Sheyenne River at Valley City, ND
River level and flood forecast · Barnes County
Normal3.5 ftas of Mon 2:45 PM
The river is 11.5 ft below flood stage (15 ft).
Flow: 254 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 | 17 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 16 ft |
| Flood stage | 15 ft |
| Action stage | 12.5 ft |
| Record crest (April 13, 2009) | 20.69 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 24 ftTop of I-94 bridge.
- 20.69 ftRECORD FLOOD. April 13, 2009.
- 20 ftElevation of the top of the emergency dikes. Low steel in I-94 bridge.
- 18 ftActions are taken to protect electrical distribution equipment.
- 17.2 ftThe City of Valley City installs removable floodwalls in the University district.
- 17 ftMAJOR FLOOD. Levees and low spots are re-enforced.
- 16 ftMODERATE FLOOD. Storm drains are closed.
- 15 ftMINOR FLOOD. Actions are taken to protect the power plant.
- 14 ftDiking required to keep river in channel. Highway 10 in Valley City flooded.
- 12.5 ftACTION STAGE/FLOOD SERVICE STAGE.
Highest crests on record
- 20.69 ft — April 13, 2009
- 20.66 ft — April 18, 2011
- 20 ft — April 1, 1882
- 18.78 ft — April 21, 1996
- 18.07 ft — May 1, 2022
Recent crests: 8.75 ft (April 2, 2026) · 8.3 ft (August 6, 2025) · 9.2 ft (June 21, 2024) · 11.22 ft (May 7, 2023) · 18.07 ft (May 1, 2022)
Up and down the river, and nearby
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (VCRN8); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.