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Root River (MN) above Rushford

Highest listed crest 28.98 ftFlood stage 21.0 ft26 crests since 1985

The Root River (MN) above Rushford crested at major flood stage 8 times among the 26 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1985 to 2026. The highest, 28.98 ft on August 19, 2007, was major flooding, 7.98 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Root River (MN) crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
28.98 ft
August 19, 2007
Flood stage
21.0 ft
Major flooding from 25.0 ft
Crests at major
8
17th of 120 gauges in Minnesota
Most recent flood crest
July 4, 2026
22.46 ft, minor flooding
Location
Fillmore County
Minnesota

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Root River (MN) above Rushford
Action stage18.01Apr 22, 1992The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)21.015Jul 4, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage24.02Mar 29, 2005Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage25.08Mar 24, 2011Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

26 crests from 1985 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Root River (MN) above Rushford, 1985 to 2026 202224262830ft Flood stage 21.0 ftMajor 25.0 ft Mar 11, 1985: 21.40 ft, minor flooding; 6,350 cubic feet per secondSep 21, 1986: 25.26 ft, major flooding; 17,700 cubic feet per secondApr 25, 1990: 23.93 ft, minor floodingMay 6, 1991: 23.93 ft, minor floodingApr 22, 1992: 20.20 ft, action stage; 4,700 cubic feet per secondApr 1, 1993: 26.10 ft, major flooding; 28,400 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1994: 23.45 ft, minor floodingMar 25, 1996: 23.96 ft, minor flooding; 10,600 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1997: 22.90 ft, minor flooding; 7,100 cubic feet per secondJun 29, 1998: 23.15 ft, minor flooding; 9,140 cubic feet per secondJul 21, 1999: 23.09 ft, minor flooding; 9,140 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 2000: 26.35 ft, major flooding; 32,400 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 2001: 24.86 ft, moderate flooding; 14,600 cubic feet per secondSep 16, 2004: 27.28 ft, major floodingMar 29, 2005: 24.06 ft, moderate floodingApr 8, 2006: 22.73 ft, minor floodingAug 19, 2007: 28.98 ft, major floodingJun 10, 2008: 26.52 ft, major flooding; 28,000 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 2009: 22.11 ft, minor flooding; 7,100 cubic feet per secondSep 24, 2010: 25.75 ft, major flooding; 23,400 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 2011: 25.32 ft, major flooding; 18,300 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 2013: 23.03 ft, minor flooding; 13,800 cubic feet per secondSep 24, 2016: 23.23 ft, minor flooding; 18,500 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2019: 23.21 ft, minor flooding; 18,310 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 2024: 22.73 ft, minor floodingJul 4, 2026: 22.46 ft, minor flooding; 16,182 cubic feet per second Highest, 28.98 ft, Aug 19, 2007 1990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Root River (MN) above Rushford 1980s: 2 1990s: 8 8 2000s: 8 2010s: 5 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, Root River (MN) above Rushford
1Aug 19, 200728.98+7.98Major—
2Sep 16, 200427.28+6.28Major—
3Jun 10, 200826.52+5.52Major28,000
4Jun 2, 200026.35+5.35Major32,400
5Apr 1, 199326.10+5.10Major28,400
6Sep 24, 201025.75+4.75Major23,400
7Mar 24, 201125.32+4.32Major18,300
8Sep 21, 198625.26+4.26Major17,700
9Apr 7, 200124.86+3.86Moderate14,600
10Mar 29, 200524.06+3.06Moderate—
11Mar 25, 199623.96+2.96Minor10,600
12Apr 25, 199023.93+2.93Minor—
13May 6, 199123.93+2.93Minor—
14Mar 6, 199423.45+2.45Minor—
15Sep 24, 201623.23+2.23Minor18,500
16Mar 15, 201923.21+2.21Minor18,310
17Jun 29, 199823.15+2.15Minor9,140
18Jul 21, 199923.09+2.09Minor9,140
19May 21, 201323.03+2.03Minor13,800
20Mar 28, 199722.90+1.90Minor7,100
21Apr 8, 200622.73+1.73Minor—
22Jun 23, 202422.73+1.73Minor—
23Jul 4, 202622.46+1.46Minor16,182
24Jun 9, 200922.11+1.11Minor7,100
25Mar 11, 198521.40+0.40Minor6,350
26Apr 22, 199220.20−0.80Action4,700

The worst floods along the Root River (MN)

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

August 19, 2007: 28.98 ft here, major flooding

  • HoustonMN · Aug 19, 2007 · 18.15 ft · Major
  • Pilot MoundMN · Aug 19, 2007 · 19.42 ft · Minor

September 16, 2004: 27.28 ft here, major flooding

  • Pilot MoundMN · Sep 16, 2004 · 23.85 ft · Moderate
  • HoustonMN · Sep 17, 2004 · 16.56 ft · Minor

June 10, 2008: 26.52 ft here, major flooding

  • Pilot MoundMN · Jun 13, 2008 · 20.29 ft · Minor
  • HoustonMN · Jun 10, 2008 · 16.13 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Root River (MN)

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the Root River (MN)
Pilot MoundMN19.025.90 ft, Jun 1, 20001
Rushford this gaugeMN21.028.98 ft, Aug 19, 20078
HoustonMN15.019.28 ft, Mar 15, 20193

Other gauges in Fillmore County

Flood gauges in Fillmore County
Fillmore1,004.01,007.50 ft, Jul 3, 20260
Pilot Mound19.025.90 ft, Jun 1, 20001
Carimona19.021.10 ft, May 20, 20130
Lanesboro12.019.20 ft, Mar 26, 19501
Preston937.0942.40 ft, Mar 26, 19502

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge RSFM5, 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.