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Mississippi River at Dubuque (Railroad Bridge)

Highest listed crest 26.81 ftFlood stage 17.0 ft46 crests since 1880

The Mississippi River at Dubuque (Railroad Bridge) crested at major flood stage 18 times among the 46 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1880 to 2024. The highest, 26.81 ft on April 26, 1965, was major flooding, 9.81 feet above flood stage. 38 other gauges on the Mississippi River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 23 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
26.81 ft
April 26, 1965
Flood stage
17.0 ft
Major flooding from 21.5 ft
Crests at major
18
14th of 203 gauges in Iowa
Most recent flood crest
July 6, 2024
22.30 ft, major flooding
Location
Dubuque County
Near Dubuque (2.8 mi)
Identifiers
NWS DBQI4
No USGS station

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Mississippi River at Dubuque (Railroad Bridge)
Action stage15.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)17.03Sep 30, 2016Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage18.024May 31, 2019Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage21.518Jul 6, 2024Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

46 crests from 1880 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Mississippi River at Dubuque (Railroad Bridge), 1880 to 2024 1015202530ft Flood stage 17.0 ftMajor 21.5 ft Jun 23, 1880: 21.70 ft, major floodingOct 24, 1881: 20.20 ft, moderate floodingMay 12, 1888: 21.40 ft, moderate floodingApr 7, 1920: 21.00 ft, moderate floodingApr 21, 1922: 21.00 ft, moderate floodingSep 21, 1938: 20.60 ft, moderate floodingJun 12, 1942: 19.30 ft, moderate floodingJun 27, 1944: 19.00 ft, moderate floodingApr 22, 1951: 22.65 ft, major floodingApr 25, 1952: 22.70 ft, major floodingMay 12, 1954: 20.16 ft, moderate floodingApr 26, 1965: 26.81 ft, major floodingApr 12, 1967: 21.86 ft, major floodingApr 23, 1969: 23.11 ft, major floodingApr 20, 1971: 19.30 ft, moderate floodingMar 24, 1973: 21.85 ft, major floodingMay 11, 1973: 19.40 ft, moderate floodingMay 6, 1975: 22.78 ft, major floodingApr 27, 1982: 19.10 ft, moderate floodingMar 16, 1983: 20.30 ft, moderate floodingApr 12, 1986: 21.50 ft, major floodingOct 5, 1986: 21.77 ft, major floodingApr 22, 1993: 19.10 ft, moderate floodingJul 1, 1993: 23.84 ft, major floodingApr 29, 1996: 19.64 ft, moderate floodingApr 16, 1997: 22.80 ft, major floodingApr 10, 1998: 18.56 ft, moderate floodingApr 21, 2001: 25.40 ft, major floodingApr 24, 2002: 18.14 ft, moderate floodingMay 21, 2003: 17.44 ft, minor floodingJun 19, 2004: 18.65 ft, moderate floodingApr 27, 2008: 20.29 ft, moderate floodingJun 13, 2008: 20.55 ft, moderate floodingApr 19, 2011: 22.82 ft, major flooding; 239,565 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 2013: 18.20 ft, moderate flooding; 164,675 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 2014: 20.24 ft, moderate flooding; 199,328 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 2015: 13.31 ft, below flood stageMar 26, 2016: 17.23 ft, minor flooding; 151,400 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 2016: 17.78 ft, minor flooding; 158,946 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 2017: 18.80 ft, moderate floodingMay 8, 2018: 19.66 ft, moderate floodingApr 6, 2019: 22.65 ft, major floodingApr 27, 2019: 23.18 ft, major floodingMay 31, 2019: 20.75 ft, moderate floodingApr 29, 2023: 24.30 ft, major floodingJul 6, 2024: 22.30 ft, major flooding; 223,288 cubic feet per second Highest, 26.81 ft, Apr 26, 1965 18801900192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Mississippi River at Dubuque (Railroad Bridge) 1880s: 3 1890s: 0 1900s: 0 1910s: 0 1920s: 2 1930s: 1 1940s: 2 1950s: 3 1960s: 3 1970s: 4 1980s: 4 1990s: 5 2000s: 6 2010s: 10 10 2020s: 2 1880s1900s1920s1940s1960s1980s2000s2020s
  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, Mississippi River at Dubuque (Railroad Bridge)
1Apr 26, 196526.81+9.81Major—
2Apr 21, 200125.40+8.40Major—
3Apr 29, 202324.30+7.30Major—
4Jul 1, 199323.84+6.84Major—
5Apr 27, 201923.18+6.18Major—
6Apr 23, 196923.11+6.11Major—
7Apr 19, 201122.82+5.82Major239,565
8Apr 16, 199722.80+5.80Major—
9May 6, 197522.78+5.78Major—
10Apr 25, 195222.70+5.70Major—
11Apr 22, 195122.65+5.65Major—
12Apr 6, 201922.65+5.65Major—
13Jul 6, 202422.30+5.30Major223,288
14Apr 12, 196721.86+4.86Major—
15Mar 24, 197321.85+4.85Major—
16Oct 5, 198621.77+4.77Major—
17Jun 23, 188021.70+4.70Major—
18Apr 12, 198621.50+4.50Major—
19May 12, 188821.40+4.40Moderate—
20Apr 7, 192021.00+4.00Moderate—
21Apr 21, 192221.00+4.00Moderate—
22May 31, 201920.75+3.75Moderate—
23Sep 21, 193820.60+3.60Moderate—
24Jun 13, 200820.55+3.55Moderate—
25Mar 16, 198320.30+3.30Moderate—
26Apr 27, 200820.29+3.29Moderate—
27Jul 3, 201420.24+3.24Moderate199,328
28Oct 24, 188120.20+3.20Moderate—
29May 12, 195420.16+3.16Moderate—
30May 8, 201819.66+2.66Moderate—
31Apr 29, 199619.64+2.64Moderate—
32May 11, 197319.40+2.40Moderate—
33Jun 12, 194219.30+2.30Moderate—
34Apr 20, 197119.30+2.30Moderate—
35Apr 27, 198219.10+2.10Moderate—
36Apr 22, 199319.10+2.10Moderate—
37Jun 27, 194419.00+2.00Moderate—
38May 29, 201718.80+1.80Moderate—
39Jun 19, 200418.65+1.65Moderate—
40Apr 10, 199818.56+1.56Moderate—
41Jun 26, 201318.20+1.20Moderate164,675
42Apr 24, 200218.14+1.14Moderate—
43Sep 30, 201617.78+0.78Minor158,946
44May 21, 200317.44+0.44Minor—
45Mar 26, 201617.23+0.23Minor151,400
46Jun 6, 201513.31−3.69Below flood stage—

The worst floods along the Mississippi River

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

April 26, 1965: 26.81 ft here, major flooding

April 21, 2001: 25.40 ft here, major flooding

April 29, 2023: 24.30 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Mississippi River

Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.

Flood gauges on the Mississippi River
TiptonvilleMO37.048.35 ft, May 5, 20112
Alma - Pool 5MN672.0672.13 ft, Apr 16, 20010
AltonIL21.039.55 ft, Aug 1, 19937
Baton RougeLA35.047.28 ft, May 15, 192731
BellevueIL17.023.51 ft, Apr 26, 196511
BrainerdMN16.017.61 ft, Jun 28, 20120
BrownsvilleMN635.0640.20 ft, Apr 22, 19650
BurlingtonIL15.025.73 ft, Jun 17, 200836
CamancheIA17.024.65 ft, Apr 28, 196520
Canton Lock and Dam 20MO15.027.88 ft, Jul 9, 19933
Cape GirardeauMO32.048.86 ft, Jan 2, 201615
CaruthersvilleMO32.047.61 ft, May 7, 20112
ChesterIL27.049.74 ft, Aug 7, 19939
Clarksville Lock and Dam 24MO25.037.73 ft, Jul 29, 199310
ClaytonIA620.0627.28 ft, Apr 24, 19650
DakotaMN644.0649.08 ft, Apr 21, 19650
DonaldsonvilleLA27.036.01 ft, May 15, 19273
Dubuque (LD11)IA16.025.69 ft, Apr 26, 196513
Dubuque (Railroad Bridge) this gaugeIA17.026.81 ft, Apr 26, 196518
Fort RipleyMN10.514.15 ft, Apr 8, 19970
Fridley abv 37th Ave NEMN16.020.00 ft, Apr 17, 19656
FultonIL16.024.75 ft, Apr 28, 196513
GladstoneIL10.022.46 ft, Jun 17, 200824
GraftonIL20.038.17 ft, Aug 1, 199315
Gregory LandingMO15.028.49 ft, Jul 9, 19934
HannibalMO17.031.80 ft, Jul 15, 199310
HelenaAR44.060.21 ft, Feb 12, 19374
HerculaneumMO26.029.79 ft, Jul 10, 20240
HickmanKY34.054.29 ft, May 2, 20113
Hwy 169 at ChamplinMN12.017.96 ft, Apr 12, 19653
Hwy 610 in Brooklyn ParkMN12.019.53 ft, Apr 17, 19654
Illinois CityIA15.024.10 ft, Jul 9, 199321
KeithsburgIA14.024.49 ft, Jun 17, 200822
KeokukIA16.027.58 ft, Jul 10, 199324
La Crosse - Pool 8WI12.017.89 ft, Apr 22, 19654
LaGrangeMO17.030.00 ft, Jul 13, 19934
Lake CityWI16.022.18 ft, Apr 19, 19653
Lansing - Pool 9IA17.022.50 ft, Apr 24, 19651
LeClaireIA11.017.75 ft, Apr 28, 196516
LouisianaMO15.028.40 ft, Jul 28, 19934
McGregorIA16.025.38 ft, Apr 24, 19653
Mel Price (Alton) Lock and DamIL21.042.72 ft, Aug 1, 19938
MemphisTN34.048.70 ft, Feb 10, 19372
MuscatineIA16.025.61 ft, Jul 9, 199321
NatchezMS48.061.95 ft, May 19, 20116
New BostonIL15.025.90 ft, Jul 9, 199322
New MadridMO34.048.35 ft, May 6, 20114
New OrleansLA17.021.27 ft, Apr 25, 19225
OsceolaAR28.050.90 ft, Feb 7, 193742
QuincyIL19.032.13 ft, Jul 13, 19937
Quincy Lock and Dam 21IL18.031.30 ft, Jul 13, 19937
Red River LandingLA48.063.39 ft, May 18, 20110
Red WingMN14.020.70 ft, Apr 18, 19659
ReserveLA22.026.00 ft, Jun 11, 19291
Rock IslandIL15.022.70 ft, May 2, 201920
Saverton Lock and Dam 22MO16.029.58 ft, Jul 25, 19939
St. CloudMN9.011.44 ft, Apr 8, 19971
St. LouisMO30.049.58 ft, Aug 1, 19939
St. PaulMN14.026.01 ft, Apr 16, 196516
ThebesIL33.047.74 ft, Jan 2, 201612
Tunica Mhoon LandingMS30.053.20 ft, Feb 10, 19375
VicksburgLA43.057.10 ft, May 19, 201112
Wabasha - Pool 4MN12.020.05 ft, Apr 19, 19657
Winfield Lock and Dam 25MO26.039.62 ft, Aug 1, 19939
Winona - Pool 6MN13.020.77 ft, Apr 19, 19655
Lock and Dam 10 - GuttenbergIA15.023.65 ft, Apr 24, 19652
Lock and Dam 2 - HastingsMN15.025.90 ft, Apr 17, 196512
Lock and Dam 3 - Red WingMN680.5687.77 ft, Apr 19, 19658
Lock and Dam 4 - AlmaWI16.019.78 ft, Apr 19, 19652
Lock and Dam 5 - Minnesota CityMN660.0667.85 ft, Apr 19, 19654
Lock and Dam 5a - WinonaMN655.0663.35 ft, Apr 19, 19654
Lock and Dam 6 - TrempealeauMN647.0653.02 ft, Apr 21, 19654
Lock and Dam 7 - La CrescentMN641.0647.38 ft, Apr 21, 19652
Lock and Dam 8 - GenoaWI631.0638.40 ft, Apr 22, 19653
Lock and Dam 9 - LynxvilleWI625.0633.16 ft, Apr 24, 19653
AitkinMN13.022.49 ft, May 20, 195011
Arkansas CityAR37.059.20 ft, Apr 21, 192715
GreenvilleAR48.065.40 ft, Apr 21, 192718

Other gauges in Dubuque County

Flood gauges in Dubuque County
Dubuque (LD11)16.025.69 ft, Apr 26, 196513

Dubuque County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Iowa

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge DBQI4, 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.