536.01,542.12 ft, Jun 26, 20111
Minot 4NWND1,562.01,573.01 ft, Jan 1, 18813
Minot-Broadway BridgeND1,551.01,562.86 ft, Jun 25, 20113
Sawyer this gaugeND1,524.01,530.50 ft, Jun 26, 20111
VelvaND1,507.01,515.73 ft, Jun 26, 20110
BantryND1,440.01,445.66 ft, Jun 28, 20114
FoxholmND1,573.01,584.44 ft, Jun 25, 20112
SherwoodND1,623.01,633.15 ft, Jun 23, 20113
TownerND1,454.01,459.95 ft, Jun 28, 20111
WesthopeND1,414.01,426.75 ft, Jul 5, 20117

Other gauges in Ward County

Flood gauges in Ward County
Foxholm1,651.01,655.29 ft, Apr 19, 19793
Logan1,536.01,542.12 ft, Jun 26, 20111
Minot 4NW1,562.01,573.01 ft, Jan 1, 18813
Minot-Broadway Bridge1,551.01,562.86 ft, Jun 25, 20113
Foxholm1,573.01,584.44 ft, Jun 25, 20112

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SWRN8, 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.