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Cedar River near Lansing

Highest listed crest 22.98 ftFlood stage 18.0 ft33 crests since 1998

The Cedar River near Lansing crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 33 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1998 to 2025. The highest, 22.98 ft on September 15, 2004, was major flooding, 4.98 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
22.98 ft
September 15, 2004; 11,200 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
18.0 ft
Major flooding from 22.0 ft
Crests at major
1
65th of 120 gauges in Minnesota
Most recent flood crest
August 17, 2025
18.33 ft, minor flooding
Location
Mower County
Near Austin (5.2 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 Lansing
Action stage14.017Apr 24, 2022The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)18.010Aug 17, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage20.04Sep 22, 2016Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage22.01Sep 15, 2004Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

33 crests from 1998 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Cedar River near Lansing, 1998 to 2025 10152025ft Flood stage 18.0 ftMajor 22.0 ft Jun 29, 1998: 17.61 ft, action stageMay 18, 1999: 17.35 ft, action stageMay 18, 2000: 19.33 ft, minor floodingJul 10, 2000: 21.07 ft, moderate floodingApr 12, 2001: 19.21 ft, minor floodingJun 5, 2002: 14.94 ft, action stageMay 12, 2003: 16.19 ft, action stageJun 10, 2004: 18.17 ft, minor flooding; 3,144 cubic feet per secondSep 15, 2004: 22.98 ft, major flooding; 11,200 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 2005: 16.68 ft, action stageMar 31, 2006: 16.68 ft, action stageJun 22, 2007: 16.82 ft, action stage; 2,170 cubic feet per secondOct 2, 2007: 17.54 ft, action stageJun 12, 2008: 20.55 ft, moderate flooding; 8,660 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 2009: 16.41 ft, action stage; 1,830 cubic feet per secondSep 24, 2010: 21.00 ft, moderate flooding; 9,950 cubic feet per secondJul 16, 2011: 14.92 ft, action stageMay 7, 2012: 11.60 ft, below flood stageMar 31, 2013: 17.42 ft, action stage; 2,690 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 2014: 18.26 ft, minor flooding; 3,260 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 2015: 16.30 ft, action stage; 1,670 cubic feet per secondSep 22, 2016: 20.33 ft, moderate flooding; 8,000 cubic feet per secondSep 5, 2018: 17.80 ft, action stage; 3,180 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 2019: 18.65 ft, minor flooding; 3,590 cubic feet per secondSep 13, 2019: 18.08 ft, minor flooding; 3,690 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 2020: 17.47 ft, action stageMay 18, 2020: 16.63 ft, action stage; 2,010 cubic feet per secondAug 28, 2021: 17.17 ft, action stage; 2,500 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 2022: 15.49 ft, action stage; 1,300 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 2024: 19.84 ft, minor floodingJun 17, 2025: 18.61 ft, minor flooding; 4,350 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 2025: 18.74 ft, minor flooding; 4,566 cubic feet per secondAug 17, 2025: 18.33 ft, minor flooding; 3,942 cubic feet per second Highest, 22.98 ft, Sep 15, 2004 200020052010201520202025

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Cedar River near Lansing 1990s: 0 2000s: 6 6 2010s: 5 2020s: 4 1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, Cedar River near Lansing
1Sep 15, 200422.98+4.98Major11,200
2Jul 10, 200021.07+3.07Moderate—
3Sep 24, 201021.00+3.00Moderate9,950
4Jun 12, 200820.55+2.55Moderate8,660
5Sep 22, 201620.33+2.33Moderate8,000
6Jun 22, 202419.84+1.84Minor—
7May 18, 200019.33+1.33Minor—
8Apr 12, 200119.21+1.21Minor—
9Jun 27, 202518.74+0.74Minor4,566
10Mar 16, 201918.65+0.65Minor3,590
11Jun 17, 202518.61+0.61Minor4,350
12Aug 17, 202518.33+0.33Minor3,942
13Jun 17, 201418.26+0.26Minor3,260
14Jun 10, 200418.17+0.17Minor3,144
15Sep 13, 201918.08+0.08Minor3,690
16Sep 5, 201817.80−0.20Action3,180
17Jun 29, 199817.61−0.39Action—
18Oct 2, 200717.54−0.46Action—
19Mar 9, 202017.47−0.53Action—
20Mar 31, 201317.42−0.58Action2,690
21May 18, 199917.35−0.65Action—
22Aug 28, 202117.17−0.83Action2,500
23Jun 22, 200716.82−1.18Action2,170
24Mar 29, 200516.68−1.32Action—
25Mar 31, 200616.68−1.32Action—
26May 18, 202016.63−1.37Action2,010
27Jun 18, 200916.41−1.59Action1,830
28Jun 23, 201516.30−1.70Action1,670
29May 12, 200316.19−1.81Action—
30Apr 24, 202215.49−2.51Action1,300
31Jun 5, 200214.94−3.06Action—
32Jul 16, 201114.92−3.08Action—
33May 7, 201211.60−6.40Below flood stage—

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 15, 2004: 22.98 ft here, major flooding

  • AustinMN · Sep 16, 2004 · 25.00 ft · Major · its highest
  • Charles CityIA · Sep 17, 2004 · 20.33 ft · Major
  • AustinMN · Sep 16, 2004 · 23.26 ft · Minor · its highest
  • JanesvilleIA · Sep 18, 2004 · 13.40 ft · Minor
  • WaverlyIA · Sep 18, 2004 · 13.16 ft · Minor

July 10, 2000: 21.07 ft here, moderate flooding

  • AustinMN · Jul 10, 2000 · 23.40 ft · Major
  • Charles CityIA · Jul 12, 2000 · 17.58 ft · Moderate
  • AustinMN · Jul 10, 2000 · 21.49 ft · Minor

September 24, 2010: 21.00 ft here, moderate flooding

  • AustinMN · Sep 24, 2010 · 20.60 ft · Major
  • Charles CityIA · Sep 26, 2010 · 15.64 ft · Moderate
  • AustinMN · Sep 24, 2010 · 19.83 ft · Minor

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
AustinMN10.023.26 ft, Sep 16, 20040
ConesvilleIA13.023.40 ft, Jun 15, 200812
Lansing this gaugeMN18.022.98 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
Austin10.023.26 ft, Sep 16, 20040
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 LANM5, 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.