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Mississippi River at McGregor

Highest listed crest 25.38 ftFlood stage 16.0 ft47 crests since 1880

The Mississippi River at McGregor crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 47 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1880 to 2024. The highest, 25.38 ft on April 24, 1965, was major flooding, 9.38 feet above flood stage. 43 other gauges on the Mississippi River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 27 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
25.38 ft
April 24, 1965; 276,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
16.0 ft
Major flooding from 22.0 ft
Crests at major
3
58th of 203 gauges in Iowa
Most recent flood crest
July 5, 2024
20.75 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Clayton County
Iowa

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 McGregor
Action stage13.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)16.026Oct 12, 2019Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage19.018Jul 5, 2024Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage22.03Apr 28, 2023Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

47 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 McGregor, 1880 to 2024 161820222426ft Flood stage 16.0 ftMajor 22.0 ft Jun 22, 1880: 21.00 ft, moderate flooding; 196,000 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 1937: 16.68 ft, minor flooding; 54,700 cubic feet per secondSep 18, 1938: 18.37 ft, minor floodingJun 7, 1942: 17.67 ft, minor flooding; 113,800 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1943: 16.84 ft, minor flooding; 124,600 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 1944: 16.17 ft, minor flooding; 122,500 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1945: 16.80 ft, minor flooding; 127,700 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1951: 20.83 ft, moderate flooding; 185,700 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1952: 20.89 ft, moderate flooding; 197,500 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 1954: 18.66 ft, minor floodingMay 15, 1960: 16.10 ft, minor flooding; 83,100 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 1965: 25.38 ft, major flooding; 276,000 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1967: 20.71 ft, moderate flooding; 170,000 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1969: 21.58 ft, moderate flooding; 215,000 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 1971: 17.70 ft, minor flooding; 138,000 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 1972: 16.30 ft, minor floodingMar 22, 1973: 20.15 ft, moderate flooding; 151,000 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 1973: 16.00 ft, minor floodingMay 5, 1975: 21.12 ft, moderate flooding; 183,000 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1976: 17.21 ft, minor flooding; 125,000 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 1979: 16.58 ft, minor flooding; 133,000 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1982: 17.96 ft, minor flooding; 139,000 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 1983: 19.00 ft, moderate flooding; 145,000 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1986: 20.10 ft, moderate floodingOct 4, 1986: 20.20 ft, moderate flooding; 158,000 cubic feet per secondOct 1, 1987: 20.20 ft, moderate floodingApr 23, 1993: 17.30 ft, minor floodingMay 11, 1993: 16.20 ft, minor floodingJun 29, 1993: 21.98 ft, moderate flooding; 189,000 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 1996: 18.50 ft, minor flooding; 143,000 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1997: 21.38 ft, moderate flooding; 201,000 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1998: 17.25 ft, minor flooding; 126,000 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 2001: 23.75 ft, major flooding; 248,000 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 2002: 17.17 ft, minor flooding; 121,000 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 2003: 16.88 ft, minor flooding; 115,000 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 2004: 17.30 ft, minor flooding; 150,000 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 2008: 17.02 ft, minor flooding; 145,000 cubic feet per secondOct 2, 2010: 19.43 ft, moderate flooding; 177,000 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 2011: 21.32 ft, moderate flooding; 182,000 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 2013: 16.22 ft, minor flooding; 117,000 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 2014: 16.53 ft, minor floodingSep 29, 2016: 16.87 ft, minor floodingApr 26, 2019: 21.75 ft, moderate flooding; 208,495 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 2019: 19.09 ft, moderate flooding; 173,079 cubic feet per secondOct 12, 2019: 16.77 ft, minor flooding; 142,772 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 2023: 22.91 ft, major floodingJul 5, 2024: 20.75 ft, moderate flooding Highest, 25.38 ft, Apr 24, 1965 18801900192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Mississippi River at McGregor 1880s: 1 1890s: 0 1900s: 0 1910s: 0 1920s: 0 1930s: 2 1940s: 4 1950s: 3 1960s: 4 1970s: 7 1980s: 5 1990s: 6 2000s: 5 2010s: 8 8 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 McGregor
1Apr 24, 196525.38+9.38Major276,000
2Apr 20, 200123.75+7.75Major248,000
3Apr 28, 202322.91+6.91Major—
4Jun 29, 199321.98+5.98Moderate189,000
5Apr 26, 201921.75+5.75Moderate208,495
6Apr 22, 196921.58+5.58Moderate215,000
7Apr 15, 199721.38+5.38Moderate201,000
8Apr 18, 201121.32+5.32Moderate182,000
9May 5, 197521.12+5.12Moderate183,000
10Jun 22, 188021.00+5.00Moderate196,000
11Apr 23, 195220.89+4.89Moderate197,500
12Apr 22, 195120.83+4.83Moderate185,700
13Jul 5, 202420.75+4.75Moderate—
14Apr 10, 196720.71+4.71Moderate170,000
15Oct 4, 198620.20+4.20Moderate158,000
16Oct 1, 198720.20+4.20Moderate—
17Mar 22, 197320.15+4.15Moderate151,000
18Apr 10, 198620.10+4.10Moderate—
19Oct 2, 201019.43+3.43Moderate177,000
20Jun 2, 201919.09+3.09Moderate173,079
21Mar 16, 198319.00+3.00Moderate145,000
22May 11, 195418.66+2.66Minor—
23Apr 28, 199618.50+2.50Minor143,000
24Sep 18, 193818.37+2.37Minor—
25Apr 26, 198217.96+1.96Minor139,000
26Apr 20, 197117.70+1.70Minor138,000
27Jun 7, 194217.67+1.67Minor113,800
28Apr 23, 199317.30+1.30Minor—
29Jun 18, 200417.30+1.30Minor150,000
30Apr 8, 199817.25+1.25Minor126,000
31Apr 8, 197617.21+1.21Minor125,000
32Apr 22, 200217.17+1.17Minor121,000
33Apr 27, 200817.02+1.02Minor145,000
34May 20, 200316.88+0.88Minor115,000
35Sep 29, 201616.87+0.87Minor—
36Jun 28, 194316.84+0.84Minor124,600
37Mar 29, 194516.80+0.80Minor127,700
38Oct 12, 201916.77+0.77Minor142,772
39May 6, 193716.68+0.68Minor54,700
40Apr 30, 197916.58+0.58Minor133,000
41Apr 20, 201416.53+0.53Minor—
42Apr 28, 197216.30+0.30Minor—
43May 11, 201316.22+0.22Minor117,000
44May 11, 199316.20+0.20Minor—
45Jun 24, 194416.17+0.17Minor122,500
46May 15, 196016.10+0.10Minor83,100
47Apr 24, 197316.000.00Minor—

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 24, 1965: 25.38 ft here, major flooding

April 20, 2001: 23.75 ft here, major flooding

April 28, 2023: 22.91 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)IA17.026.81 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
McGregor this gaugeIA16.025.38 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 Clayton County

Flood gauges in Clayton County
Marquette7.012.38 ft, May 23, 20044
Clayton620.0627.28 ft, Apr 24, 19650
Lock and Dam 10 - Guttenberg15.023.65 ft, Apr 24, 19652
Elkader (IFC)754.5755.15 ft, Sep 23, 20160
Elkader12.027.77 ft, Jun 10, 20086
Garber17.032.80 ft, May 23, 200428
Elgin (IFC)766.0775.60 ft, Aug 26, 20161
Littleport12.025.36 ft, May 17, 19999
Volga (IFC)784.5790.79 ft, Jul 23, 20170

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge MCGI4, 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.