Around here
Around Vermillion River
- Minnesota Valley National Wildlife RefugeRecreation area17.2 mi (opens in a new tab)
- Minnesota Valley Wetland Management DistrictRecreation area17.2 mi (opens in a new tab)
- Mississippi River - Pool 2Recreation area20.8 mi (opens in a new tab)
- Mississippi River - Pool 1Recreation area21 mi (opens in a new tab)
Data Source: Recreation.gov · Source: USGS GNIS · Public land: USGS PAD-US
About this river
Vermillion River is a 52.7 mile river near Cannon Falls Canoe and Bike Rental in Minnesota. Streamflow is measured at the USGS gauge Vermillion River near Empire, MN (site 05345000). The National Hydrography Dataset places it at stream order 5. Reach geometry comes from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset.
Typical flow by month
1942 to 2026
Vermillion River typically runs highest in April, at a median 88 cfs, and lowest in January, at 34 cfs. The highest flow on record for any single day is 3,000 cfs, in 1992.
Show the numbers
| Month | Typical (cfs) | Usual range (cfs) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 34 | 21 to 45 |
| February | 34 | 22 to 44 |
| March | 64 | 41 to 110 |
| April | 88 | 60 to 140 |
| May | 79 | 52 to 126 |
| June | 74 | 45 to 121 |
| July | 55 | 30 to 96 |
| August | 46 | 28 to 72 |
| September | 43 | 31 to 73 |
| October | 45 | 31 to 82 |
| November | 47 | 29 to 67 |
| December | 39 | 24 to 55 |
Typical is the median of each month’s daily median values, and the usual range runs from the median 25th to the median 75th percentile, across about 56 years of record. Statistics published by the US Geological Survey for Vermillion River near Empire, MN (site 05345000). Conditions on any given day can fall well outside the usual range. Check the current reading before you go.
Boat access nearby
5 mapped launches sit in the mapped area of Vermillion River. Ramp data comes from the USGS national boat-ramp inventory.
- Sturgeon LakeMississippi River - Sturgeon LakePublic
- Treasure Island Resort and MarinaMississippi River - Sturgeon LakeRestricted
- Vermillion River (South)Vermillion RiverPublic
- North LakeMississippi River - North LakePublic
- Upper Vermillion RiverUpper Vermillion RiverPublic
Made to print
Put Vermillion River on your wall
This river section as an art print, drawn over the real terrain with its miles, plus the trails, roads and peaks around it. Pick the colors and the size, and see the finished print before you buy. From $39, shipping included.
Embed this gauge on your site
Paste this snippet anywhere, an outfitter page, a club site, a trip report, to show Vermillion River's live streamflow, water level and 7-day trend. It reads the USGS gauge directly, updates itself, and links back here.
See every free widget you can put on your site, including live conditions and a 7 day forecast.
