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Minnesota River at Granite Falls

Highest listed crest 899.84 ftFlood stage 885.0 ft31 crests since 1917

The Minnesota River at Granite Falls crested at major flood stage 11 times among the 31 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1917 to 2024. The highest, 899.84 ft on April 7, 1997, was major flooding, 14.84 feet above flood stage. 8 other gauges on the Minnesota River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 3 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
899.84 ft
April 7, 1997
Flood stage
885.0 ft
Major flooding from 892.0 ft
Crests at major
11
8th of 120 gauges in Minnesota
Most recent flood crest
April 18, 2023
890.54 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Yellow Medicine County
Minnesota

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Minnesota River at Granite Falls
Action stage883.07Jun 8, 2024The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)885.05May 18, 2022Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage889.07Apr 18, 2023Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage892.011Mar 31, 2019Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

31 crests from 1917 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Minnesota River at Granite Falls, 1917 to 2024 880885890895900ft Flood stage 885.0 ftMajor 892.0 ft Apr 4, 1917: 891.84 ft, moderate floodingJun 25, 1919: 894.24 ft, major floodingJul 13, 1920: 891.34 ft, moderate floodingApr 4, 1943: 891.44 ft, moderate floodingApr 16, 1947: 891.24 ft, moderate floodingApr 11, 1951: 892.44 ft, major floodingApr 10, 1952: 894.64 ft, major floodingJun 30, 1953: 891.64 ft, moderate floodingApr 14, 1965: 892.64 ft, major floodingApr 12, 1969: 896.54 ft, major floodingApr 7, 1997: 899.84 ft, major floodingApr 15, 2001: 895.84 ft, major floodingApr 27, 2001: 892.14 ft, major floodingMar 30, 2009: 891.24 ft, moderate floodingMar 23, 2010: 893.12 ft, major floodingApr 7, 2011: 893.55 ft, major flooding; 25,661 cubic feet per secondJul 2, 2011: 888.89 ft, minor floodingJun 22, 2012: 885.97 ft, minor floodingJul 4, 2013: 884.80 ft, action stage; 5,780 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 2014: 888.13 ft, minor flooding; 15,300 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 2015: 884.34 ft, action stage; 4,850 cubic feet per secondAug 13, 2016: 883.73 ft, action stage; 3,840 cubic feet per secondDec 5, 2016: 884.01 ft, action stage; 4,390 cubic feet per secondOct 13, 2017: 884.85 ft, action stage; 6,150 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 2018: 886.54 ft, minor flooding; 11,300 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 2019: 893.52 ft, major flooding; 31,000 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 2020: 884.67 ft, action stage; 7,390 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 2021: 882.64 ft, below flood stage; 3,570 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 2022: 887.30 ft, minor flooding; 15,300 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 2023: 890.54 ft, moderate flooding; 22,000 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 2024: 884.96 ft, action stage; 9,840 cubic feet per second Highest, 899.84 ft, Apr 7, 1997 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Minnesota River at Granite Falls 1910s: 2 1920s: 1 1930s: 0 1940s: 2 1950s: 3 1960s: 2 1970s: 0 1980s: 0 1990s: 1 2000s: 3 2010s: 7 7 2020s: 2 1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, Minnesota River at Granite Falls
1Apr 7, 1997899.84+14.84Major—
2Apr 12, 1969896.54+11.54Major—
3Apr 15, 2001895.84+10.84Major—
4Apr 10, 1952894.64+9.64Major—
5Jun 25, 1919894.24+9.24Major—
6Apr 7, 2011893.55+8.55Major25,661
7Mar 31, 2019893.52+8.52Major31,000
8Mar 23, 2010893.12+8.12Major—
9Apr 14, 1965892.64+7.64Major—
10Apr 11, 1951892.44+7.44Major—
11Apr 27, 2001892.14+7.14Major—
12Apr 4, 1917891.84+6.84Moderate—
13Jun 30, 1953891.64+6.64Moderate—
14Apr 4, 1943891.44+6.44Moderate—
15Jul 13, 1920891.34+6.34Moderate—
16Apr 16, 1947891.24+6.24Moderate—
17Mar 30, 2009891.24+6.24Moderate—
18Apr 18, 2023890.54+5.54Moderate22,000
19Jul 2, 2011888.89+3.89Minor—
20Jun 25, 2014888.13+3.13Minor15,300
21May 18, 2022887.30+2.30Minor15,300
22Apr 29, 2018886.54+1.54Minor11,300
23Jun 22, 2012885.97+0.97Minor—
24Jun 8, 2024884.96−0.04Action9,840
25Oct 13, 2017884.85−0.15Action6,150
26Jul 4, 2013884.80−0.20Action5,780
27Apr 3, 2020884.67−0.33Action7,390
28May 19, 2015884.34−0.66Action4,850
29Dec 5, 2016884.01−0.99Action4,390
30Aug 13, 2016883.73−1.27Action3,840
31Apr 14, 2021882.64−2.36Below flood stage3,570

The worst floods along the Minnesota River

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

April 7, 1997: 899.84 ft here, major flooding

  • Big Stone LakeSD · Apr 7, 1997 · 973.90 ft · Major · its highest
  • New UlmMN · Apr 9, 1997 · 811.03 ft · Major · its highest
  • SavageMN · Apr 13, 1997 · 715.20 ft · Major
  • MontevideoMN · Apr 6, 1997 · 23.90 ft · Major · its highest
  • HendersonMN · Apr 11, 1997 · 737.90 ft · Moderate
  • JordanMN · Apr 12, 1997 · 32.24 ft · Moderate
  • MankatoMN · Apr 10, 1997 · 27.61 ft · Moderate
  • OrtonvilleMN · Apr 10, 1997 · 12.85 ft · Minor

April 12, 1969: 896.54 ft here, major flooding

  • New UlmMN · Apr 15, 1969 · 809.44 ft · Major
  • SavageMN · Apr 15, 1969 · 716.90 ft · Major
  • MontevideoMN · Apr 12, 1969 · 21.68 ft · Major
  • HendersonMN · Apr 10, 1969 · 738.17 ft · Moderate
  • JordanMN · Apr 14, 1969 · 32.85 ft · Moderate
  • MankatoMN · Apr 12, 1969 · 27.07 ft · Moderate
  • OrtonvilleMN · Apr 13, 1969 · 12.09 ft · Minor

April 15, 2001: 895.84 ft here, major flooding

  • New UlmMN · Apr 16, 2001 · 808.30 ft · Major
  • SavageMN · Apr 19, 2001 · 714.80 ft · Major
  • MortonMN · Apr 15, 2001 · 29.25 ft · Major · its highest
  • MontevideoMN · Apr 14, 2001 · 22.15 ft · Major
  • HendersonMN · Apr 18, 2001 · 739.20 ft · Moderate
  • JordanMN · Apr 18, 2001 · 33.11 ft · Moderate
  • MankatoMN · Apr 16, 2001 · 26.96 ft · Moderate
  • Big Stone LakeSD · Apr 14, 2001 · 971.30 ft · Minor
  • OrtonvilleMN · Apr 14, 2001 · 12.06 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Minnesota River

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

Flood gauges on the Minnesota River
Big Stone LakeSD970.0973.90 ft, Apr 7, 19971
Granite Falls this gaugeMN885.0899.84 ft, Apr 7, 199711
HendersonMN732.0741.77 ft, Jun 26, 20245
JordanMN25.035.12 ft, Jun 28, 20242
MankatoMN22.030.11 ft, Jun 21, 19931
MontevideoMN14.023.90 ft, Apr 6, 199711
New UlmMN800.0811.03 ft, Apr 9, 19976
OrtonvilleMN10.013.02 ft, Apr 12, 20230
SavageMN702.0719.40 ft, Apr 15, 196510
MortonMN21.029.25 ft, Apr 15, 20018

Other gauges in Yellow Medicine County

Flood gauges in Yellow Medicine County
Montevideo14.023.90 ft, Apr 6, 199711

Yellow Medicine County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Minnesota

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge GTEM5, 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.