Around here
Around Otter Tail River
Data Source: Recreation.gov · Public land: USGS PAD-US
About this river
Otter Tail River is a 44.5 mile river. Streamflow is measured at the USGS gauge Otter Tail River near Elizabeth, MN (site 05030500). The National Hydrography Dataset places it at stream order 5. Reach geometry comes from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset.
Typical flow by month
1992 to 2026
Otter Tail River typically runs highest in May, at a median 701 cfs, and lowest in October, at 234 cfs. The highest flow on record for any single day is 1,360 cfs, in 2011.
Show the numbers
| Month | Typical (cfs) | Usual range (cfs) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 303 | 227 to 402 |
| February | 310 | 228 to 411 |
| March | 355 | 282 to 445 |
| April | 579 | 380 to 657 |
| May | 701 | 553 to 931 |
| June | 674 | 516 to 869 |
| July | 587 | 431 to 694 |
| August | 398 | 305 to 525 |
| September | 264 | 191 to 455 |
| October | 234 | 135 to 385 |
| November | 279 | 155 to 409 |
| December | 299 | 208 to 416 |
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 33 years of record. Statistics published by the US Geological Survey for Otter Tail River near Elizabeth, MN (site 05030500). 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 Otter Tail River, all of them public access. Ramp data comes from the USGS national boat-ramp inventory.
- Swan LakeSwan LakePublic
- Clitherall LakeClitherall LakePublic
- Orwell ReservoirOrwell LakePublic
- LyeChautauqua LakePublic
- Dayton Hollow ReservoirOttertail River - Dayton Hollow Reservoir LakePublic
- Fiske LakeFiske LakePublic
- Breckenridge LakeBreckenridge LakePublic
- Pebble LakePebble LakePublic
Made to print
Put Otter Tail 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 Otter Tail 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.
