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South Fork Wildcat Creek near Lafayette

Highest listed crest 16.80 ftFlood stage 10.0 ft86 crests since 1943

The South Fork Wildcat Creek near Lafayette crested at major flood stage 5 times among the 86 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1943 to 2026. The highest, 16.80 ft on May 18, 1943, was major flooding, 6.80 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
16.80 ft
May 18, 1943; 17,900 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
10.0 ft
Major flooding from 15.0 ft
Crests at major
5
34th of 206 gauges in Indiana
Most recent flood crest
August 20, 2026
10.45 ft, minor flooding
Location
Tippecanoe County
Near Lafayette (5.1 mi), West Lafayette (8.4 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, South Fork Wildcat Creek near Lafayette
Action stage8.029Jan 23, 2019The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)10.031Aug 20, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage13.010Apr 20, 2013Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage15.05May 26, 1989Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

86 crests from 1943 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the South Fork Wildcat Creek near Lafayette, 1943 to 2026 05101520ft Flood stage 10.0 ftMajor 15.0 ft May 18, 1943: 16.80 ft, major flooding; 17,900 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1944: 11.70 ft, minor flooding; 5,770 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 1945: 9.14 ft, action stage; 3,380 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1946: 10.74 ft, minor flooding; 4,720 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 1947: 10.14 ft, minor flooding; 3,420 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1948: 9.95 ft, action stage; 4,080 cubic feet per secondJan 19, 1949: 11.70 ft, minor flooding; 5,250 cubic feet per secondJan 4, 1950: 15.12 ft, major flooding; 12,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 1951: 10.20 ft, minor flooding; 4,250 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 1952: 9.50 ft, action stage; 3,680 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1953: 11.53 ft, minor flooding; 5,550 cubic feet per secondAug 17, 1954: 5.92 ft, below flood stage; 1,530 cubic feet per secondJan 6, 1955: 9.20 ft, action stage; 3,450 cubic feet per secondJul 17, 1956: 5.97 ft, below flood stage; 1,620 cubic feet per secondJul 23, 1957: 10.20 ft, minor flooding; 4,250 cubic feet per secondJun 10, 1958: 15.28 ft, major flooding; 12,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 10, 1959: 14.69 ft, moderate flooding; 8,400 cubic feet per secondAug 3, 1960: 6.29 ft, below flood stage; 1,820 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 1961: 8.96 ft, action stage; 3,310 cubic feet per secondJan 27, 1962: 11.38 ft, minor flooding; 5,000 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1963: 12.23 ft, minor flooding; 6,420 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 1964: 14.64 ft, moderate flooding; 10,800 cubic feet per secondSep 15, 1965: 9.53 ft, action stage; 3,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 11, 1966: 3.98 ft, below flood stage; 944 cubic feet per secondDec 9, 1966: 10.98 ft, minor flooding; 5,000 cubic feet per secondDec 22, 1967: 13.47 ft, moderate flooding; 8,550 cubic feet per secondJan 29, 1968: 10.95 ft, minor flooding; 4,970 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 1970: 9.24 ft, action stage; 3,480 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 1971: 10.04 ft, minor flooding; 4,040 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1972: 9.73 ft, action stage; 3,780 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 1972: 8.37 ft, action stage; 2,740 cubic feet per secondJan 19, 1974: 11.69 ft, minor flooding; 5,740 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 1975: 11.32 ft, minor flooding; 5,940 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 1976: 9.76 ft, action stage; 4,210 cubic feet per secondAug 11, 1977: 6.43 ft, below flood stage; 1,740 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 1978: 13.78 ft, moderate flooding; 8,870 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 1979: 9.52 ft, action stage; 3,980 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 1980: 12.13 ft, minor flooding; 7,160 cubic feet per secondAug 31, 1981: 12.63 ft, minor flooding; 5,620 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1982: 9.63 ft, action stage; 4,080 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 1983: 15.68 ft, major flooding; 15,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 1984: 7.95 ft, below flood stage; 2,940 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 1985: 8.51 ft, action stage; 6,700 cubic feet per secondDec 11, 1985: 9.82 ft, action stage; 4,740 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 1987: 5.00 ft, below flood stage; 1,010 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1988: 8.72 ft, action stage; 3,690 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 1989: 15.36 ft, major flooding; 14,400 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1990: 12.85 ft, minor flooding; 9,230 cubic feet per secondDec 30, 1990: 13.62 ft, moderate flooding; 8,880 cubic feet per secondJul 15, 1992: 9.58 ft, action stage; 4,100 cubic feet per secondNov 13, 1992: 12.72 ft, minor flooding; 7,390 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 1994: 12.08 ft, minor flooding; 6,530 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1995: 9.25 ft, action stage; 3,840 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 1996: 9.95 ft, action stage; 4,390 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 1998: 14.42 ft, moderate flooding; 10,500 cubic feet per secondJan 23, 1999: 13.34 ft, moderate flooding; 8,390 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 2000: 10.83 ft, minor flooding; 5,170 cubic feet per secondFeb 10, 2001: 6.80 ft, below flood stage; 2,080 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 2002: 9.10 ft, action stage; 3,660 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 2003: 11.77 ft, minor flooding; 6,130 cubic feet per secondJun 11, 2004: 14.29 ft, moderate flooding; 10,200 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 2004: 9.18 ft, action stageJan 15, 2007: 9.92 ft, action stageFeb 12, 2009: 11.70 ft, minor floodingMar 11, 2009: 6.56 ft, below flood stageJun 22, 2010: 13.21 ft, moderate floodingFeb 28, 2011: 7.92 ft, below flood stageApr 28, 2011: 11.40 ft, minor floodingJan 14, 2013: 9.13 ft, action stageApr 20, 2013: 14.93 ft, moderate flooding; 11,600 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 2014: 8.74 ft, action stageJun 27, 2015: 10.99 ft, minor floodingDec 29, 2015: 10.93 ft, minor floodingJan 20, 2017: 8.95 ft, action stageMay 5, 2017: 12.02 ft, minor flooding; 6,450 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2017: 11.12 ft, minor floodingJul 12, 2017: 8.74 ft, action stageJul 22, 2017: 11.08 ft, minor floodingNov 19, 2017: 8.64 ft, action stageFeb 21, 2018: 8.58 ft, action stageApr 4, 2018: 8.11 ft, action stageNov 2, 2018: 6.89 ft, below flood stageJan 23, 2019: 8.95 ft, action stage; 3,630 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 2020: 10.31 ft, minor flooding; 4,732 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 2023: 10.30 ft, minor flooding; 4,724 cubic feet per secondAug 20, 2026: 10.45 ft, minor flooding; 4,844 cubic feet per second Highest, 16.80 ft, May 18, 1943 1960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, South Fork Wildcat Creek near Lafayette 1940s: 5 1950s: 6 1960s: 6 1970s: 4 1980s: 4 1990s: 6 2000s: 4 2010s: 8 8 2020s: 3 1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 86 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, South Fork Wildcat Creek near Lafayette
1May 18, 194316.80+6.80Major17,900
2May 2, 198315.68+5.68Major15,100
3May 26, 198915.36+5.36Major14,400
4Jun 10, 195815.28+5.28Major12,600
5Jan 4, 195015.12+5.12Major12,000
6Apr 20, 201314.93+4.93Moderate11,600
7Feb 10, 195914.69+4.69Moderate8,400
8Apr 20, 196414.64+4.64Moderate10,800
9Jun 12, 199814.42+4.42Moderate10,500
10Jun 11, 200414.29+4.29Moderate10,200
11Jun 26, 197813.78+3.78Moderate8,870
12Dec 30, 199013.62+3.62Moderate8,880
13Dec 22, 196713.47+3.47Moderate8,550
14Jan 23, 199913.34+3.34Moderate8,390
15Jun 22, 201013.21+3.21Moderate—
16Mar 11, 199012.85+2.85Minor9,230
17Nov 13, 199212.72+2.72Minor7,390
18Aug 31, 198112.63+2.63Minor5,620
19Mar 4, 196312.23+2.23Minor6,420
20Jun 3, 198012.13+2.13Minor7,160
21Apr 12, 199412.08+2.08Minor6,530
22May 5, 201712.02+2.02Minor6,450
23Jul 6, 200311.77+1.77Minor6,130
24Apr 11, 194411.70+1.70Minor5,770
25Jan 19, 194911.70+1.70Minor5,250
26Feb 12, 200911.70+1.70Minor—
27Jan 19, 197411.69+1.69Minor5,740
28Mar 4, 195311.53+1.53Minor5,550
29Apr 28, 201111.40+1.40Minor—
30Jan 27, 196211.38+1.38Minor5,000
31May 23, 197511.32+1.32Minor5,940
32May 21, 201711.12+1.12Minor—
33Jul 22, 201711.08+1.08Minor—
34Jun 27, 201510.99+0.99Minor—
35Dec 9, 196610.98+0.98Minor5,000
36Jan 29, 196810.95+0.95Minor4,970
37Dec 29, 201510.93+0.93Minor—
38Jun 25, 200010.83+0.83Minor5,170
39Feb 14, 194610.74+0.74Minor4,720
40Aug 20, 202610.45+0.45Minor4,844
41May 18, 202010.31+0.31Minor4,732
42Mar 4, 202310.30+0.30Minor4,724
43Feb 21, 195110.20+0.20Minor4,250
44Jul 23, 195710.20+0.20Minor4,250
45Apr 30, 194710.14+0.14Minor3,420
46Jun 12, 197110.04+0.04Minor4,040
47Apr 6, 19489.95−0.05Action4,080
48May 10, 19969.95−0.05Action4,390
49Jan 15, 20079.92−0.08Action—
50Dec 11, 19859.82−0.18Action4,740

Other gauges in Tippecanoe County

Flood gauges in Tippecanoe County
Elston6.06.54 ft, Jun 22, 20100
Montmorenci8.09.15 ft, Jun 22, 20100
South Raub9.011.55 ft, Apr 18, 20130
Americus15.021.05 ft, Apr 20, 20130
Americus11.023.79 ft, Apr 20, 20130
Lafayette11.032.90 ft, Mar 26, 19136
Battleground11.026.14 ft, Apr 20, 20131
Lafayette10.025.40 ft, Mar 28, 19138

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SFWI3, 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.