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Around Minnesota River
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Data Source: Recreation.gov · Public land: USGS PAD-US
About this river
Minnesota River is a 49.6 mile river. Streamflow is measured at the USGS gauge Minnesota River at Ortonville, MN (site 05292000). The National Hydrography Dataset places it at stream order 7. Reach geometry comes from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset.
Typical flow by month
1938 to 2026
Minnesota River typically runs highest in April, at a median 245 cfs, and lowest in November, at 10 cfs. The highest flow on record for any single day is 5,660 cfs, in 2010.
Show the numbers
| Month | Typical (cfs) | Usual range (cfs) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 17 | 2.6 to 57 |
| February | 18 | 2.9 to 55 |
| March | 104 | 12 to 209 |
| April | 245 | 65 to 751 |
| May | 198 | 52 to 453 |
| June | 84 | 26 to 322 |
| July | 47 | 19 to 172 |
| August | 32 | 8.3 to 79 |
| September | 21 | 4.9 to 53 |
| October | 13 | 2.7 to 47 |
| November | 10 | 2.8 to 40 |
| December | 13 | 2.3 to 52 |
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 88 years of record. Statistics published by the US Geological Survey for Minnesota River at Ortonville, MN (site 05292000). Conditions on any given day can fall well outside the usual range. Check the current reading before you go.
Boat access nearby
8 mapped launches sit in the mapped area of Minnesota River, all of them public access. Ramp data comes from the USGS national boat-ramp inventory.
- Cement BridgeMarsh LakePublic
- Kolb Public Water AccessPublic
- Big Stone Lake #8, OrtonvilleBig Stone LakePublic
- Ortonville (North)Big Stone LakePublic
- Long Tom LakeLong Tom LakePublic
- Rearing Ponds Land Use AreaPublic
- Kanne (Highway 34)Big Stone LakePublic
- State Park RoadBig Stone LakePublic
Made to print
Put Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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.
