River Conditions
Illustrated map of Lake Sakakawea

River stage

Grace City, James River

River level
4.51 ft
Status
Below flood stage
7-day change
+0.34 ft
Recent high
4.58 ft
Recent low
3.87 ft

Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS GCEN8

30-day change
+0.56 ft
Average
4.17 ft
Readings
122
Data span
122 days
Record crest
17.74 ft

In brief

The James River at Grace City, ND read 4.51 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 5.49 ft below action stage. That is 0.56 ft higher than 30 days earlier.

Source: National Weather Service gauge GCEN8

River level timeline

3.63.94.24.64.9SEP 13SEP 18SEP 23SEP 28OCT 03OCT 08OCT 13HIGH 4.57LOW 3.924.49 ftLAST READING

Stage threshold profile

Action stage 10.00 ftMinor flooding 12.00 ftModerate flooding 14.00 ftMajor flooding 15.00 ft CURRENT 4.51 ft

Highest crests on record

RankCrestDate
1 17.74 ft 2009-04-17
2 17.54 ft 2011-04-11
3 16.18 ft 1996-03-21
4 14.77 ft 1997-04-03
5 13.94 ft 1996-04-15
6 13.65 ft 2001-03-28
7 13.49 ft 1993-07-28
8 13.13 ft 1995-03-19

Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.

What happens at each level

  1. 11.00 ft

    Right bank overflows.

  2. 13.00 ft

    Left bank overflows.

  3. 17.30 ft

    James River tops 82nd Ave NE bridge south of Grace City.

Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.

Frequently asked questions

Is the James River flooding at Grace City?

No. The James River at Grace City is at 4.51 ft, 5.49 ft below action stage.

What is the flood stage at Grace City?

The National Weather Service sets action stage 10 ft, minor flooding 12 ft, moderate flooding 14 ft and major flooding 15 ft.

What is the highest the James River has been at Grace City?

The highest crest on record is 17.74 ft, on 2009-04-17.

Is the James River high or low right now at Grace City?

At 4.51 ft it is higher than 92% of readings over the last 122 days.

Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge GCEN8); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 06468170). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.