E. Branch Short Creek Reservoir

Name: E. Branch Short Creek Reservoir (North Dakota) water level
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey

near Columbus, ND · North Dakota · USGS gauge

Water level · NAVD88

1,887.37FT

Gauge elevation · no % full published

7 days −0.15 ft30 days −0.36 ftvs last year +0.56 ft

Reading for Oct 25, 2026, 18:00 UTC · page refreshed Oct 25, 21:16 UTC
Source: U.S. Geological Survey (Water Data for the Nation)

Worth going today?This Afternoon

Fair – check conditions

Wind up to 12 mph, dry

Wind6 to 12 mph

Rain0%

Temp43°F

Level1,887.4 ft

This AfternoonSunny · 43°F
N 6 to 12 mph · rain 0%

TonightMostly Clear · 18°F
NE 3 to 7 mph · rain 0%

NWS forecast for the gauge location. Good = wind ≤ 10 mph and rain ≤ 30%; storms are flagged. Not safety advice – check local conditions, closures and warnings.

Field notes

On Oct 25, 2026, E. Branch Short Creek Reservoir was at 1,887.37 (NAVD88) ft.

Over the past 7 days the lake has been falling (−0.15 ft), and it is −0.36 ft over 30 days.

Compared with a year ago (1,886.81 ft, same time of day), the lake is 0.56 ft higher.

Readings come from the USGS gauge “E. BRANCH SHORT CREEK RESERVOIR NEAR COLUMBUS, ND”. Gauge elevations are not directly comparable between lakes because each uses its own datum.

Lake facts

Gauge / station	E. BRANCH SHORT CREEK RESERVOIR NEAR COLUMBUS, ND
Elevation datum	ft (NAVD88)
Gauge location	48.9906, -102.7853

Nearby lakes

White Earth Lake37 mi S2,153.32 ft−0.02 ft Lake Darling66 mi SE1,597.56 ft−0.17 ft Audubon Lake North Dakota118 mi SE1,846.28 ft−0.07 ft Edward Arthur Patterson Lake147 mi S2,417.36 ft−0.03 ft Lake Tschida171 mi S2,057.63 ft+0.01 ft

Common questions

Is E. Branch Short Creek Reservoir rising or falling?

Over the last 7 days it changed −0.15 ft and over 30 days −0.36 ft.

How full is E. Branch Short Creek Reservoir?

USGS publishes the water surface elevation for this gauge but not a percent-full figure, so we don't show one rather than estimate it.

How often is this page updated?

The page is rebuilt automatically every day from USGS's published data. Values can be revised later by the source agency.

Where does the data come from?

The U.S. Geological Survey's Water Data API (api.waterdata.usgs.gov), which publishes readings from USGS and partner gauges. Forecasts come from the National Weather Service.

Latest instantaneous reading; 7-day, 30-day and year-ago changes compare readings at the same hour. USGS data are provisional and subject to revision. This page is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USGS. See data sources.