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Hi3 Water

North Dakota Water Assets

Northern Plains

North Dakota's water resources include the Fox Hills-Hell Creek aquifer, glacial drift aquifers, and the Missouri River system.

Prior Appropriation53 counties tracked2045 active alerts
50,923
Total Assets
51.7
Avg WIS
26,165
Verified
2
High WIS (75+)

North Dakota Water Intelligence Report

Hi3 Water tracks 50,923 water assets across North Dakota, spanning 53 counties and 7 distinct asset types. The average Water Intelligence Score (WIS) across North Dakota is 51.7/100, with 2 assets scoring in the high-value range (75+). North Dakota operates under Prior Appropriation water law, which directly affects water rights acquisition and asset valuation in this state.

The dominant water asset type in North Dakota is Well (24,639 assets, avg WIS 41.8). The highest concentration is in McLean County with 1,064 tracked assets.

2,045 active regulatory alerts are currently tracked in North Dakota, including EPA violations, drought declarations, and state water board enforcement actions. Always check the regulatory intelligence for any asset before making acquisition decisions.

Data sources: USGS Water Data, EPA ECHO, state water boards, and verified field reports. Water Intelligence Scores are computed across flow rate, geological stability, legal accessibility, sustainability, and rarity. Report last updated: June 29, 2026.

Asset Types in North Dakota

Well
24,639
Avg WIS 41.8
River
24,209
Avg WIS 62.5
Lake
1,002
Avg WIS 42.0
Reservoir
955
Avg WIS 44.0
Spring
115
Avg WIS 40.3
Fossil Water
2
Avg WIS 76.0
Aquifer
1
Avg WIS 69.0

Intelligence Grade Distribution

How North Dakota assets are graded

S (≥90) — Exceptional0 (0.0%)
A (75-89) — Excellent2 (0.0%)
B (55-74) — Good23,728 (46.6%)
C (35-54) — Fair27,193 (53.4%)
D (<35) — Limited0 (0.0%)

Regulatory Alerts

Drought, EPA violations, and enforcement actions affecting North Dakota

88
critical
32
high
1891
medium
34
low
0
info
DEVILS LAKE NR DEVILS LAKE, ND — Gage Height 49.5 ft
usgs_flood · flood_warning
EASTERN STUMP LAKE NR LAKOTA, ND — Gage Height 49.3 ft
usgs_flood · flood_warning
BIG COULEE AT HWY 2 NEAR CHURCHS FERRY, ND — Gage Height 49.9 ft
usgs_flood · flood_warning

Top Counties in North Dakota

McLean
1,064 assetsWIS 42
Williams
965 assetsWIS 42
Traill
948 assetsWIS 41
Dickey
909 assetsWIS 42
Ramsey
819 assetsWIS 42
Foster
794 assetsWIS 41
Ward
786 assetsWIS 43
Benson
715 assetsWIS 41
LaMoure
676 assetsWIS 42
Barnes
642 assetsWIS 40
Dunn
627 assetsWIS 43
Sargent
551 assetsWIS 42

Aquifer Type Mix

unconfined
700
Avg WIS 45
confined
69
Avg WIS 54
fossil
2
Avg WIS 76

Top 10 Water Assets in North Dakota

Ranked by Water Intelligence Score — North Dakota's highest-scoring springs, wells, and aquifers.

View all on map
  1. 1

    Fox Hills-Hell Creek Fossil Aquifer — Southwest North Dakota

    Fossil Water
    Bowman County·80 GPM
    76
    WIS
  2. 2

    Williston Basin Deep Fossil Aquifer — Western North Dakota

    Fossil Water
    McKenzie County·100 GPM
    76
    WIS
  3. 3

    Lower Tertiary Aquifer — Fort Union Formation

    Aquifer
    Mercer County·80 GPM
    69
    WIS
  4. 4

    Alkali Creek

    River
    ·1,202 GPM
    67
    WIS
  5. 5

    Duck Creek

    River
    ·2,936 GPM
    67
    WIS
  6. 6

    Antelope Creek

    River
    ·1,200 GPM
    67
    WIS
  7. 7

    Spring Creek

    River
    ·1,611 GPM
    67
    WIS
  8. 8

    Flat Creek

    River
    ·2,005 GPM
    67
    WIS
  9. 9

    Crooked Creek

    River
    ·1,667 GPM
    67
    WIS
  10. 10

    Cedar Creek

    River
    ·7,338 GPM
    67
    WIS
Avg Flow Rate
279,605 GPM
Avg Depth
144 ft
For Sale
0
Fossil Water
2

Explore North Dakota on the Interactive Map

View all 50,923 water assets, aquifer boundaries, water rights data, and regulatory alerts for North Dakota.

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