River stage
Williston, Missouri River
- River level
- 13.10 ft
- Status
- Below flood stage
- 7-day change
- +0.39 ft
- Recent high
- 16.32 ft
- Recent low
- 11.53 ft
Last reported 2026-10-14 | NWS WLTN8
- 30-day change
- +0.93 ft
- Average
- 13.30 ft
- Readings
- 122
- Data span
- 122 days
- Record crest
- 30.38 ft
In brief
The Missouri River at Williston, ND read 13.10 ft on Oct 14, 2026, 6.90 ft below action stage. That is 0.93 ft higher than 30 days earlier.
Source: National Weather Service gauge WLTN8
Water 49 °F (10 °C) · about normal for this date · -1 °F in 24 hours
River level timeline
Stage threshold profile
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Crest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30.38 ft | 2011-06-21 |
| 2 | 28.00 ft | 1912-04-01 |
| 3 | 27.15 ft | 1975-07-14 |
| 4 | 26.60 ft | 1994-03-08 |
| 5 | 26.46 ft | 1978-03-26 |
| 6 | 26.10 ft | 1997-06-26 |
| 7 | 25.80 ft | 1997-07-04 |
| 8 | 25.40 ft | 1986-03-03 |
Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.
What happens at each level
- 20.00 ft
Ditches in the vicinity of the river will fill and wildlife management lands along the south banks will begin to flood.
- 22.00 ft
Low-lying farmland and access roads to oil well sites near Trenton are flooded. City of Williston does not flood.
- 24.00 ft
Water begins to cover oil well location south and east of Williston. Wildlife management areas are flooded. City of Williston does not flood.
- 28.00 ft
Water backing up into the Little Muddy River begins to cover 54th Street Northwest on the east side of Williston.
- 30.00 ft
Water covers portions of 13th Avenue East and 11th Avenue East along the Little Muddy River.
- 30.50 ft
At 30.5 FT...water is near the top of Highway 58 in areas between Fairview and Trenton.
- 30.75 ft
Missouri River begins to cover Highway 85 south of Williston.
- 32.50 ft
Missouri River begins to overtop small stretch of levee near Highway 85 bridge and Williston Water Treatment Plant.
- 33.00 ft
Levees surrounding Williston are likely to be topped without additional measures taken to temporarily raise the flood protection levels.
Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Missouri River flooding at Williston?
No. The Missouri River at Williston is at 13.1 ft, 6.9 ft below action stage.
What is the flood stage at Williston?
The National Weather Service sets action stage 20 ft, minor flooding 22 ft, moderate flooding 24 ft and major flooding 26 ft.
What is the highest the Missouri River has been at Williston?
The highest crest on record is 30.38 ft, on 2011-06-21.
Is the Missouri River high or low right now at Williston?
At 13.1 ft it is higher than 61% of readings over the last 122 days.
How warm is the water at Williston, Missouri River?
The water temperature at Williston, Missouri River is 49 °F (9.5 °C), measured 4:45 pm by USGS, which is about average for this date over the past ten years. It has fallen 1.3 °F in the last 24 hours.
Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge WLTN8); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 06330000). Last reading 2026-10-14. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.