Rivermatics

5 USGS Streamgages · Mississippi River system

Heart River flows and levels

Heart River is gauged at 5 USGS streamgages in North Dakota, each tracked by Rivermatics. The mainstem runs about 280 miles (450 km) from headwaters to outlet. It drains into the Mississippi River system. Drainage area at the gauges ranges from 311 square miles at Heart River near South Heart, ND up to 3,320 at Heart River near Mandan, ND. The gauged reach falls about 790 feet, from 2,452 feet down to 1,662. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned 14-day flow outlook for every one of them.

Gauges on this river, upstream to downstream

Ordered by drainage area, which is how far down the river each gauge sits. April and July figures are long-term median daily flows for that month from the USGS record — historical normals, not a forecast and not today's reading.

USGS streamgages on this river, ordered upstream to downstream
Gauge State Drainage sq mi Elevation ft April p50 cfs July p50 cfs Forecast
Heart River near South Heart, ND ND 311 2,452 6.2 1.3 14-day
Heart River near Richardton, ND ND 1,250 2,181 61.5 21.7 14-day
Heart River Ab Lake Tschida near Glen Ullin, ND ND 1,530 2,090 73 30.5 14-day
Heart River at Stark Bridge near Judson, ND ND 2,940 1,734 168.5 83.5 14-day
Heart River near Mandan, ND ND 3,320 1,662 256.2 97.2 14-day

Typical flow by month at Heart River near Mandan, ND

The furthest-downstream gauge on this river, so the fullest flow it carries here. Long-term daily discharge percentiles from the USGS record (up to 102 years of data), averaged within each month. These describe the historical normal range — they are not a forecast and not today's reading.

Historical monthly discharge percentiles in cubic feet per second
Month Low p10 Typical p50 High p90 Range
January 1.1 12.7 60.8
February 0.1 15.2 178.3
March 19.1 178.4 2,515.8
April 41.7 256.2 2,516.7
May 28.2 122.7 852.9
June 35 135.2 837.6
July 25.8 97.2 427.6
August 16.2 69.2 186.6
September 13.4 55.4 138
October 13.3 40.8 127.4
November 13.5 32.9 93.3
December 6.2 22 72.9

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does the Heart River run highest?
April, on the long-term record at Heart River near Mandan, ND — the furthest-downstream gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river. Median daily flow there is about 256.2 cfs that month, against 12.7 cfs in January, the lowest. Upstream gauges peak on their own schedule; the table on this page gives April and July for each.
How many gauges are on the Heart River?
Rivermatics tracks 5 USGS streamgages on the Heart River, across North Dakota. Each has its own page with the site's full flow record and monthly normals. The river may carry other gauges that publish neither daily values nor discharge statistics; those are not tracked here.
Is there a flow forecast for the Heart River?
Yes, at 5 of the 5 gauges. Rivermatics trains a machine-learned model — a temporal-fusion transformer — on each basin's observed flows, weather and snowpack, and issues a daily outlook reaching 14 days ahead: a median estimate inside a confidence band, not a single number to bet on. Every forecast is scored against days the model never trained on, and that track record is published on each gauge's live screen.
What river system is the Heart River part of?
The Heart River drains into the Mississippi River system — it is a tributary somewhere in that chain, following the flowpath down to its terminal river. Rivermatics builds this from the USGS/geoconnex reference-mainstem network rather than from names.
Can I use Heart River data for flood or safety decisions?
No. Rivermatics provides estimates, not guarantees, and the readings and forecasts here may be delayed, inaccurate, or wrong. Do not use them for navigation or for any safety, rescue, or emergency decision. Check the National Weather Service and USGS directly, and use your own judgment.

Other rivers in the Mississippi River system

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