Red River of the North at Fargo

1. 40.84 ftRECORD FLOOD. March 28, 2009 (instantaneous measurement).
2. 40.00 ft25th Street S bridge over Rose Coulee closes (Fargo).
3. 39.00 ft36th Street S bridge and 40th Avenue S bridge over Drain 27 close (Fargo).
4. 38.50 ft11th Street N is closed near 28th Avenue N (Moorhead).
5. 38.00 ft28th Avenue North is closed at Ditch #41 (Moorhead).
6. 37.50 ftOakport Street N is closed near 50th Avenue N (Moorhead).
7. 37.00 ftConvent Bridge at 52nd Ave S is closed (Fargo).
8. 36.00 ftPlacing of sandbags starts if the river is forecast to rise above 38 ft (Fargo).
9. 34.00 ftNorthern Pacific Ave (Fargo)/Center Ave (Moorhead) bridge clearance.
10. 33.00 ftWall Street Avenue N is closed (Moorhead).
11. 32.00 ftRemovable floodwalls installed along 2nd Street (Fargo). 1st Avenue N bridge across Red River closed.
12. 31.00 ft1st Avenue N underpass is closed (Moorhead).
13. 30.00 ftMAJOR FLOOD.
14. 28.00 ftRivershore Drive underpass at I-94 is closed (Moorhead). 12th Avenue N/15th Avenue N bridge over Red River is closed (Fargo/Moorhead).
15. 25.00 ftMODERATE FLOOD. City parks and recreation areas along the river begin to flood (Fargo). All storm sewer lift stations are in operation (Fargo).
16. 21.00 ft3rd Street underpass is closed (Moorhead).
17. 19.00 ftLow-level dam south of Main Ave is closed (Fargo).
18. 18.00 ftMINOR FLOOD. Elm St between 14th and 15th Ave N is closed (Fargo). Storm sewer pump stations are beginning to operate (Fargo).
19. 17.00 ftACTION STAGE/FORECAST SERVICE STAGE. Water rises to the edge of the bike path at El Zagal bowl along Elm St N between 14th and 15th Ave (Fargo).

Chance of flooding, September to November

The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued August 28, 2026.

Most recent crests

• March 25, 2026: 17.17 ft
• May 24, 2025: 19.15 ft
• May 27, 2024: 22.16 ft
• December 31, 2023: 18.64 ft
• April 22, 2023: 29.75 ft
• May 14, 2022: 26.49 ft
• April 11, 2021: 16.78 ft
• April 1, 2020: 28.19 ft
• October 16, 2019: 23.40 ft
• April 8, 2019: 35.04 ft

• UpstreamRed River of the North at Hickson
• DownstreamRed River of the North at Georgetown
• Sheyenne River at West Fargo
• Sheyenne River at West Fargo Diversion
• South Branch Buffalo River at Glyndon (28th Ave S)
• Buffalo River (MN) at Dilworth
• South Branch Buffalo River at Sabin
• Sheyenne River at Harwood
• Buffalo River (MN) at Glyndon (CSAH19)
• Wild Rice River (ND) at St. Benedict

Forecasts by the North Central River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued as needed during times of high water, but are not routinely available. 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.

Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service. Streamflow and the daily record from the U.S. Geological Survey.