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Cedar River near Austin

Highest listed crest 23.26 ftFlood stage 10.0 ft104 crests since 1909

The Cedar River near Austin crested above flood stage 68 times among the 104 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1909 to 2026. The highest, 23.26 ft on September 16, 2004, was minor flooding, 13.26 feet above flood stage. 5 other gauges on the Cedar River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 2 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
23.26 ft
September 16, 2004; 20,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
10.0 ft
No major stage set
Crests at major
0
68 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
July 9, 2026
15.38 ft, minor flooding
Location
Mower County
Near Austin (2.4 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Cedar River near Austin
Action stage5.032Aug 28, 2021The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)10.068Jul 9, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat

Every listed crest

104 crests from 1909 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Cedar River near Austin, 1909 to 2026 0510152025ft Flood stage 10.0 ft Nov 14, 1909: 15.70 ft, minor flooding; 5,940 cubic feet per secondAug 14, 1911: 12.10 ft, minor flooding; 3,960 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1912: 15.25 ft, minor flooding; 5,670 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 1913: 7.94 ft, action stage; 1,930 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 1914: 6.85 ft, action stage; 1,480 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 1945: 16.62 ft, minor flooding; 7,750 cubic feet per secondSep 6, 1946: 12.92 ft, minor flooding; 5,440 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 1947: 9.36 ft, action stage; 3,580 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 1948: 12.56 ft, minor flooding; 5,260 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1949: 10.14 ft, minor flooding; 4,000 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1950: 17.81 ft, minor flooding; 8,800 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1951: 15.12 ft, minor flooding; 7,070 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1952: 15.82 ft, minor flooding; 7,520 cubic feet per secondAug 3, 1953: 15.00 ft, minor flooding; 6,990 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 1954: 12.82 ft, minor flooding; 5,570 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1955: 8.02 ft, action stage; 2,710 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 1956: 7.08 ft, action stage; 2,190 cubic feet per secondJul 17, 1957: 7.34 ft, action stage; 2,250 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 1958: 4.56 ft, below flood stage; 534 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 1959: 12.20 ft, minor flooding; 4,940 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 1960: 11.01 ft, minor flooding; 4,260 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1961: 17.03 ft, minor flooding; 9,400 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 1962: 17.18 ft, minor flooding; 9,530 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1963: 7.36 ft, action stage; 2,330 cubic feet per secondMay 15, 1964: 3.92 ft, below flood stage; 543 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 1965: 18.87 ft, minor flooding; 9,400 cubic feet per secondFeb 9, 1966: 10.10 ft, minor flooding; 3,740 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1967: 9.33 ft, action stage; 3,250 cubic feet per secondJul 24, 1968: 8.78 ft, action stage; 2,920 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1969: 10.05 ft, minor flooding; 3,830 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 1970: 5.96 ft, action stage; 1,430 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1971: 10.29 ft, minor flooding; 3,880 cubic feet per secondSep 29, 1972: 7.38 ft, action stage; 2,110 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1973: 16.05 ft, minor flooding; 8,270 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1974: 12.89 ft, minor flooding; 5,740 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 1975: 10.67 ft, minor flooding; 4,140 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1976: 10.33 ft, minor flooding; 3,910 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 1977: 3.97 ft, below flood stage; 580 cubic feet per secondJul 7, 1978: 18.06 ft, minor flooding; 10,100 cubic feet per secondJul 17, 1978: 20.35 ft, minor flooding; 12,400 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1980: 9.37 ft, action stage; 3,250 cubic feet per secondJul 16, 1981: 11.62 ft, minor flooding; 4,810 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 1982: 9.08 ft, action stage; 3,060 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 1983: 10.33 ft, minor flooding; 3,880 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1983: 9.40 ft, action stage; 3,310 cubic feet per secondJul 2, 1983: 17.01 ft, minor flooding; 8,690 cubic feet per secondSep 21, 1983: 9.04 ft, action stage; 3,120 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 1984: 8.74 ft, action stage; 2,920 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1984: 9.57 ft, action stage; 3,410 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 1984: 9.43 ft, action stage; 3,330 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1985: 7.43 ft, action stage; 2,190 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1986: 11.22 ft, minor flooding; 4,440 cubic feet per secondOct 12, 1986: 10.63 ft, minor flooding; 4,070 cubic feet per secondOct 12, 1987: 10.63 ft, minor flooding; 4,070 cubic feet per secondMar 1, 1988: 4.97 ft, below flood stage; 979 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 1989: 9.33 ft, action stage; 3,290 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 1990: 15.65 ft, minor flooding; 7,580 cubic feet per secondJul 29, 1990: 13.09 ft, minor flooding; 5,700 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 1991: 11.52 ft, minor flooding; 4,640 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 1991: 8.87 ft, action stage; 3,000 cubic feet per secondAug 8, 1991: 11.24 ft, minor flooding; 4,460 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 1992: 9.19 ft, action stage; 3,190 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1993: 16.55 ft, minor flooding; 8,310 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 1993: 13.63 ft, minor flooding; 6,070 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 1993: 15.24 ft, minor flooding; 7,260 cubic feet per secondAug 1, 1993: 11.38 ft, minor flooding; 4,550 cubic feet per secondAug 15, 1993: 19.43 ft, minor flooding; 10,800 cubic feet per secondJul 20, 1994: 8.01 ft, action stage; 2,510 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 1995: 6.74 ft, action stage; 1,830 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 1996: 8.30 ft, action stage; 2,640 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 1997: 10.62 ft, minor flooding; 4,060 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 1997: 12.01 ft, minor flooding; 4,960 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1998: 11.11 ft, minor flooding; 4,370 cubic feet per secondJul 19, 1999: 14.54 ft, minor flooding; 5,940 cubic feet per secondJun 1, 2000: 16.75 ft, minor flooding; 8,840 cubic feet per secondJul 10, 2000: 21.49 ft, minor flooding; 15,300 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 2001: 15.77 ft, minor flooding; 7,710 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 2002: 6.44 ft, action stage; 1,650 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 2003: 8.62 ft, action stage; 2,820 cubic feet per secondSep 16, 2004: 23.26 ft, minor flooding; 20,000 cubic feet per secondSep 26, 2005: 8.69 ft, action stage; 3,130 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2006: 11.96 ft, minor flooding; 5,120 cubic feet per secondAug 22, 2007: 8.59 ft, action stage; 3,060 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 2008: 21.42 ft, minor flooding; 15,300 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 2009: 8.75 ft, action stage; 3,030 cubic feet per secondSep 24, 2010: 19.83 ft, minor flooding; 12,900 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 2011: 14.84 ft, minor flooding; 6,930 cubic feet per secondFeb 29, 2012: 6.46 ft, action stage; 1,650 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 2013: 12.52 ft, minor flooding; 4,910 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 2014: 14.80 ft, minor flooding; 6,880 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 2015: 11.38 ft, minor flooding; 4,600 cubic feet per secondSep 23, 2016: 19.50 ft, minor flooding; 11,300 cubic feet per secondOct 26, 2016: 10.82 ft, minor flooding; 4,250 cubic feet per secondSep 6, 2018: 12.09 ft, minor flooding; 5,040 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 2019: 13.38 ft, minor flooding; 6,390 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 2019: 10.70 ft, minor flooding; 4,581 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 2020: 12.49 ft, minor flooding; 5,830 cubic feet per secondAug 28, 2021: 9.72 ft, action stage; 3,810 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 2024: 20.58 ft, minor floodingJun 17, 2025: 11.53 ft, minor flooding; 5,388 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 2025: 13.45 ft, minor flooding; 6,707 cubic feet per secondAug 18, 2025: 13.95 ft, minor flooding; 6,828 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 2026: 10.42 ft, minor flooding; 4,287 cubic feet per secondJul 9, 2026: 15.38 ft, minor flooding; 7,734 cubic feet per second Highest, 23.26 ft, Sep 16, 2004 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Cedar River near Austin 1900s: 1 1910s: 2 1920s: 0 1930s: 0 1940s: 4 1950s: 6 1960s: 6 1970s: 7 1980s: 6 1990s: 13 13 2000s: 6 2010s: 10 2020s: 7 1900s1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 104 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Cedar River near Austin
1Sep 16, 200423.26+13.26Minor20,000
2Jul 10, 200021.49+11.49Minor15,300
3Jun 12, 200821.42+11.42Minor15,300
4Jun 22, 202420.58+10.58Minor—
5Jul 17, 197820.35+10.35Minor12,400
6Sep 24, 201019.83+9.83Minor12,900
7Sep 23, 201619.50+9.50Minor11,300
8Aug 15, 199319.43+9.43Minor10,800
9Mar 1, 196518.87+8.87Minor9,400
10Jul 7, 197818.06+8.06Minor10,100
11Mar 26, 195017.81+7.81Minor8,800
12Mar 29, 196217.18+7.18Minor9,530
13Mar 26, 196117.03+7.03Minor9,400
14Jul 2, 198317.01+7.01Minor8,690
15Jun 1, 200016.75+6.75Minor8,840
16Mar 15, 194516.62+6.62Minor7,750
17Apr 1, 199316.55+6.55Minor8,310
18Mar 11, 197316.05+6.05Minor8,270
19Mar 31, 195215.82+5.82Minor7,520
20Apr 12, 200115.77+5.77Minor7,710
21Nov 14, 190915.70+5.70Minor5,940
22Apr 24, 199015.65+5.65Minor7,580
23Jul 9, 202615.38+5.38Minor7,734
24Mar 28, 191215.25+5.25Minor5,670
25Jun 20, 199315.24+5.24Minor7,260
26Apr 7, 195115.12+5.12Minor7,070
27Aug 3, 195315.00+5.00Minor6,990
28Mar 23, 201114.84+4.84Minor6,930
29Jun 19, 201414.80+4.80Minor6,880
30Jul 19, 199914.54+4.54Minor5,940
31Aug 18, 202513.95+3.95Minor6,828
32Apr 20, 199313.63+3.63Minor6,070
33Jun 27, 202513.45+3.45Minor6,707
34Mar 16, 201913.38+3.38Minor6,390
35Jul 29, 199013.09+3.09Minor5,700
36Sep 6, 194612.92+2.92Minor5,440
37Apr 4, 197412.89+2.89Minor5,740
38Jun 20, 195412.82+2.82Minor5,570
39Feb 28, 194812.56+2.56Minor5,260
40May 20, 201312.52+2.52Minor4,910
41Mar 9, 202012.49+2.49Minor5,830
42Jun 26, 195912.20+2.20Minor4,940
43Aug 14, 191112.10+2.10Minor3,960
44Sep 6, 201812.09+2.09Minor5,040
45Mar 23, 199712.01+2.01Minor4,960
46Apr 8, 200611.96+1.96Minor5,120
47Jul 16, 198111.62+1.62Minor4,810
48Jun 17, 202511.53+1.53Minor5,388
49May 6, 199111.52+1.52Minor4,640
50Aug 1, 199311.38+1.38Minor4,550

The worst floods along the Cedar River

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

September 16, 2004: 23.26 ft here, minor flooding

  • AustinMN · Sep 16, 2004 · 25.00 ft · Major · its highest
  • LansingMN · Sep 15, 2004 · 22.98 ft · Major · its highest
  • Charles CityIA · Sep 17, 2004 · 20.33 ft · Major
  • JanesvilleIA · Sep 18, 2004 · 13.40 ft · Minor
  • WaverlyIA · Sep 18, 2004 · 13.16 ft · Minor

July 10, 2000: 21.49 ft here, minor flooding

  • AustinMN · Jul 10, 2000 · 23.40 ft · Major
  • LansingMN · Jul 10, 2000 · 21.07 ft · Moderate
  • Charles CityIA · Jul 12, 2000 · 17.58 ft · Moderate

June 12, 2008: 21.42 ft here, minor flooding

  • Cedar FallsIA · Jun 10, 2008 · 102.10 ft · Major · its highest
  • Cedar RapidsIA · Jun 13, 2008 · 31.12 ft · Major · its highest
  • WaterlooIA · Jun 11, 2008 · 27.01 ft · Major · its highest
  • Charles CityIA · Jun 9, 2008 · 25.33 ft · Major · its highest
  • VintonIA · Jun 12, 2008 · 24.70 ft · Major · its highest
  • ConesvilleIA · Jun 15, 2008 · 23.40 ft · Major · its highest
  • PaloIA · Jun 13, 2008 · 23.22 ft · Major · its highest
  • AustinMN · Jun 12, 2008 · 22.40 ft · Major
  • JanesvilleIA · Jun 10, 2008 · 19.45 ft · Major · its highest
  • WaverlyIA · Jun 10, 2008 · 19.33 ft · Major · its highest

Gauges on the Cedar River

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

Flood gauges on the Cedar River
AustinMN15.025.00 ft, Sep 16, 20047
Cedar BluffIA16.024.70 ft, Sep 28, 20160
Cedar FallsIA89.0102.10 ft, Jun 10, 20087
Cedar RapidsIA12.031.12 ft, Jun 13, 200827
Charles CityIA12.025.33 ft, Jun 9, 200816
JanesvilleIA13.019.45 ft, Jun 10, 20081
PaloIA12.523.22 ft, Jun 13, 20082
VintonIA15.024.70 ft, Jun 12, 20084
WaterlooIA13.027.01 ft, Jun 11, 20084
WaverlyIA12.019.33 ft, Jun 10, 20081
Austin this gaugeMN10.023.26 ft, Sep 16, 20040
ConesvilleIA13.023.40 ft, Jun 15, 200812
LansingMN18.022.98 ft, Sep 15, 20041
Otranto (IFC)IA1,141.01,148.60 ft, Sep 23, 20160
St. Ansgar (IFC)IA1,104.01,109.48 ft, Jun 23, 20240

Other gauges in Mower County

Flood gauges in Mower County
Austin15.025.00 ft, Sep 16, 20047
Lansing18.022.98 ft, Sep 15, 20041
Austin11.519.18 ft, Jul 10, 20002
Austin10.514.77 ft, Sep 16, 20041

Mower County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Minnesota

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge ASNM5, 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.