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Rainy River at Crane Lake

Highest listed crest 1,123.03 ftFlood stage 1,120.0 ft3 crests since 2016

The Rainy River at Crane Lake crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 3 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2016 to 2022. The highest, 1,123.03 ft on June 2, 2022, was major flooding, 3.03 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Rainy River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
1,123.03 ft
June 2, 2022
Flood stage
1,120.0 ft
Major flooding from 1,123.0 ft
Crests at major
1
65th of 120 gauges in Minnesota
Most recent flood crest
June 2, 2022
1,123.03 ft, major flooding
Location
St. Louis County
Minnesota
Identifiers
NWS CNLM5
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, Rainy River at Crane Lake
Flood stage (minor)1,120.00—Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage1,121.00—Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage1,123.01Jun 2, 2022Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

3 crests from 2016 to 2022. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Rainy River at Crane Lake, 2016 to 2022 1118112011221124ft Flood stage 1,120.0 ftMajor 1,123.0 ft Jun 30, 2016: 1,118.51 ft, below flood stageJun 18, 2017: 1,118.53 ft, below flood stageJun 2, 2022: 1,123.03 ft, major flooding Highest, 1,123.03 ft, Jun 2, 2022 20202025

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Rainy River at Crane Lake 2010s: 0 2020s: 1 1 2010s2020s
  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, Rainy River at Crane Lake
1Jun 2, 20221,123.03+3.03Major—
2Jun 18, 20171,118.53−1.47Below flood stage—
3Jun 30, 20161,118.51−1.49Below flood stage—

The worst floods along the Rainy River

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

June 2, 2022: 1,123.03 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Rainy River

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

Flood gauges on the Rainy River
Gold Portage Outlet nr KabetogamaMN20.522.75 ft, May 31, 20221
Crane Lake this gaugeMN1,120.01,123.03 ft, Jun 2, 20221

Other gauges in St. Louis County

Flood gauges in St. Louis County
Embarrass, Kaunonen Lake Rd13.414.72 ft, Jun 19, 20240
Two Harbors33.034.89 ft, Sep 24, 20230
Gold Portage Outlet nr Kabetogama20.522.75 ft, May 31, 20221
Crane Lake14.016.43 ft, May 14, 20220

St. Louis County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Minnesota

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge CNLM5, 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.