Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

Mississippi River below Lock and Dam 3 - Red Wing

Highest listed crest 687.77 ftFlood stage 680.5 ft28 crests since 1934

The Mississippi River below Lock and Dam 3 - Red Wing crested at major flood stage 8 times among the 28 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1934 to 2024. The highest, 687.77 ft on April 19, 1965, was major flooding, 7.27 feet above flood stage. 30 other gauges on the Mississippi River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 26 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
687.77 ft
April 19, 1965; 224,800 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
680.5 ft
Major flooding from 683.0 ft
Crests at major
8
17th of 120 gauges in Minnesota
Most recent flood crest
July 1, 2024
682.52 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Goodhue County
Near Red Wing (2.0 mi), Hastings (14.6 mi)
Identifiers
NWS RDWM5
No USGS station

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Mississippi River below Lock and Dam 3 - Red Wing
Action stage679.51Mar 25, 2010The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)680.52Mar 31, 2011Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage681.57Jul 1, 2024Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage683.08Apr 25, 2023Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

28 crests from 1934 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Mississippi River below Lock and Dam 3 - Red Wing, 1934 to 2024 665670675680685690ft Flood stage 680.5 ftMajor 683.0 ft Oct 3, 1934: 668.09 ft, below flood stageMar 28, 1935: 675.26 ft, below flood stageApr 19, 1936: 677.20 ft, below flood stageApr 18, 1951: 683.11 ft, major floodingApr 17, 1952: 684.14 ft, major floodingApr 19, 1965: 687.77 ft, major flooding; 224,800 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1967: 680.62 ft, minor flooding; 88,500 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1969: 686.08 ft, major flooding; 192,000 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 1975: 681.60 ft, moderate flooding; 114,000 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 1986: 681.61 ft, moderate flooding; 116,000 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 1993: 682.52 ft, moderate flooding; 128,400 cubic feet per secondApr 13, 1997: 684.22 ft, major flooding; 159,200 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 2001: 685.10 ft, major floodingApr 28, 2001: 685.20 ft, major floodingApr 19, 2002: 677.56 ft, below flood stageMay 17, 2003: 677.12 ft, below flood stageJun 14, 2004: 676.58 ft, below flood stageApr 6, 2005: 676.19 ft, below flood stageMar 25, 2010: 680.14 ft, action stage; 93,476 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 2011: 680.70 ft, minor floodingApr 14, 2011: 681.70 ft, moderate floodingJun 3, 2012: 678.92 ft, below flood stageJul 3, 2013: 678.72 ft, below flood stage; 85,880 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 2014: 682.02 ft, moderate flooding; 122,300 cubic feet per secondOct 24, 2015: 675.10 ft, below flood stage; 52,658 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 2019: 682.87 ft, moderate flooding; 135,700 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 2023: 683.49 ft, major flooding; 142,120 cubic feet per secondJul 1, 2024: 682.52 ft, moderate flooding; 130,000 cubic feet per second Highest, 687.77 ft, Apr 19, 1965 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Mississippi River below Lock and Dam 3 - Red Wing 1930s: 0 1940s: 0 1950s: 2 1960s: 3 1970s: 1 1980s: 1 1990s: 2 2000s: 2 2010s: 4 4 2020s: 2 1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 below Lock and Dam 3 - Red Wing
1Apr 19, 1965687.77+7.27Major224,800
2Apr 17, 1969686.08+5.58Major192,000
3Apr 28, 2001685.20+4.70Major—
4Apr 17, 2001685.10+4.60Major—
5Apr 13, 1997684.22+3.72Major159,200
6Apr 17, 1952684.14+3.64Major—
7Apr 25, 2023683.49+2.99Major142,120
8Apr 18, 1951683.11+2.61Major—
9Apr 1, 2019682.87+2.37Moderate135,700
10Jun 28, 1993682.52+2.02Moderate128,400
11Jul 1, 2024682.52+2.02Moderate130,000
12Jun 28, 2014682.02+1.52Moderate122,300
13Apr 14, 2011681.70+1.20Moderate—
14Apr 7, 1986681.61+1.11Moderate116,000
15May 1, 1975681.60+1.10Moderate114,000
16Mar 31, 2011680.70+0.20Minor—
17Apr 6, 1967680.62+0.12Minor88,500
18Mar 25, 2010680.14−0.36Action93,476
19Jun 3, 2012678.92−1.58Below flood stage—
20Jul 3, 2013678.72−1.78Below flood stage85,880
21Apr 19, 2002677.56−2.94Below flood stage—
22Apr 19, 1936677.20−3.30Below flood stage—
23May 17, 2003677.12−3.38Below flood stage—
24Jun 14, 2004676.58−3.92Below flood stage—
25Apr 6, 2005676.19−4.31Below flood stage—
26Mar 28, 1935675.26−5.24Below flood stage—
27Oct 24, 2015675.10−5.40Below flood stage52,658
28Oct 3, 1934668.09−12.41Below flood stage—

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 19, 1965: 687.77 ft here, major flooding

April 17, 1969: 686.08 ft here, major flooding

April 28, 2001: 685.20 ft here, major 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. 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 Wing this gaugeMN680.5687.77 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 Goodhue County

Flood gauges in Goodhue County
Red Wing14.020.70 ft, Apr 18, 19659
Wanamingo18.023.38 ft, Sep 22, 20165

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge RDWM5, 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.