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Big Raccoon Creek at Cecil M. Harden Lake

Highest listed crest 690.08 ftFlood stage 690.0 ft51 crests since 1961

The Big Raccoon Creek at Cecil M. Harden Lake crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 51 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1961 to 2025. The highest, 690.08 ft on July 21, 2015, was major flooding, 0.08 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
690.08 ft
July 21, 2015
Flood stage
690.0 ft
Major flooding from 690.0 ft
Crests at major
1
96th of 206 gauges in Indiana
Most recent flood crest
July 21, 2015
690.08 ft, major flooding
Location
Parke County
Indiana

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Big Raccoon Creek at Cecil M. Harden Lake
Action stage690.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)690.00—Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage690.00—Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage690.01Jul 21, 2015Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

51 crests from 1961 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Big Raccoon Creek at Cecil M. Harden Lake, 1961 to 2025 650660670680690700ft Flood stage 690.0 ft May 15, 1961: 674.90 ft, below flood stageMay 15, 1964: 676.50 ft, below flood stageJun 15, 1968: 671.80 ft, below flood stageJun 15, 1974: 676.30 ft, below flood stageApr 15, 1978: 675.30 ft, below flood stageAug 15, 1979: 675.30 ft, below flood stageMay 11, 1983: 667.28 ft, below flood stageApr 28, 1984: 664.16 ft, below flood stageDec 14, 1985: 683.50 ft, below flood stageOct 6, 1986: 667.64 ft, below flood stageMar 25, 1987: 667.79 ft, below flood stageAug 2, 1987: 662.07 ft, below flood stageApr 11, 1988: 665.62 ft, below flood stageSep 19, 1989: 680.70 ft, below flood stageMay 28, 1990: 674.47 ft, below flood stageJan 22, 1991: 673.19 ft, below flood stageNov 30, 1992: 681.00 ft, below flood stageNov 28, 1993: 674.75 ft, below flood stageJun 14, 1994: 664.21 ft, below flood stageMay 22, 1995: 665.77 ft, below flood stageMay 13, 1996: 684.64 ft, below flood stageMar 25, 1997: 667.79 ft, below flood stageJun 25, 1998: 678.40 ft, below flood stageFeb 15, 1999: 672.58 ft, below flood stageOct 7, 2000: 664.60 ft, below flood stageOct 31, 2001: 676.50 ft, below flood stageMay 14, 2002: 689.90 ft, below flood stageSep 8, 2003: 676.50 ft, below flood stageJun 21, 2004: 665.81 ft, below flood stageJan 18, 2005: 677.90 ft, below flood stageNov 1, 2006: 667.53 ft, below flood stageJan 23, 2007: 674.99 ft, below flood stageJun 11, 2008: 687.55 ft, below flood stageMay 21, 2009: 676.42 ft, below flood stageJun 28, 2010: 675.85 ft, below flood stageMay 5, 2011: 678.61 ft, below flood stageOct 30, 2012: 656.40 ft, below flood stageApr 28, 2013: 686.27 ft, below flood stageApr 14, 2014: 665.79 ft, below flood stageJul 21, 2015: 690.08 ft, major floodingJan 2, 2016: 668.01 ft, below flood stageJan 27, 2017: 655.04 ft, below flood stageMay 8, 2017: 676.01 ft, below flood stageApr 10, 2018: 675.28 ft, below flood stageMay 14, 2019: 673.77 ft, below flood stageMay 30, 2020: 666.43 ft, below flood stageNov 5, 2021: 666.90 ft, below flood stageApr 4, 2022: 669.09 ft, below flood stageAug 12, 2023: 663.27 ft, below flood stageApr 24, 2024: 664.11 ft, below flood stageApr 16, 2025: 667.73 ft, below flood stage Highest, 690.08 ft, Jul 21, 2015 197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Big Raccoon Creek at Cecil M. Harden Lake 1960s: 0 1970s: 0 1980s: 0 1990s: 0 2000s: 0 2010s: 1 1 2020s: 0 1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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

The 50 highest of 51 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Big Raccoon Creek at Cecil M. Harden Lake
1Jul 21, 2015690.08+0.08Major—
2May 14, 2002689.90−0.10Below flood stage—
3Jun 11, 2008687.55−2.45Below flood stage—
4Apr 28, 2013686.27−3.73Below flood stage—
5May 13, 1996684.64−5.36Below flood stage—
6Dec 14, 1985683.50−6.50Below flood stage—
7Nov 30, 1992681.00−9.00Below flood stage—
8Sep 19, 1989680.70−9.30Below flood stage—
9May 5, 2011678.61−11.39Below flood stage—
10Jun 25, 1998678.40−11.60Below flood stage—
11Jan 18, 2005677.90−12.10Below flood stage—
12May 15, 1964676.50−13.50Below flood stage—
13Oct 31, 2001676.50−13.50Below flood stage—
14Sep 8, 2003676.50−13.50Below flood stage—
15May 21, 2009676.42−13.58Below flood stage—
16Jun 15, 1974676.30−13.70Below flood stage—
17May 8, 2017676.01−13.99Below flood stage—
18Jun 28, 2010675.85−14.15Below flood stage—
19Apr 15, 1978675.30−14.70Below flood stage—
20Aug 15, 1979675.30−14.70Below flood stage—
21Apr 10, 2018675.28−14.72Below flood stage—
22Jan 23, 2007674.99−15.01Below flood stage—
23May 15, 1961674.90−15.10Below flood stage—
24Nov 28, 1993674.75−15.25Below flood stage—
25May 28, 1990674.47−15.53Below flood stage—
26May 14, 2019673.77−16.23Below flood stage—
27Jan 22, 1991673.19−16.81Below flood stage—
28Feb 15, 1999672.58−17.42Below flood stage—
29Jun 15, 1968671.80−18.20Below flood stage—
30Apr 4, 2022669.09−20.91Below flood stage—
31Jan 2, 2016668.01−21.99Below flood stage—
32Mar 25, 1987667.79−22.21Below flood stage—
33Mar 25, 1997667.79−22.21Below flood stage—
34Apr 16, 2025667.73−22.27Below flood stage—
35Oct 6, 1986667.64−22.36Below flood stage—
36Nov 1, 2006667.53−22.47Below flood stage—
37May 11, 1983667.28−22.72Below flood stage—
38Nov 5, 2021666.90−23.10Below flood stage—
39May 30, 2020666.43−23.57Below flood stage—
40Jun 21, 2004665.81−24.19Below flood stage—
41Apr 14, 2014665.79−24.21Below flood stage—
42May 22, 1995665.77−24.23Below flood stage—
43Apr 11, 1988665.62−24.38Below flood stage—
44Oct 7, 2000664.60−25.40Below flood stage—
45Jun 14, 1994664.21−25.79Below flood stage—
46Apr 28, 1984664.16−25.84Below flood stage—
47Apr 24, 2024664.11−25.89Below flood stage—
48Aug 12, 2023663.27−26.73Below flood stage—
49Aug 2, 1987662.07−27.93Below flood stage—
50Oct 30, 2012656.40−33.60Below flood stage—

Gauges on the Big Raccoon Creek

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

Flood gauges on the Big Raccoon Creek
FincastleIN11.019.10 ft, Jun 28, 19571
Cecil M. Harden Lake this gaugeIN690.0690.08 ft, Jul 21, 20151
CoxvilleIN14.021.23 ft, Jun 28, 19571

Other gauges in Parke County

Flood gauges in Parke County
Coxville14.021.23 ft, Jun 28, 19571
Montezuma14.034.00 ft, Mar 27, 19135

Parke County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Indiana

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge CHLI3, 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.