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West Fork Des Moines River above Windom

Highest listed crest 25.01 ftFlood stage 19.0 ft20 crests since 1969

The West Fork Des Moines River above Windom crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 20 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1969 to 2025. The highest, 25.01 ft on June 25, 2024, was major flooding, 6.01 feet above flood stage. 5 other gauges on the West Fork Des Moines River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 4 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
25.01 ft
June 25, 2024; 12,700 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
19.0 ft
Major flooding from 25.0 ft
Crests at major
1
65th of 120 gauges in Minnesota
Most recent flood crest
June 25, 2024
25.01 ft, major flooding
Location
Cottonwood County
Minnesota

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, West Fork Des Moines River above Windom
Action stage17.02Apr 17, 2023The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)19.04Mar 10, 2020Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage21.011Mar 23, 2019Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage25.01Jun 25, 2024Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

20 crests from 1969 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the West Fork Des Moines River above Windom, 1969 to 2025 1015202530ft Flood stage 19.0 ftMajor 25.0 ft Apr 11, 1969: 24.70 ft, moderate floodingApr 4, 1984: 21.90 ft, moderate floodingMay 12, 1993: 21.30 ft, moderate floodingJul 7, 1993: 21.10 ft, moderate floodingJun 23, 1996: 19.77 ft, minor floodingMar 30, 1997: 21.34 ft, moderate floodingApr 27, 2001: 21.57 ft, moderate floodingMay 5, 2006: 19.50 ft, minor floodingMar 16, 2007: 19.70 ft, minor floodingSep 24, 2010: 23.00 ft, moderate floodingMar 25, 2011: 21.79 ft, moderate floodingJun 22, 2014: 21.57 ft, moderate floodingJul 7, 2018: 23.40 ft, moderate floodingMar 23, 2019: 23.01 ft, moderate floodingMar 10, 2020: 19.77 ft, minor floodingApr 12, 2021: 12.57 ft, below flood stageJun 13, 2022: 17.64 ft, action stageApr 17, 2023: 18.13 ft, action stage; 3,560 cubic feet per secondJun 25, 2024: 25.01 ft, major flooding; 12,700 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 2025: 14.84 ft, below flood stage; 1,570 cubic feet per second Highest, 25.01 ft, Jun 25, 2024 197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, West Fork Des Moines River above Windom 1960s: 1 1970s: 0 1980s: 1 1990s: 4 2000s: 3 2010s: 5 5 2020s: 2 1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, West Fork Des Moines River above Windom
1Jun 25, 202425.01+6.01Major12,700
2Apr 11, 196924.70+5.70Moderate—
3Jul 7, 201823.40+4.40Moderate—
4Mar 23, 201923.01+4.01Moderate—
5Sep 24, 201023.00+4.00Moderate—
6Apr 4, 198421.90+2.90Moderate—
7Mar 25, 201121.79+2.79Moderate—
8Apr 27, 200121.57+2.57Moderate—
9Jun 22, 201421.57+2.57Moderate—
10Mar 30, 199721.34+2.34Moderate—
11May 12, 199321.30+2.30Moderate—
12Jul 7, 199321.10+2.10Moderate—
13Jun 23, 199619.77+0.77Minor—
14Mar 10, 202019.77+0.77Minor—
15Mar 16, 200719.70+0.70Minor—
16May 5, 200619.50+0.50Minor—
17Apr 17, 202318.13−0.87Action3,560
18Jun 13, 202217.64−1.36Action—
19Jul 4, 202514.84−4.16Below flood stage1,570
20Apr 12, 202112.57−6.43Below flood stage—

The worst floods along the West Fork Des Moines River

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

June 25, 2024: 25.01 ft here, major flooding

  • AvocaMN · Jun 24, 2024 · 1,429.64 ft · Major
  • EsthervilleIA · Jun 24, 2024 · 17.94 ft · Major · its highest
  • HumboldtIA · Jun 27, 2024 · 16.82 ft · Major · its highest
  • JacksonMN · Jun 26, 2024 · 16.04 ft · Major · its highest
  • EmmetsburgIA · Jun 24, 2024 · 15.47 ft · Major · its highest

April 11, 1969: 24.70 ft here, moderate flooding

  • EsthervilleIA · Apr 12, 1969 · 17.68 ft · Major
  • HumboldtIA · Apr 14, 1969 · 15.40 ft · Major
  • EmmetsburgIA · Apr 12, 1969 · 14.75 ft · Moderate

July 7, 2018: 23.40 ft here, moderate flooding

  • AvocaMN · Jul 5, 2018 · 1,430.20 ft · Major · its highest
  • EsthervilleIA · Jul 9, 2018 · 14.89 ft · Major
  • JacksonMN · Jul 8, 2018 · 13.92 ft · Moderate
  • HumboldtIA · Jul 6, 2018 · 13.50 ft · Moderate
  • EmmetsburgIA · Jul 10, 2018 · 13.26 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the West Fork Des Moines River

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

Flood gauges on the West Fork Des Moines River
Windom this gaugeMN19.025.01 ft, Jun 25, 20241
EmmetsburgIA11.015.47 ft, Jun 24, 20241
EsthervilleIA10.017.94 ft, Jun 24, 20247
HumboldtIA10.016.82 ft, Jun 27, 20244
JacksonMN12.016.04 ft, Jun 26, 20242
AvocaMN1,425.01,430.20 ft, Jul 5, 20183

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge WDOM5, 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.