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Mississippi River at Fulton

Highest listed crest 24.75 ftFlood stage 16.0 ft42 crests since 1938

The Mississippi River at Fulton crested at major flood stage 13 times among the 42 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1938 to 2024. The highest, 24.75 ft on April 28, 1965, was major flooding, 8.75 feet above flood stage. 31 other gauges on the Mississippi River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 16 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
24.75 ft
April 28, 1965
Flood stage
16.0 ft
Major flooding from 20.0 ft
Crests at major
13
19th of 177 gauges in Illinois
Most recent flood crest
July 8, 2024
20.06 ft, major flooding
Location
Whiteside County
Near Clinton (5.7 mi)

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 Fulton
Action stage15.01Sep 30, 2016The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)16.015May 10, 2018Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage18.012Jun 5, 2019Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage20.013Jul 8, 2024Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

42 crests from 1938 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Mississippi River at Fulton, 1938 to 2024 10152025ft Flood stage 16.0 ftMajor 20.0 ft Sep 22, 1938: 18.40 ft, moderate floodingApr 8, 1939: 16.00 ft, minor floodingJun 13, 1942: 18.00 ft, moderate floodingJun 30, 1943: 17.30 ft, minor floodingJun 29, 1944: 18.51 ft, moderate floodingMar 31, 1945: 17.69 ft, minor floodingMar 29, 1946: 16.48 ft, minor floodingApr 26, 1951: 21.00 ft, major floodingApr 27, 1952: 21.23 ft, major floodingMay 14, 1954: 18.18 ft, moderate floodingMay 18, 1960: 16.07 ft, minor floodingApr 28, 1965: 24.75 ft, major floodingApr 15, 1967: 19.86 ft, moderate floodingApr 26, 1969: 21.37 ft, major floodingApr 24, 1971: 17.16 ft, minor floodingMay 2, 1972: 16.05 ft, minor floodingMar 25, 1973: 19.95 ft, moderate floodingJun 24, 1974: 16.48 ft, minor floodingMay 7, 1975: 20.35 ft, major floodingApr 11, 1976: 16.24 ft, minor floodingMay 6, 1979: 16.00 ft, minor floodingMar 19, 1983: 18.06 ft, moderate floodingOct 6, 1986: 19.66 ft, moderate floodingJul 8, 1993: 22.17 ft, major floodingApr 19, 1997: 20.72 ft, major floodingApr 24, 2001: 23.31 ft, major floodingApr 25, 2002: 16.06 ft, minor floodingJun 21, 2004: 16.69 ft, minor floodingApr 28, 2008: 18.63 ft, moderate floodingJun 16, 2008: 19.08 ft, moderate floodingApr 21, 2011: 21.06 ft, major flooding; 241,826 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 2013: 16.92 ft, minor flooding; 171,621 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 2014: 19.27 ft, moderate flooding; 211,487 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 2015: 12.03 ft, below flood stageSep 30, 2016: 15.93 ft, action stageMay 31, 2017: 16.69 ft, minor floodingMay 10, 2018: 17.61 ft, minor floodingApr 8, 2019: 20.91 ft, major floodingApr 30, 2019: 21.77 ft, major floodingJun 5, 2019: 19.83 ft, moderate flooding; 213,993 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 2023: 22.06 ft, major floodingJul 8, 2024: 20.06 ft, major flooding; 217,584 cubic feet per second Highest, 24.75 ft, Apr 28, 1965 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Mississippi River at Fulton 1930s: 2 1940s: 5 1950s: 3 1960s: 4 1970s: 7 1980s: 2 1990s: 2 2000s: 5 2010s: 8 8 2020s: 2 1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 Fulton
1Apr 28, 196524.75+8.75Major—
2Apr 24, 200123.31+7.31Major—
3Jul 8, 199322.17+6.17Major—
4Apr 30, 202322.06+6.06Major—
5Apr 30, 201921.77+5.77Major—
6Apr 26, 196921.37+5.37Major—
7Apr 27, 195221.23+5.23Major—
8Apr 21, 201121.06+5.06Major241,826
9Apr 26, 195121.00+5.00Major—
10Apr 8, 201920.91+4.91Major—
11Apr 19, 199720.72+4.72Major—
12May 7, 197520.35+4.35Major—
13Jul 8, 202420.06+4.06Major217,584
14Mar 25, 197319.95+3.95Moderate—
15Apr 15, 196719.86+3.86Moderate—
16Jun 5, 201919.83+3.83Moderate213,993
17Oct 6, 198619.66+3.66Moderate—
18Jul 3, 201419.27+3.27Moderate211,487
19Jun 16, 200819.08+3.08Moderate—
20Apr 28, 200818.63+2.63Moderate—
21Jun 29, 194418.51+2.51Moderate—
22Sep 22, 193818.40+2.40Moderate—
23May 14, 195418.18+2.18Moderate—
24Mar 19, 198318.06+2.06Moderate—
25Jun 13, 194218.00+2.00Moderate—
26Mar 31, 194517.69+1.69Minor—
27May 10, 201817.61+1.61Minor—
28Jun 30, 194317.30+1.30Minor—
29Apr 24, 197117.16+1.16Minor—
30Apr 20, 201316.92+0.92Minor171,621
31Jun 21, 200416.69+0.69Minor—
32May 31, 201716.69+0.69Minor—
33Mar 29, 194616.48+0.48Minor—
34Jun 24, 197416.48+0.48Minor—
35Apr 11, 197616.24+0.24Minor—
36May 18, 196016.07+0.07Minor—
37Apr 25, 200216.06+0.06Minor—
38May 2, 197216.05+0.05Minor—
39Apr 8, 193916.000.00Minor—
40May 6, 197916.000.00Minor—
41Sep 30, 201615.93−0.07Action—
42Jun 16, 201512.03−3.97Below 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 28, 1965: 24.75 ft here, major flooding

April 24, 2001: 23.31 ft here, major flooding

July 8, 1993: 22.17 ft here, major flooding

  • QuincyIL · Jul 13, 1993 · 32.13 ft · Major · its highest
  • HannibalMO · Jul 15, 1993 · 31.80 ft · Major · its highest
  • Quincy Lock and Dam 21IL · Jul 13, 1993 · 31.30 ft · Major · its highest
  • LaGrangeMO · Jul 13, 1993 · 30.00 ft · Major · its highest
  • Gregory LandingMO · Jul 9, 1993 · 28.49 ft · Major · its highest
  • Canton Lock and Dam 20MO · Jul 9, 1993 · 27.88 ft · Major · its highest
  • KeokukIA · Jul 10, 1993 · 27.58 ft · Major · its highest
  • New BostonIL · Jul 9, 1993 · 25.90 ft · Major · its highest
  • MuscatineIA · Jul 9, 1993 · 25.61 ft · Major · its highest
  • BurlingtonIL · Jul 10, 1993 · 25.10 ft · Major

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
Fulton this gaugeIL16.024.75 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 Whiteside County

Flood gauges in Whiteside County
Como12.515.64 ft, Jul 23, 20170

Whiteside County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Illinois

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge FLTI2, 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.