Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

Mississippi River at Brainerd

Highest listed crest 17.61 ftFlood stage 16.0 ft36 crests since 1988

The Mississippi River at Brainerd crested above flood stage 3 times among the 36 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1988 to 2024. The highest, 17.61 ft on June 28, 2012, was minor flooding, 1.61 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Mississippi River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
17.61 ft
June 28, 2012; 17,900 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
16.0 ft
No major stage set
Crests at major
0
3 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
June 28, 2012
17.61 ft, minor flooding
Location
Crow Wing County
Near Brainerd (1.7 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Mississippi River at Brainerd
Flood stage (minor)16.03Jun 28, 2012Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat

Every listed crest

36 crests from 1988 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Mississippi River at Brainerd, 1988 to 2024 81012141618ft Flood stage 16.0 ft Apr 17, 1988: 9.08 ft, below flood stage; 6,220 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1989: 12.40 ft, below flood stage; 10,800 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 1990: 11.31 ft, below flood stage; 9,250 cubic feet per secondMay 11, 1991: 11.64 ft, below flood stage; 9,710 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1992: 10.03 ft, below flood stage; 7,530 cubic feet per secondJul 10, 1993: 13.65 ft, below flood stage; 12,200 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 1995: 11.20 ft, below flood stage; 8,880 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 1996: 14.59 ft, below flood stage; 14,000 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 1997: 16.03 ft, minor flooding; 15,400 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 1998: 10.73 ft, below flood stage; 8,380 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 1999: 14.52 ft, below flood stage; 13,000 cubic feet per secondOct 3, 1999: 10.18 ft, below flood stage; 7,330 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 2001: 16.70 ft, minor flooding; 17,500 cubic feet per secondJul 13, 2002: 12.10 ft, below flood stage; 10,100 cubic feet per secondJul 14, 2003: 8.32 ft, below flood stage; 5,300 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 2004: 8.88 ft, below flood stage; 6,020 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 2005: 12.00 ft, below flood stage; 10,100 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 2006: 11.47 ft, below flood stage; 9,390 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 2007: 8.24 ft, below flood stage; 5,180 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 2008: 12.59 ft, below flood stage; 10,900 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 2009: 12.99 ft, below flood stage; 11,400 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 2010: 8.49 ft, below flood stage; 5,350 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2011: 11.87 ft, below flood stage; 9,660 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 2012: 17.61 ft, minor flooding; 17,900 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2013: 12.12 ft, below flood stage; 10,000 cubic feet per secondMay 15, 2014: 14.10 ft, below flood stage; 12,900 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 2015: 12.24 ft, below flood stage; 10,200 cubic feet per secondJul 17, 2016: 13.81 ft, below flood stage; 12,400 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 2017: 12.29 ft, below flood stage; 10,200 cubic feet per secondJul 17, 2018: 11.77 ft, below flood stage; 9,520 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 2019: 13.10 ft, below flood stage; 11,400 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 2020: 14.01 ft, below flood stage; 12,700 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 2021: 12.45 ft, below flood stage; 10,500 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 2022: 14.39 ft, below flood stage; 13,200 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 2023: 15.61 ft, below flood stage; 15,200 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 2024: 13.27 ft, below flood stage; 11,600 cubic feet per second Highest, 17.61 ft, Jun 28, 2012 1990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Mississippi River at Brainerd 1980s: 0 1990s: 1 1 2000s: 1 2010s: 1 2020s: 0 1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, Mississippi River at Brainerd
1Jun 28, 201217.61+1.61Minor17,900
2Apr 30, 200116.70+0.70Minor17,500
3Apr 10, 199716.03+0.03Minor15,400
4Apr 26, 202315.61−0.39Below flood stage15,200
5Apr 30, 199614.59−1.41Below flood stage14,000
6May 18, 199914.52−1.48Below flood stage13,000
7May 18, 202214.39−1.61Below flood stage13,200
8May 15, 201414.10−1.90Below flood stage12,900
9Apr 11, 202014.01−1.99Below flood stage12,700
10Jul 17, 201613.81−2.19Below flood stage12,400
11Jul 10, 199313.65−2.35Below flood stage12,200
12Jul 1, 202413.27−2.73Below flood stage11,600
13Apr 26, 201913.10−2.90Below flood stage11,400
14Apr 6, 200912.99−3.01Below flood stage11,400
15May 4, 200812.59−3.41Below flood stage10,900
16Apr 19, 202112.45−3.55Below flood stage10,500
17Apr 23, 198912.40−3.60Below flood stage10,800
18May 4, 201712.29−3.71Below flood stage10,200
19May 28, 201512.24−3.76Below flood stage10,200
20May 9, 201312.12−3.88Below flood stage10,000
21Jul 13, 200212.10−3.90Below flood stage10,100
22Jun 15, 200512.00−4.00Below flood stage10,100
23May 9, 201111.87−4.13Below flood stage9,660
24Jul 17, 201811.77−4.23Below flood stage9,520
25May 11, 199111.64−4.36Below flood stage9,710
26May 16, 200611.47−4.53Below flood stage9,390
27Jun 14, 199011.31−4.69Below flood stage9,250
28May 17, 199511.20−4.80Below flood stage8,880
29Jun 27, 199810.73−5.27Below flood stage8,380
30Oct 3, 199910.18−5.82Below flood stage7,330
31Apr 26, 199210.03−5.97Below flood stage7,530
32Apr 17, 19889.08−6.92Below flood stage6,220
33Apr 5, 20048.88−7.12Below flood stage6,020
34Mar 22, 20108.49−7.51Below flood stage5,350
35Jul 14, 20038.32−7.68Below flood stage5,300
36Apr 29, 20078.24−7.76Below flood stage5,180

The worst floods along the Mississippi River

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

June 28, 2012: 17.61 ft here, minor flooding

  • AitkinMN · Jun 28, 2012 · 18.61 ft · Major

April 30, 2001: 16.70 ft here, minor flooding

April 10, 1997: 16.03 ft here, minor flooding

Gauges on the Mississippi River

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

Flood gauges on the Mississippi River
TiptonvilleMO37.048.35 ft, May 5, 20112
Alma - Pool 5MN672.0672.13 ft, Apr 16, 20010
AltonIL21.039.55 ft, Aug 1, 19937
Baton RougeLA35.047.28 ft, May 15, 192731
BellevueIL17.023.51 ft, Apr 26, 196511
Brainerd this gaugeMN16.017.61 ft, Jun 28, 20120
BrownsvilleMN635.0640.20 ft, Apr 22, 19650
BurlingtonIL15.025.73 ft, Jun 17, 200836
CamancheIA17.024.65 ft, Apr 28, 196520
Canton Lock and Dam 20MO15.027.88 ft, Jul 9, 19933
Cape GirardeauMO32.048.86 ft, Jan 2, 201615
CaruthersvilleMO32.047.61 ft, May 7, 20112
ChesterIL27.049.74 ft, Aug 7, 19939
Clarksville Lock and Dam 24MO25.037.73 ft, Jul 29, 199310
ClaytonIA620.0627.28 ft, Apr 24, 19650
DakotaMN644.0649.08 ft, Apr 21, 19650
DonaldsonvilleLA27.036.01 ft, May 15, 19273
Dubuque (LD11)IA16.025.69 ft, Apr 26, 196513
Dubuque (Railroad Bridge)IA17.026.81 ft, Apr 26, 196518
Fort RipleyMN10.514.15 ft, Apr 8, 19970
Fridley abv 37th Ave NEMN16.020.00 ft, Apr 17, 19656
FultonIL16.024.75 ft, Apr 28, 196513
GladstoneIL10.022.46 ft, Jun 17, 200824
GraftonIL20.038.17 ft, Aug 1, 199315
Gregory LandingMO15.028.49 ft, Jul 9, 19934
HannibalMO17.031.80 ft, Jul 15, 199310
HelenaAR44.060.21 ft, Feb 12, 19374
HerculaneumMO26.029.79 ft, Jul 10, 20240
HickmanKY34.054.29 ft, May 2, 20113
Hwy 169 at ChamplinMN12.017.96 ft, Apr 12, 19653
Hwy 610 in Brooklyn ParkMN12.019.53 ft, Apr 17, 19654
Illinois CityIA15.024.10 ft, Jul 9, 199321
KeithsburgIA14.024.49 ft, Jun 17, 200822
KeokukIA16.027.58 ft, Jul 10, 199324
La Crosse - Pool 8WI12.017.89 ft, Apr 22, 19654
LaGrangeMO17.030.00 ft, Jul 13, 19934
Lake CityWI16.022.18 ft, Apr 19, 19653
Lansing - Pool 9IA17.022.50 ft, Apr 24, 19651
LeClaireIA11.017.75 ft, Apr 28, 196516
LouisianaMO15.028.40 ft, Jul 28, 19934
McGregorIA16.025.38 ft, Apr 24, 19653
Mel Price (Alton) Lock and DamIL21.042.72 ft, Aug 1, 19938
MemphisTN34.048.70 ft, Feb 10, 19372
MuscatineIA16.025.61 ft, Jul 9, 199321
NatchezMS48.061.95 ft, May 19, 20116
New BostonIL15.025.90 ft, Jul 9, 199322
New MadridMO34.048.35 ft, May 6, 20114
New OrleansLA17.021.27 ft, Apr 25, 19225
OsceolaAR28.050.90 ft, Feb 7, 193742
QuincyIL19.032.13 ft, Jul 13, 19937
Quincy Lock and Dam 21IL18.031.30 ft, Jul 13, 19937
Red River LandingLA48.063.39 ft, May 18, 20110
Red WingMN14.020.70 ft, Apr 18, 19659
ReserveLA22.026.00 ft, Jun 11, 19291
Rock IslandIL15.022.70 ft, May 2, 201920
Saverton Lock and Dam 22MO16.029.58 ft, Jul 25, 19939
St. CloudMN9.011.44 ft, Apr 8, 19971
St. LouisMO30.049.58 ft, Aug 1, 19939
St. PaulMN14.026.01 ft, Apr 16, 196516
ThebesIL33.047.74 ft, Jan 2, 201612
Tunica Mhoon LandingMS30.053.20 ft, Feb 10, 19375
VicksburgLA43.057.10 ft, May 19, 201112
Wabasha - Pool 4MN12.020.05 ft, Apr 19, 19657
Winfield Lock and Dam 25MO26.039.62 ft, Aug 1, 19939
Winona - Pool 6MN13.020.77 ft, Apr 19, 19655
Lock and Dam 10 - GuttenbergIA15.023.65 ft, Apr 24, 19652
Lock and Dam 2 - HastingsMN15.025.90 ft, Apr 17, 196512
Lock and Dam 3 - Red WingMN680.5687.77 ft, Apr 19, 19658
Lock and Dam 4 - AlmaWI16.019.78 ft, Apr 19, 19652
Lock and Dam 5 - Minnesota CityMN660.0667.85 ft, Apr 19, 19654
Lock and Dam 5a - WinonaMN655.0663.35 ft, Apr 19, 19654
Lock and Dam 6 - TrempealeauMN647.0653.02 ft, Apr 21, 19654
Lock and Dam 7 - La CrescentMN641.0647.38 ft, Apr 21, 19652
Lock and Dam 8 - GenoaWI631.0638.40 ft, Apr 22, 19653
Lock and Dam 9 - LynxvilleWI625.0633.16 ft, Apr 24, 19653
AitkinMN13.022.49 ft, May 20, 195011
Arkansas CityAR37.059.20 ft, Apr 21, 192715
GreenvilleAR48.065.40 ft, Apr 21, 192718

Other gauges in Crow Wing County

Flood gauges in Crow Wing County
Fort Ripley10.514.15 ft, Apr 8, 19970

Crow Wing County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Minnesota

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BRAM5, 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.