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Wabash River at Vincennes

Highest listed crest 29.33 ftFlood stage 16.0 ft158 crests since 1779

The Wabash River at Vincennes crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 158 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1779 to 2026. The highest, 29.33 ft on May 23, 1943, was major flooding, 13.33 feet above flood stage. 13 other gauges on the Wabash River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
29.33 ft
May 23, 1943; 189,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
16.0 ft
Major flooding from 28.0 ft
Crests at major
2
67th of 206 gauges in Indiana
Most recent flood crest
August 26, 2026
18.80 ft, minor flooding
Location
Knox County
Near Vincennes (1.4 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Wabash River at Vincennes
Action stage10.035Nov 8, 2018The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)16.073Aug 26, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage22.046Mar 2, 2018Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage28.02Jan 18, 1950Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

158 crests from 1779 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Wabash River at Vincennes, 1779 to 2026 51015202530ft Flood stage 16.0 ftMajor 28.0 ft Feb 22, 1779: 22.00 ft, moderate floodingMar 29, 1913: 26.30 ft, moderate flooding; 255,000 cubic feet per secondJan 17, 1930: 27.20 ft, moderate floodingMar 20, 1939: 25.70 ft, moderate floodingApr 21, 1940: 12.16 ft, action stage; 29,900 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 1941: 6.92 ft, below flood stage; 16,200 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 1943: 29.33 ft, major flooding; 189,000 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 1944: 20.35 ft, minor flooding; 70,400 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 1945: 17.83 ft, minor flooding; 51,100 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 1947: 19.06 ft, minor flooding; 53,000 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1948: 23.40 ft, moderate flooding; 71,500 cubic feet per secondJan 28, 1949: 23.88 ft, moderate flooding; 71,000 cubic feet per secondJan 18, 1950: 29.04 ft, major flooding; 120,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 1950: 25.00 ft, moderate flooding; 86,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 1951: 23.40 ft, moderate flooding; 79,400 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1952: 19.50 ft, minor flooding; 51,200 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1953: 16.26 ft, minor flooding; 37,200 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1954: 8.78 ft, below flood stage; 18,000 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1955: 12.65 ft, action stage; 28,200 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1956: 15.31 ft, action stage; 37,400 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 1957: 23.70 ft, moderate flooding; 69,400 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 1958: 27.11 ft, moderate flooding; 99,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 1959: 25.65 ft, moderate flooding; 97,000 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 1960: 17.19 ft, minor flooding; 38,000 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 1961: 24.20 ft, moderate flooding; 64,800 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1962: 20.43 ft, minor flooding; 53,000 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1963: 20.71 ft, minor flooding; 56,300 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 1964: 22.95 ft, moderate flooding; 71,900 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1965: 16.95 ft, minor flooding; 41,500 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 1966: 12.34 ft, action stage; 24,200 cubic feet per secondDec 16, 1966: 22.33 ft, moderate flooding; 62,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 1968: 24.37 ft, moderate flooding; 77,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 5, 1969: 26.28 ft, moderate flooding; 81,000 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 1970: 24.28 ft, moderate flooding; 67,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 1971: 19.63 ft, minor flooding; 45,500 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 1972: 21.74 ft, minor flooding; 54,000 cubic feet per secondJan 7, 1973: 21.26 ft, minor flooding; 52,000 cubic feet per secondJan 29, 1974: 25.26 ft, moderate flooding; 73,800 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 1975: 20.64 ft, minor flooding; 49,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 1976: 21.82 ft, minor flooding; 55,500 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1977: 14.91 ft, action stage; 29,700 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1978: 25.27 ft, moderate flooding; 73,800 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1979: 23.70 ft, moderate flooding; 78,000 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 1980: 17.70 ft, minor flooding; 41,900 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 1981: 21.60 ft, minor flooding; 60,500 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1982: 25.00 ft, moderate flooding; 76,000 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 1983: 22.40 ft, moderate flooding; 64,100 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 1983: 17.40 ft, minor floodingMar 29, 1984: 21.30 ft, minor flooding; 54,500 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 1985: 27.25 ft, moderate flooding; 104,000 cubic feet per secondNov 28, 1985: 22.57 ft, moderate flooding; 57,300 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 1986: 16.30 ft, minor floodingFeb 5, 1988: 16.00 ft, minor flooding; 37,200 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 1990: 22.30 ft, moderate flooding; 63,200 cubic feet per secondJan 6, 1991: 26.50 ft, moderate floodingFeb 11, 1991: 14.00 ft, action stageNov 18, 1992: 22.70 ft, moderate floodingDec 21, 1992: 11.30 ft, action stageJan 12, 1993: 23.00 ft, moderate flooding; 65,700 cubic feet per secondJan 29, 1993: 19.00 ft, minor floodingMar 12, 1993: 17.70 ft, minor floodingMar 30, 1993: 14.10 ft, action stageApr 9, 1993: 14.00 ft, action stageApr 22, 1993: 17.50 ft, minor floodingMay 4, 1993: 16.90 ft, minor floodingJul 10, 1993: 16.30 ft, minor floodingOct 23, 1993: 14.80 ft, action stageNov 20, 1993: 21.40 ft, minor floodingDec 6, 1993: 16.70 ft, minor floodingFeb 3, 1994: 16.60 ft, minor floodingMar 11, 1994: 11.50 ft, action stageApr 19, 1994: 24.60 ft, moderate flooding; 77,000 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 1994: 15.40 ft, action stageMay 10, 1994: 13.10 ft, action stageJan 25, 1995: 10.60 ft, action stageMar 14, 1995: 16.20 ft, minor floodingApr 17, 1995: 11.30 ft, action stageMay 22, 1995: 19.80 ft, minor floodingJan 25, 1996: 13.00 ft, action stageApr 25, 1996: 14.50 ft, action stageMay 3, 1996: 19.60 ft, minor floodingMay 11, 1996: 22.00 ft, moderate floodingMay 17, 1996: 21.00 ft, minor floodingJun 2, 1996: 19.00 ft, minor floodingJun 15, 1996: 15.60 ft, action stageJun 27, 1996: 12.80 ft, action stageJul 27, 1996: 12.75 ft, action stageDec 17, 1996: 10.70 ft, action stageDec 29, 1996: 12.35 ft, action stageJan 26, 1997: 14.60 ft, action stageMar 5, 1997: 22.80 ft, moderate floodingMar 20, 1997: 20.40 ft, minor floodingMay 8, 1997: 13.70 ft, action stageJun 15, 1997: 15.10 ft, action stageJun 20, 1997: 17.40 ft, minor floodingMar 15, 1998: 12.50 ft, action stageMar 27, 1998: 17.92 ft, minor floodingApr 4, 1998: 18.40 ft, minor floodingApr 18, 1998: 17.50 ft, minor floodingMay 10, 1998: 19.15 ft, minor floodingJun 21, 1998: 23.70 ft, moderate floodingJan 29, 1999: 22.50 ft, moderate floodingJun 30, 2000: 14.62 ft, action stageFeb 17, 2001: 16.00 ft, minor floodingOct 27, 2001: 17.65 ft, minor floodingMay 17, 2002: 25.45 ft, moderate floodingJul 18, 2003: 22.55 ft, moderate floodingJan 10, 2004: 20.00 ft, minor floodingJun 22, 2004: 20.45 ft, minor floodingJan 10, 2005: 24.57 ft, moderate floodingJan 18, 2005: 27.15 ft, moderate floodingDec 10, 2006: 15.45 ft, action stageJan 21, 2007: 22.55 ft, moderate floodingJan 18, 2008: 19.00 ft, minor floodingFeb 13, 2008: 24.00 ft, moderate floodingMar 23, 2008: 21.00 ft, minor floodingJun 10, 2008: 27.50 ft, moderate floodingFeb 18, 2009: 20.42 ft, minor floodingJun 29, 2010: 20.31 ft, minor flooding; 52,100 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 2011: 21.41 ft, minor floodingMay 3, 2011: 27.47 ft, moderate flooding; 94,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 2012: 17.95 ft, minor flooding; 42,100 cubic feet per secondJan 17, 2013: 16.08 ft, minor floodingApr 27, 2013: 27.72 ft, moderate flooding; 97,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 2014: 17.78 ft, minor flooding; 43,200 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2014: 18.52 ft, minor floodingMar 16, 2015: 17.01 ft, minor flooding; 41,430 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 2015: 22.58 ft, moderate floodingJan 4, 2016: 25.67 ft, moderate floodingApr 15, 2016: 15.95 ft, action stageJan 28, 2017: 17.44 ft, minor floodingApr 14, 2017: 15.15 ft, action stageMay 9, 2017: 24.73 ft, moderate floodingJul 19, 2017: 14.23 ft, action stageNov 26, 2017: 13.53 ft, action stageMar 2, 2018: 24.25 ft, moderate floodingApr 9, 2018: 21.57 ft, minor floodingJun 15, 2018: 16.42 ft, minor floodingJun 28, 2018: 13.72 ft, action stageSep 10, 2018: 14.56 ft, action stageNov 8, 2018: 13.87 ft, action stageJan 29, 2019: 16.28 ft, minor flooding; 37,411 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 2019: 20.04 ft, minor flooding; 53,644 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 2019: 16.05 ft, minor flooding; 36,682 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 2019: 18.20 ft, minor flooding; 45,086 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 2019: 17.21 ft, minor flooding; 40,781 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 2019: 16.86 ft, minor flooding; 39,400 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 2020: 20.60 ft, minor flooding; 56,380 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 2021: 16.15 ft, minor flooding; 36,555 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 2022: 20.68 ft, minor flooding; 56,776 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 2022: 16.06 ft, minor flooding; 36,713 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 2023: 18.62 ft, minor flooding; 46,981 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 2023: 16.39 ft, minor flooding; 37,763 cubic feet per secondFeb 6, 2024: 16.12 ft, minor flooding; 36,903 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 2024: 18.19 ft, minor flooding; 45,041 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 2025: 21.57 ft, minor flooding; 50,606 cubic feet per secondJun 24, 2026: 16.80 ft, minor flooding; 39,185 cubic feet per secondAug 26, 2026: 18.80 ft, minor flooding; 47,804 cubic feet per second Highest, 29.33 ft, May 23, 1943 180018401880192019602000

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Wabash River at Vincennes 1770s: 1 1780s: 0 1790s: 0 1800s: 0 1810s: 0 1820s: 0 1830s: 0 1840s: 0 1850s: 0 1860s: 0 1870s: 0 1880s: 0 1890s: 0 1900s: 0 1910s: 1 1920s: 0 1930s: 2 1940s: 6 1950s: 8 1960s: 9 1970s: 9 1980s: 10 1990s: 28 28 2000s: 14 2010s: 22 2020s: 11 1770s1790s1810s1830s1850s1870s1890s1910s1930s1950s1970s1990s2010s
  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.
  3. 5 crests measured on an earlier gauge datum are left out: 25.00 ft on Feb 22, 1867; 22.70 ft on Feb 21, 1883; 21.30 ft on May 6, 1893; 22.20 ft on Jan 25, 1907; 21.40 ft on Feb 18, 1908.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 158 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Wabash River at Vincennes
1May 23, 194329.33+13.33Major189,000
2Jan 18, 195029.04+13.04Major120,000
3Apr 27, 201327.72+11.72Moderate97,800
4Jun 10, 200827.50+11.50Moderate—
5May 3, 201127.47+11.47Moderate94,100
6Mar 2, 198527.25+11.25Moderate104,000
7Jan 17, 193027.20+11.20Moderate—
8Jan 18, 200527.15+11.15Moderate—
9Jun 21, 195827.11+11.11Moderate99,600
10Jan 6, 199126.50+10.50Moderate—
11Mar 29, 191326.30+10.30Moderate255,000
12Feb 5, 196926.28+10.28Moderate81,000
13Mar 20, 193925.70+9.70Moderate—
14Jan 4, 201625.67+9.67Moderate—
15Feb 17, 195925.65+9.65Moderate97,000
16May 17, 200225.45+9.45Moderate—
17Mar 28, 197825.27+9.27Moderate73,800
18Jan 29, 197425.26+9.26Moderate73,800
19Feb 23, 195025.00+9.00Moderate86,400
20Mar 21, 198225.00+9.00Moderate76,000
21May 9, 201724.73+8.73Moderate—
22Apr 19, 199424.60+8.60Moderate77,000
23Jan 10, 200524.57+8.57Moderate—
24Feb 8, 196824.37+8.37Moderate77,200
25Apr 28, 197024.28+8.28Moderate67,700
26Mar 2, 201824.25+8.25Moderate—
27May 12, 196124.20+8.20Moderate64,800
28Feb 13, 200824.00+8.00Moderate—
29Jan 28, 194923.88+7.88Moderate71,000
30Jul 4, 195723.70+7.70Moderate69,400
31Mar 12, 197923.70+7.70Moderate78,000
32Jun 21, 199823.70+7.70Moderate—
33Mar 31, 194823.40+7.40Moderate71,500
34Feb 28, 195123.40+7.40Moderate79,400
35Jan 12, 199323.00+7.00Moderate65,700
36Apr 28, 196422.95+6.95Moderate71,900
37Mar 5, 199722.80+6.80Moderate—
38Nov 18, 199222.70+6.70Moderate—
39Jun 28, 201522.58+6.58Moderate—
40Nov 28, 198522.57+6.57Moderate57,300
41Jul 18, 200322.55+6.55Moderate—
42Jan 21, 200722.55+6.55Moderate—
43Jan 29, 199922.50+6.50Moderate—
44May 9, 198322.40+6.40Moderate64,100
45Dec 16, 196622.33+6.33Moderate62,300
46May 22, 199022.30+6.30Moderate63,200
47Feb 22, 177922.00+6.00Moderate—
48May 11, 199622.00+6.00Moderate—
49Feb 25, 197621.82+5.82Minor55,500
50Apr 27, 197221.74+5.74Minor54,000

The worst floods along the Wabash River

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

May 23, 1943: 29.33 ft here, major flooding

  • MontezumaIN · May 20, 1943 · 32.83 ft · Major
  • CovingtonIN · May 20, 1943 · 32.44 ft · Major
  • ClintonIN · May 20, 1943 · 32.04 ft · Major
  • Terre Haute Legacy SiteIN · May 20, 1943 · 30.50 ft · Major
  • RivertonIN · May 21, 1943 · 29.36 ft · Major · its highest
  • HutsonvilleIL · May 22, 1943 · 28.60 ft · Major
  • LafayetteIN · May 19, 1943 · 28.47 ft · Major
  • PeruIN · May 18, 1943 · 24.46 ft · Major
  • WabashIN · May 18, 1943 · 24.22 ft · Major
  • New HarmonyIN · May 26, 1943 · 23.84 ft · Major

January 18, 1950: 29.04 ft here, major flooding

April 27, 2013: 27.72 ft here, moderate flooding

  • MontezumaIN · Apr 21, 2013 · 31.90 ft · Major
  • ClintonIN · Apr 21, 2013 · 31.00 ft · Major
  • HutsonvilleIL · Apr 25, 2013 · 29.20 ft · Major
  • RivertonIN · Apr 26, 2013 · 27.20 ft · Major
  • BattlegroundIN · Apr 20, 2013 · 26.14 ft · Major · its highest
  • Mount CarmelIL · Apr 28, 2013 · 30.24 ft · Moderate
  • CovingtonIN · Apr 21, 2013 · 28.92 ft · Moderate
  • Terre Haute Legacy SiteIN · Apr 22, 2013 · 27.27 ft · Moderate
  • LafayetteIN · Apr 20, 2013 · 25.36 ft · Moderate
  • AmericusIN · Apr 20, 2013 · 23.79 ft · Moderate · its highest

Gauges on the Wabash River

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

Flood gauges on the Wabash River
AmericusIN11.023.79 ft, Apr 20, 20130
BlufftonIN10.021.00 ft, Mar 25, 19132
ClintonIN18.032.10 ft, Mar 27, 19136
CovingtonIN16.035.10 ft, Mar 27, 19133
HuntingtonIN20.023.20 ft, Feb 10, 19591
LafayetteIN11.032.90 ft, Mar 26, 19136
Linn GroveIN11.014.76 ft, Jul 8, 20030
LogansportIN15.025.30 ft, Mar 26, 19132
MontezumaIN14.034.00 ft, Mar 27, 19135
Mount CarmelIL19.034.02 ft, May 3, 20115
New HarmonyIN15.027.70 ft, Mar 31, 19136
PeruIN20.028.10 ft, Mar 26, 19132
RivertonIN15.029.36 ft, May 21, 19435
Terre Haute Legacy SiteIN14.038.00 ft, Jan 1, 17504
Terre Haute...US Hwy 150 EastboundIN16.533.25 ft, Mar 27, 19131
Vincennes this gaugeIN16.029.33 ft, May 23, 19432
WabashIN14.028.70 ft, Mar 26, 19134
BattlegroundIN11.026.14 ft, Apr 20, 20131
HutsonvilleIL16.029.80 ft, Mar 30, 19139

Other gauges in Knox County

Flood gauges in Knox County
Edwardsport15.029.40 ft, Jun 10, 200810
Edwardsport15.029.24 ft, Jun 10, 20084

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge VCNI3, 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.