Why does the City use the river level at James Avenue as a reference?
Winnipeg references river levels by James Avenue Datum, meaning we determine river levels using data from a gauge located on the Red River at James Avenue, just north of the Forks.
While James Avenue is the City's main gauge used to determine river levels, there are also other monitored locations along the Red and Assiniboine rivers across Winnipeg.
Current river levels across Winnipeg
Daily river levels at James Avenue
To view past river levels data, use the arrows on the calendar. You can also select a different month or year by clicking on the month and year that are displayed on the calendar and graph.
Reference levels
| (Measured at James Avenue) | Feet above James Avenue Datum | Geodetic metric (m) |
|---|---|---|
| Normal summer level (varies) | 6.5 | 223.74 |
| Assiniboine River walkway (minimum level) | 8.5 | 224.35 |
| Normal winter ice level (varies) | 0 | 221.76 |
*All measurements given in James feet (0 James feet = 727.57 feet geodetic). The long term mean winter ice level at James is 727.57 feet geodetic or 0 ft James.
Geodetic metric = (James + 727.57) x 0.3048
"Geodetic" is the horizontal and vertical positioning of a ship, platform, benchmark, survey location, etc.
Data provided in partnership with the Water Survey of Canada/Environment Canada.
Winter weather impacts survey sites, leaving some sites unable to provide timely data or offline completely. Survey sites should be back to full function in spring.