River stage
Hawley, Buffalo River
- River level
- 3.16 ft
- Status
- Below flood stage
- 7-day change
- +0.04 ft
- Recent high
- 4.83 ft
- Recent low
- 3.05 ft
Last reported 2026-10-13 | NWS HWYM5
- 30-day change
- +0.05 ft
- Average
- 3.43 ft
- Readings
- 122
- Data span
- 122 days
- Record crest
- 11.30 ft
In brief
The Buffalo River at Hawley, MN read 3.16 ft on Oct 13, 2026, 4.34 ft below action stage. That is 0.05 ft higher than 30 days earlier.
Source: National Weather Service gauge HWYM5
River level timeline
Stage threshold profile
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Crest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11.30 ft | 1921-01-01 |
| 2 | 10.86 ft | 2000-06-22 |
| 3 | 10.82 ft | 2006-04-01 |
| 4 | 10.77 ft | 1997-04-06 |
| 5 | 10.60 ft | 2009-03-25 |
| 6 | 10.58 ft | 1966-03-17 |
| 7 | 10.40 ft | 1993-07-18 |
| 8 | 10.17 ft | 2001-04-08 |
Flood crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service.
What happens at each level
- 7.50 ft
ACTION STAGE/FORECAST SERVICE STAGE.
- 8.00 ft
MINOR FLOOD STAGE. Parts of Hawley City Park begin to flood.
- 9.00 ft
MODERATE FLOOD STAGE. Railroad underpass at US Hwy 10 floods.
- 11.00 ft
MAJOR FLOOD STAGE.
Written by the local National Weather Service forecast office for this exact gauge.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Buffalo River flooding at Hawley?
No. The Buffalo River at Hawley is at 3.16 ft, 4.34 ft below action stage.
What is the flood stage at Hawley?
The National Weather Service sets action stage 7.5 ft, minor flooding 8 ft, moderate flooding 9 ft and major flooding 11 ft.
What is the highest the Buffalo River has been at Hawley?
The highest crest on record is 11.3 ft, on 1921-01-01.
Is the Buffalo River high or low right now at Hawley?
At 3.16 ft it is higher than 36% of readings over the last 122 days.
Stage and flood information from the NOAA National Weather Service (gauge HWYM5); daily history from the U.S. Geological Survey (site 05061000). Last reading 2026-10-13. For flood safety decisions always follow official National Weather Service warnings.