USGS Water-Year Summary for Site 05051500

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	Available Parameters
	00060 Discharge(Mean)
	00060 Discharge(Mean) [Combined]
	00065 Gage height(Mean)

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Water year 2023: 2022-10-01 to 2023-09-30

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USGS Water-Year Summary 2023

05051500 RED RIVER OF THE NORTH AT WAHPETON, ND

LOCATION - Lat 46°15'58", long 96°35'54" referenced to North American Datum of 1927, in sec.08, T.132 N., R.47 W., Richland County, ND, Hydrologic Unit 09020104, on left bank in Wahpeton, 800 ft downstream from confluence of Bois de Sioux and Otter Tail Rivers, and at mile 548.6.

DRAINAGE AREA - 4,010 mi².

SURFACE-WATER RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD - DAILY DISCHARGE--May to October 1942, March 1943 to current year.

PERIOD OF RECORD.--DAILY GAGE HEIGHT--October 2000 to current year. Gage-height records collected in this vicinity since 1917 are contained in reports of the National Weather Service.

GAGE -

Water-stage recorder and concrete and wooden dam. Datum of the gage is 943.89 feet above North American Vertical Datum 1988 (NAVD88) and 942.97 feet above National Geodetic Vertical Datum 1929 (NGVD29).

Previous locations and datums are as follows:

Prior to August 6, 1943, National Weather Service non-recording gage 800 ft upstream, at present datum.

August 6, 1943, to October 27, 1950, non-recording gage at present site and datum.

October 1950 to present, at current location and at current datum.

REMARKS -

Discharges published under "Red River Only" do not include Otter Tail River Diversion (05046475) flow. Since the 2005 WY, there are two daily discharge data sets, one for the Red River only and a data set named "Combined" that combines the daily discharges for both the Red River (05051500) and the Otter Tail River Diversion (05046475).

Accuracy of records for water years prior to 2014 are noted in the individual Annual Data Reports for those water years. For water years 2014 onward, records good except for estimated discharges, which are poor, unless otherwise noted.

REGULATION.--Flow regulated by: Orwell Reservoir, flood storage capacity, 13,300 acre-ft at elevation 1,070 ft above mean sea level, adjustment of 1912; Mud Lake, flood storage capacity, 78,600 acre-ft at elevation 981 ft above mean sea level, adjustment of 1912; Lake Traverse, flood storage capacity, 75,100 acre-ft at elevation 981 ft above mean sea level, adjustment of 1912; and numerous other controlled lakes, ponds and several powerplants.

DIVERSION.--Since June 2005, Otter Tail River flows are partially diverted around Breckenridge, MN. The diverted flows are measured at streamflow station Otter Tail River Diversion at Breckenridge, MN (station 05046475). Figures of discharge given here include flow through the Red River only as well as combined flows from the Red River and from station 05046475.

EXTREMES OUTSIDE PERIOD OF RECORD - A stage of 17.0 ft, discharge, 10,500 ft³/s, occurred in the spring of 1897.

EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD - Maximum peak flow, 12,800 ft³/s, April 15, 1997, prior to completion of diversion channel.

WATER-QUALITY RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD - Water year 1972 to 2012.