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Indian River at Rosedale Beach (IN MLLW)

Highest listed crest 7.71 ftFlood stage 4.5 ft28 crests since 1998

The Indian River at Rosedale Beach (IN MLLW) crested at major flood stage 5 times among the 28 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1998 to 2026. The highest, 7.71 ft on February 5, 1998, was major flooding, 3.21 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Indian River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
7.71 ft
February 5, 1998
Flood stage
4.5 ft
Major flooding from 6.5 ft
Crests at major
5
6th of 18 gauges in Delaware
Most recent flood crest
September 26, 2026
6.74 ft, major flooding
Location
Sussex County
Delaware

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Indian River at Rosedale Beach (IN MLLW)
Flood stage (minor)4.50—Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage5.523Oct 12, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage6.55Sep 26, 2026Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

28 crests from 1998 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Indian River at Rosedale Beach (IN MLLW), 1998 to 2026 45678ft Flood stage 4.5 ftMajor 6.5 ft Feb 5, 1998: 7.71 ft, major floodingOct 7, 2006: 5.97 ft, moderate floodingMay 12, 2008: 6.29 ft, moderate floodingOct 17, 2009: 5.76 ft, moderate floodingNov 12, 2009: 6.76 ft, major floodingDec 19, 2009: 5.87 ft, moderate floodingOct 29, 2011: 5.67 ft, moderate floodingOct 29, 2012: 6.95 ft, major floodingMar 6, 2013: 6.48 ft, moderate floodingOct 3, 2015: 6.46 ft, moderate floodingJan 23, 2016: 7.20 ft, major floodingSep 29, 2016: 6.34 ft, moderate floodingSep 19, 2017: 5.60 ft, moderate floodingSep 9, 2018: 6.34 ft, moderate floodingOct 27, 2018: 5.72 ft, moderate floodingOct 11, 2019: 5.88 ft, moderate floodingOct 30, 2020: 5.50 ft, moderate floodingFeb 1, 2021: 5.71 ft, moderate floodingMay 30, 2021: 5.82 ft, moderate floodingOct 11, 2021: 5.54 ft, moderate floodingOct 29, 2021: 6.37 ft, moderate floodingJan 3, 2022: 5.50 ft, moderate floodingMay 8, 2022: 6.14 ft, moderate floodingJun 3, 2023: 5.74 ft, moderate floodingSep 23, 2023: 6.09 ft, moderate floodingAug 21, 2025: 6.27 ft, moderate floodingOct 12, 2025: 6.49 ft, moderate floodingSep 26, 2026: 6.74 ft, major flooding Highest, 7.71 ft, Feb 5, 1998 200020052010201520202025

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Indian River at Rosedale Beach (IN MLLW) 1990s: 1 2000s: 5 2010s: 10 2020s: 12 12 1990s2000s2010s2020s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.

Highest crests

Highest listed crests, Indian River at Rosedale Beach (IN MLLW)
1Feb 5, 19987.71+3.21Major—
2Jan 23, 20167.20+2.70Major—
3Oct 29, 20126.95+2.45Major—
4Nov 12, 20096.76+2.26Major—
5Sep 26, 20266.74+2.24Major—
6Oct 12, 20256.49+1.99Moderate—
7Mar 6, 20136.48+1.98Moderate—
8Oct 3, 20156.46+1.96Moderate—
9Oct 29, 20216.37+1.87Moderate—
10Sep 29, 20166.34+1.84Moderate—
11Sep 9, 20186.34+1.84Moderate—
12May 12, 20086.29+1.79Moderate—
13Aug 21, 20256.27+1.77Moderate—
14May 8, 20226.14+1.64Moderate—
15Sep 23, 20236.09+1.59Moderate—
16Oct 7, 20065.97+1.47Moderate—
17Oct 11, 20195.88+1.38Moderate—
18Dec 19, 20095.87+1.37Moderate—
19May 30, 20215.82+1.32Moderate—
20Oct 17, 20095.76+1.26Moderate—
21Jun 3, 20235.74+1.24Moderate—
22Oct 27, 20185.72+1.22Moderate—
23Feb 1, 20215.71+1.21Moderate—
24Oct 29, 20115.67+1.17Moderate—
25Sep 19, 20175.60+1.10Moderate—
26Oct 11, 20215.54+1.04Moderate—
27Oct 30, 20205.50+1.00Moderate—
28Jan 3, 20225.50+1.00Moderate—

The worst floods along the Indian River

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Indian River that crested above flood stage within a week.

February 5, 1998: 7.71 ft here, major flooding

January 23, 2016: 7.20 ft here, major flooding

October 29, 2012: 6.95 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Indian River

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the Indian River
Rosedale Beach (IN MLLW) this gaugeDE4.57.71 ft, Feb 5, 19985
Indian River Inlet (IN MLLW)DE4.27.66 ft, Oct 29, 201212

Other gauges in Sussex County

Flood gauges in Sussex County
Delaware Bay at Lewes (IN MLLW)6.09.26 ft, Jan 23, 20168
Indian River Inlet (IN MLLW)4.27.66 ft, Oct 29, 201212
South Bethany Beach (IN MLLW)2.65.71 ft, Oct 29, 20121
Little Assawoman Bay at Fenwick Island (IN MLLW)2.55.07 ft, Oct 29, 20121
Bridgeville9.510.31 ft, Feb 26, 19790
Rehoboth Bay at Dewey Beach (IN MLLW)3.37.34 ft, Mar 6, 19624

Sussex County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Delaware

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge IRRD1, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.