Little Missouri River
Little Missouri River Canoeing Recommendations Based on Streamflow and Stage
According to Canoe Camping - Top 40 (www.canoe-camping.org), a flow of 500 cubic feet per second (cfs) is
adequate for canoeing the Little Missouri River between Medora and U.S. Highway
85 (Long X Bridge).
The North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department has developed canoeing recommendations based on data from the U.S. Geological Survey gages at Marmarth and near Watford City. Those recommendations are incorporated in the chart below.
According to the National Park Service, a stage reading (taken at Medora) of less than 3 feet is considered too shallow for canoeing.
You may call National Park Service Theodore Roosevelt National Park headquarters in Medora at (701) 623-4466 for current information for the National Park.
Boating Safety Resource Center - from the U.S. Coast Guard
Data Interpretation and Recommendations
Gaging Station
|
Streamflow/Discharge
in cubic feet per second (cfs)
|
Stage/Gage Height
in feet (ft)
|
|
Marmarth
(90 feet downstream from U.S. Highway 12 bridge in Marmarth) |
Poor - 0 to 160 cfs
Fair - 160 to 602 cfs
Good - 602 to 1,280 cfs
Excellent - 1,280 to 2,110 cfs
|
Poor - 0 to 2.1 ft
Fair - 2.1 to 3.2 ft
Good - 3.2 to 4.2 ft
Excellent - 4.2 to 5.2 ft
National Weather Service
Flood Stage - 18 ft
|
|
Current Streamflow: 208 cfs recorded 05/16/2012 at 14:30
Current Stage: 2.04 ft recorded 05/16/2012 at 14:30
|
Medora
(on left bank
50 feet upstream from bridge on county highway and 1 mile upstream from
Andrews Creek and bridge on I-94)
|
Poor - 0 to 275 cfs
Fair - 275 to 975 cfs
Good - 975 to 1,590 cfs
Excellent - 1,590 cfs or greater
With caution to avoid dangerous flooding conditions |
Uncanoeable/Poor - 0 to 2.9 ft
Fair - 3 to 4.5 ft
Good - 4.5 to 5.5 ft
Excellent - greater than 5.5 ft
National Weather Service
Flood Stage - 15 ft
|
|
Current Streamflow: 70 cfs recorded 05/16/2012 at 15:15
Current Stage: 2.13 ft recorded 05/16/2012 at 15:15
|
Near Watford City
(0.8 mile upstream from Long X Bridge on U.S. Highway 85)
|
Poor - 0 to 231 cfs
Fair - 231 to 699 cfs
Good - 699 to 1,500 cfs
Excellent - 1,500 to 2,670 cfs
|
Poor - 0 to 2.3 ft
Fair - 2.3 to 3.5 ft
Good - 3.5 to 4.6 ft
Excellent - 4.6 to 5.7 ft
National Weather Service
Flood Stage - 20 ft
|
|
Current Streamflow: 88 cfs recorded 05/16/2012 at 14:30
Current Stage: -0.12 ft recorded 05/16/2012 at 14:30
|
Each river, and each gaging station on a river, has a unique streamflow-stage
relation. This relation can be expressed in a rating table and may change
with time. Given the stage at a particular
gaging station, streamflow can be estimated using the rating table.
Likewise, given the streamflow, stage can be estimated using the rating table.
Using the
streamflow-stage relation, canoeing recommendations for the Little Missouri
River can be expressed as as the above recommendations.
As streamflow and stage decrease, the river becomes slower
and shallower; thus, canoeing will become more difficult and portaging around shallow areas may be frequent. As streamflow and
stage increase, the river becomes faster and deeper. As river conditions
change due to natural events or human activities, the streamflow-stage relation
may change. Canoeing should not be attempted when the river is flooding. Observation of the river and
its streamflow or stage over time will help you
determine the optimal river level for your enjoyment.
How to Obtain Current Streamflow and Stage Data
Pick the gage/city closest to your desired canoeing route on the Little
Missouri River. Click on the link
for that gage in the chart above; click on the button with the city name on the left side of this
screen; or click on the gage,
indicated by a red triangle, on
the map below.
You will be presented with a chart showing the current streamflow
(discharge). Scroll down for another chart
showing the current stage (gage height).
To view streamflow for the last 18 months click on the links below. Data for the past 18 months are helpful
in determining the best time of the year to canoe a river.
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|
U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
