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Minnesota River at New Ulm

Highest listed crest 811.03 ftFlood stage 800.0 ft32 crests since 1968

The Minnesota River at New Ulm crested at major flood stage 6 times among the 32 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1968 to 2024. The highest, 811.03 ft on April 9, 1997, was major flooding, 11.03 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
811.03 ft
April 9, 1997
Flood stage
800.0 ft
Major flooding from 806.0 ft
Crests at major
6
25th of 120 gauges in Minnesota
Most recent flood crest
June 25, 2024
803.40 ft, minor flooding
Location
Brown County
Near New Ulm (2.0 mi)

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 New Ulm
Action stage796.09Apr 3, 2020The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)800.06Jun 25, 2024Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage804.05Apr 22, 2023Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage806.06Apr 2, 2019Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

32 crests from 1968 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Minnesota River at New Ulm, 1968 to 2024 790795800805810815ft Flood stage 800.0 ftMajor 806.0 ft Jul 28, 1968: 792.97 ft, below flood stage; 2,810 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1969: 809.44 ft, major flooding; 58,000 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 1970: 794.35 ft, below flood stage; 5,340 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1971: 797.57 ft, action stage; 8,470 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1972: 799.44 ft, action stage; 12,400 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1973: 796.54 ft, action stage; 7,650 cubic feet per secondApr 16, 1974: 790.20 ft, below flood stage; 2,260 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 1975: 797.00 ft, action stage; 8,170 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1976: 792.20 ft, below flood stage; 3,590 cubic feet per secondApr 9, 1997: 811.03 ft, major floodingApr 4, 1998: 798.30 ft, action stageApr 16, 2001: 808.30 ft, major floodingApr 26, 2001: 807.70 ft, major floodingApr 4, 2009: 799.79 ft, action stage; 19,702 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 2010: 804.86 ft, moderate flooding; 30,297 cubic feet per secondSep 29, 2010: 804.20 ft, moderate floodingApr 5, 2011: 806.02 ft, major floodingJun 28, 2011: 798.95 ft, action stageMay 30, 2012: 794.75 ft, below flood stageOct 9, 2017: 799.78 ft, action stage; 16,200 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 2018: 801.37 ft, minor flooding; 17,300 cubic feet per secondJul 7, 2018: 804.58 ft, moderate flooding; 19,200 cubic feet per secondApr 2, 2019: 807.55 ft, major flooding; 44,800 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 2019: 804.78 ft, moderate flooding; 30,100 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 2019: 801.72 ft, minor flooding; 20,900 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 2019: 800.20 ft, minor flooding; 17,800 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 2020: 799.32 ft, action stage; 16,100 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 2021: 792.78 ft, below flood stage; 5,350 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 2022: 802.39 ft, minor flooding; 24,100 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 2023: 805.37 ft, moderate flooding; 32,800 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 2023: 801.46 ft, minor flooding; 18,400 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 2024: 803.40 ft, minor flooding; 25,500 cubic feet per second Highest, 811.03 ft, Apr 9, 1997 197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Minnesota River at New Ulm 1960s: 1 1970s: 0 1980s: 0 1990s: 1 2000s: 2 2010s: 9 9 2020s: 4 1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 New Ulm
1Apr 9, 1997811.03+11.03Major—
2Apr 15, 1969809.44+9.44Major58,000
3Apr 16, 2001808.30+8.30Major—
4Apr 26, 2001807.70+7.70Major—
5Apr 2, 2019807.55+7.55Major44,800
6Apr 5, 2011806.02+6.02Major—
7Apr 22, 2023805.37+5.37Moderate32,800
8Mar 27, 2010804.86+4.86Moderate30,297
9Apr 21, 2019804.78+4.78Moderate30,100
10Jul 7, 2018804.58+4.58Moderate19,200
11Sep 29, 2010804.20+4.20Moderate—
12Jun 25, 2024803.40+3.40Minor25,500
13May 18, 2022802.39+2.39Minor24,100
14May 30, 2019801.72+1.72Minor20,900
15May 17, 2023801.46+1.46Minor18,400
16Apr 26, 2018801.37+1.37Minor17,300
17Jul 4, 2019800.20+0.20Minor17,800
18Apr 4, 2009799.79−0.21Action19,702
19Oct 9, 2017799.78−0.22Action16,200
20Jun 9, 1972799.44−0.56Action12,400
21Apr 3, 2020799.32−0.68Action16,100
22Jun 28, 2011798.95−1.05Action—
23Apr 4, 1998798.30−1.70Action—
24Mar 19, 1971797.57−2.43Action8,470
25Apr 30, 1975797.00−3.00Action8,170
26Mar 19, 1973796.54−3.46Action7,650
27May 30, 2012794.75−5.25Below flood stage—
28Jun 22, 1970794.35−5.65Below flood stage5,340
29Jul 28, 1968792.97−7.03Below flood stage2,810
30Apr 14, 2021792.78−7.22Below flood stage5,350
31Mar 31, 1976792.20−7.80Below flood stage3,590
32Apr 16, 1974790.20−9.80Below flood stage2,260

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 9, 1997: 811.03 ft here, major flooding

  • Big Stone LakeSD · Apr 7, 1997 · 973.90 ft · Major · its highest
  • Granite FallsMN · Apr 7, 1997 · 899.84 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 15, 1969: 809.44 ft here, major flooding

  • Granite FallsMN · Apr 12, 1969 · 896.54 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 16, 2001: 808.30 ft here, major flooding

  • Granite FallsMN · Apr 15, 2001 · 895.84 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 FallsMN885.0899.84 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 Ulm this gaugeMN800.0811.03 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 Brown County

Flood gauges in Brown County
Springfield24.032.89 ft, Sep 24, 20103
New Ulm11.020.86 ft, Apr 8, 196514

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge NULM5, 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.