South Branch Root River at Preston

Highest listed crest 942.40 ftFlood stage 937.0 ft10 crests since 1950

The South Branch Root River at Preston crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 10 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1950 to 2013. The highest, 942.40 ft on March 26, 1950, was major flooding, 5.40 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the South Branch Root River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest: 942.40 ft; March 26, 1950
Flood stage: 937.0 ft; Major flooding from 942.0 ft
Crests at major: 2; 51st of 120 gauges in Minnesota
Most recent flood crest: May 20, 2013; 938.07 ft, minor flooding
Location: Fillmore County; Minnesota
Identifiers: NWS PTNM5; 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, South Branch Root River at Preston

Action stage	933.0	0	—	The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)	937.0	5	May 20, 2013	Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage	939.0	3	Jun 9, 2008	Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage	942.0	2	Jul 11, 1981	Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

10 crests from 1950 to 2013. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

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.
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, South Branch Root River at Preston

1	Mar 26, 1950	942.40	+5.40	Major	—
2	Jul 11, 1981	942.00	+5.00	Major	—
3	Jun 9, 2008	941.67	+4.67	Moderate	—
4	Jul 10, 2000	939.47	+2.47	Moderate	—
5	Apr 7, 2001	939.12	+2.12	Moderate	—
6	Jun 2, 2000	938.75	+1.75	Minor	—
7	Mar 1, 1965	938.30	+1.30	Minor	—
8	Sep 16, 2004	938.12	+1.12	Minor	6,916
9	May 20, 2013	938.07	+1.07	Minor	6,777
10	Sep 24, 2010	937.35	+0.35	Minor	5,585

The worst floods along the South Branch Root River

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

March 26, 1950: 942.40 ft here, major flooding

LanesboroMN · Mar 26, 1950 · 19.20 ft · Major · its highest

June 9, 2008: 941.67 ft here, moderate flooding

LanesboroMN · Jun 9, 2008 · 14.17 ft · Minor

Gauges on the South Branch Root River

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

Flood gauges on the South Branch Root River

Carimona	MN	19.0	21.10 ft, May 20, 2013	0
Lanesboro	MN	12.0	19.20 ft, Mar 26, 1950	1
Preston this gauge	MN	937.0	942.40 ft, Mar 26, 1950	2

Other gauges in Fillmore County

Flood gauges in Fillmore County

Fillmore	1,004.0	1,007.50 ft, Jul 3, 2026	0
Rushford	21.0	28.98 ft, Aug 19, 2007	8
Pilot Mound	19.0	25.90 ft, Jun 1, 2000	1
Carimona	19.0	21.10 ft, May 20, 2013	0
Lanesboro	12.0	19.20 ft, Mar 26, 1950	1

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge PTNM5, 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.