Missouri River at Bismarck, ND

River level and flood forecast · Burleigh County

Normal3.7 ftas of Mon 3:15 PM

The river is 10.8 ft below flood stage (14.5 ft).

Flow: 12,700 cubic feet per second (USGS).

The last 7 days and the forecast

NWS forecast issued Sun, Dec 31, 6 PM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.

Flood stages

Major flood stage	18 ft
Moderate flood stage	16 ft
Flood stage	14.5 ft
Action stage	12.5 ft
Record crest (March 31, 1881)	31.6 ft

What floods at each level

From the National Weather Service, highest first.

22 ftSignificant number of homes and businesses on both sides of the river should be expected to flood if not protected.
20 ftWater begins to appear on the lowest stretches of River Road north of Bismarck.
18 ftHomes in the low-lying incorporated parts of Bismarck if not protected risk inundation.
17 ftCity of Bismarck experiences flooding of streets in low-lying areas if not protected. Access to Fox Island and other rural developments becomes increasingly difficult. Access to homes in the Briardale, Hoge Island, Ponderosa, and Misty Waters developments north of Bismarck may be cutoff and some homes are taking on water if not protected.
16 ftBefore 16 feet, older homes in the Fox Island area may experience flooding. Homes built to this level are at less risk but may have water surrounding them. Access to Fox island is difficult because of water on Riverwood Drive. No significant threat to the incorporated cities of Bismarck and Mandan.
14.5 ftFlooding of rural areas begins. Inundation of croplands and the potential closure of local boat ramp access is likely. Riverbank erosion rates increase and cause unstable shorelines. If water levels are the result of an icejam south of Bismarck, water levels will be relatively higher near the jam and cause concerns for residents south of Fox Island.
12.5 ftUnusually high river stage for this reach of the Missouri River. Residents are encouraged to pay close attention to NWS updates, local media, and local emergency management for information concerning why the river is this high and its potential for further rises.

Highest crests on record

31.6 ft — March 31, 1881
31.1 ft — January 1, 1887
30.4 ft — March 14, 1910
27.9 ft — April 6, 1952
27.7 ft — April 8, 1897

Recent crests: 11.23 ft (February 18, 2021) · 11.91 ft (November 10, 2019) · 13.41 ft (June 29, 2018) · 9.05 ft (August 15, 2017) · 5.8 ft (July 26, 2016)

Up and down the river, and nearby

See it on the live map →Radar & warnings for Burleigh County NWS gauge page USGS gauge 06342500

Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (BIWN8); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.