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Mississippi River at St. Cloud

Highest listed crest 11.44 ftFlood stage 9.0 ft35 crests since 1989

The Mississippi River at St. Cloud crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 35 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1989 to 2024. The highest, 11.44 ft on April 8, 1997, was major flooding, 2.44 feet above flood stage. 25 other gauges on the Mississippi River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
11.44 ft
April 8, 1997; 46,900 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
9.0 ft
Major flooding from 11.0 ft
Crests at major
1
65th of 120 gauges in Minnesota
Most recent flood crest
April 17, 2023
9.95 ft, minor flooding
Location
Sherburne County
Near St. Cloud (1.9 mi), Sauk Rapids (3.3 mi), Sartell (5.9 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 St. Cloud
Action stage8.014Apr 7, 2020The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)9.04Apr 17, 2023Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage10.01Apr 12, 2001Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage11.01Apr 8, 1997Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

35 crests from 1989 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Mississippi River at St. Cloud, 1989 to 2024 681012ft Flood stage 9.0 ftMajor 11.0 ft Apr 12, 1989: 7.66 ft, below flood stage; 19,300 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 1990: 7.27 ft, below flood stage; 16,700 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 1991: 7.71 ft, below flood stage; 19,700 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 1992: 6.80 ft, below flood stage; 13,700 cubic feet per secondJul 11, 1993: 8.08 ft, action stage; 21,700 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 1994: 8.24 ft, action stage; 23,300 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1995: 7.60 ft, below flood stage; 19,000 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1996: 8.70 ft, action stage; 27,300 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 1997: 11.44 ft, major flooding; 46,900 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 1998: 7.27 ft, below flood stage; 16,700 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 1999: 9.38 ft, minor flooding; 33,800 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 2000: 6.60 ft, below flood stage; 12,500 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 2001: 10.99 ft, moderate flooding; 44,100 cubic feet per secondJul 12, 2002: 8.06 ft, action stage; 22,200 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 2003: 7.88 ft, below flood stage; 20,900 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 2004: 6.09 ft, below flood stage; 9,750 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 2005: 8.04 ft, action stage; 22,100 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 2007: 7.13 ft, below flood stage; 15,800 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 2008: 7.58 ft, below flood stage; 18,800 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 2009: 9.83 ft, minor flooding; 35,700 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 2010: 8.95 ft, action stage; 29,400 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 2012: 7.93 ft, below flood stage; 21,310 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 2013: 8.31 ft, action stage; 24,080 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 2013: 8.53 ft, action stage; 25,869 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 2014: 8.75 ft, action stage; 27,660 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2015: 8.10 ft, action stage; 22,500 cubic feet per secondJul 14, 2016: 8.48 ft, action stage; 25,500 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 2017: 7.53 ft, below flood stage; 18,400 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 2018: 8.11 ft, action stage; 22,600 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 2019: 8.76 ft, action stage; 27,700 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 2020: 8.69 ft, action stage; 27,200 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 2021: 7.85 ft, below flood stage; 20,700 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 2022: 9.68 ft, minor flooding; 33,500 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 2023: 9.95 ft, minor flooding; 35,600 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 2024: 7.51 ft, below flood stage; 17,800 cubic feet per second Highest, 11.44 ft, Apr 8, 1997 1990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Mississippi River at St. Cloud 1980s: 0 1990s: 2 2 2000s: 2 2010s: 0 2020s: 2 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 St. Cloud
1Apr 8, 199711.44+2.44Major46,900
2Apr 12, 200110.99+1.99Moderate44,100
3Apr 17, 20239.95+0.95Minor35,600
4Mar 30, 20099.83+0.83Minor35,700
5May 14, 20229.68+0.68Minor33,500
6May 17, 19999.38+0.38Minor33,800
7Mar 18, 20108.95−0.05Action29,400
8Mar 29, 20198.76−0.24Action27,700
9Jun 19, 20148.75−0.25Action27,660
10Apr 22, 19968.70−0.30Action27,300
11Apr 7, 20208.69−0.31Action27,200
12Jun 25, 20138.53−0.47Action25,869
13Jul 14, 20168.48−0.52Action25,500
14May 26, 20138.31−0.69Action24,080
15May 2, 19948.24−0.76Action23,300
16Apr 26, 20188.11−0.89Action22,600
17May 21, 20158.10−0.90Action22,500
18Jul 11, 19938.08−0.92Action21,700
19Jul 12, 20028.06−0.94Action22,200
20Jun 14, 20058.04−0.96Action22,100
21May 28, 20127.93−1.07Below flood stage21,310
22Jun 29, 20037.88−1.12Below flood stage20,900
23Apr 14, 20217.85−1.15Below flood stage20,700
24May 9, 19917.71−1.29Below flood stage19,700
25Apr 12, 19897.66−1.34Below flood stage19,300
26Mar 21, 19957.60−1.40Below flood stage19,000
27May 2, 20087.58−1.42Below flood stage18,800
28May 5, 20177.53−1.47Below flood stage18,400
29May 5, 20247.51−1.49Below flood stage17,800
30Mar 16, 19907.27−1.73Below flood stage16,700
31Jun 29, 19987.27−1.73Below flood stage16,700
32Apr 3, 20077.13−1.87Below flood stage15,800
33Apr 27, 19926.80−2.20Below flood stage13,700
34May 16, 20006.60−2.40Below flood stage12,500
35Jun 5, 20046.09−2.91Below flood stage9,750

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.

April 8, 1997: 11.44 ft here, major flooding

April 12, 2001: 10.99 ft here, moderate flooding

April 17, 2023: 9.95 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
BrainerdMN16.017.61 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. Cloud this gaugeMN9.011.44 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

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SCOM5, 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.