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Missouri River at St. Joseph

Highest listed crest 32.07 ftFlood stage 17.0 ft158 crests since 1844

The Missouri River at St. Joseph crested at major flood stage 4 times among the 158 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1844 to 2026. The highest, 32.07 ft on July 26, 1993, was major flooding, 15.07 feet above flood stage. 16 other gauges on the Missouri River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 10 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
32.07 ft
July 26, 1993
Flood stage
17.0 ft
Major flooding from 27.0 ft
Crests at major
4
52nd of 173 gauges in Missouri
Most recent flood crest
June 5, 2026
19.48 ft, minor flooding
Location
Buchanan County
Near St. Joseph (1.9 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Missouri River at St. Joseph
Action stage14.01Apr 6, 1965The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)17.0109Jun 5, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage21.044Jul 4, 2024Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage27.04Mar 22, 2019Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

158 crests from 1844 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Missouri River at St. Joseph, 1844 to 2026 101520253035ft Flood stage 17.0 ftMajor 27.0 ft May 1, 1844: 24.50 ft, moderate floodingApr 29, 1881: 27.20 ft, major floodingJun 26, 1883: 22.80 ft, moderate floodingJun 2, 1903: 20.50 ft, minor floodingApr 18, 1943: 18.30 ft, minor floodingJun 18, 1943: 18.50 ft, minor floodingApr 20, 1944: 18.50 ft, minor floodingJun 18, 1944: 19.20 ft, minor floodingJun 17, 1947: 20.40 ft, minor floodingMar 7, 1949: 21.40 ft, moderate floodingApr 16, 1949: 19.40 ft, minor floodingMay 3, 1951: 19.90 ft, minor floodingApr 22, 1952: 26.82 ft, moderate floodingJun 10, 1953: 17.30 ft, minor floodingJun 19, 1957: 17.80 ft, minor floodingAug 14, 1958: 18.50 ft, minor floodingMay 30, 1959: 17.50 ft, minor floodingApr 7, 1960: 22.00 ft, moderate floodingSep 13, 1961: 17.53 ft, minor floodingApr 1, 1962: 18.80 ft, minor floodingMay 30, 1962: 19.08 ft, minor floodingJun 10, 1962: 17.26 ft, minor floodingMay 27, 1964: 17.26 ft, minor floodingJun 21, 1964: 18.63 ft, minor floodingMar 2, 1965: 19.50 ft, minor floodingMar 18, 1965: 17.17 ft, minor floodingApr 6, 1965: 14.94 ft, action stageMay 27, 1965: 17.31 ft, minor floodingJun 30, 1965: 20.77 ft, minor floodingJul 20, 1965: 18.22 ft, minor floodingSep 8, 1965: 18.92 ft, minor floodingSep 21, 1965: 17.73 ft, minor floodingJun 13, 1967: 22.60 ft, moderate floodingApr 27, 1969: 18.25 ft, minor floodingJul 19, 1969: 18.91 ft, minor floodingFeb 19, 1971: 19.00 ft, minor floodingSep 14, 1972: 19.81 ft, minor floodingDec 29, 1972: 22.41 ft, moderate floodingJan 17, 1973: 20.23 ft, minor floodingMar 26, 1973: 17.88 ft, minor floodingApr 1, 1973: 20.01 ft, minor floodingApr 17, 1973: 18.58 ft, minor floodingMay 8, 1973: 19.13 ft, minor floodingMay 29, 1973: 18.28 ft, minor floodingJul 3, 1973: 19.68 ft, minor floodingAug 13, 1973: 18.84 ft, minor floodingSep 27, 1973: 21.30 ft, moderate floodingOct 13, 1973: 25.63 ft, moderate floodingJan 24, 1974: 21.15 ft, moderate floodingMay 18, 1974: 19.30 ft, minor floodingJun 9, 1974: 17.50 ft, minor floodingSep 4, 1974: 17.55 ft, minor floodingJun 26, 1975: 17.48 ft, minor floodingSep 4, 1975: 17.55 ft, minor floodingApr 25, 1976: 17.05 ft, minor floodingJan 13, 1977: 18.09 ft, minor floodingJan 29, 1977: 17.61 ft, minor floodingFeb 16, 1977: 18.26 ft, minor floodingSep 13, 1977: 19.20 ft, minor floodingMar 23, 1978: 22.47 ft, moderate floodingMar 3, 1979: 25.78 ft, moderate floodingJun 5, 1980: 18.09 ft, minor floodingJun 17, 1982: 21.70 ft, moderate floodingApr 2, 1983: 18.90 ft, minor floodingJun 16, 1984: 25.60 ft, moderate floodingJan 26, 1987: 23.80 ft, moderate floodingSep 10, 1989: 22.54 ft, moderate floodingJun 20, 1990: 21.77 ft, moderate floodingJun 15, 1991: 20.28 ft, minor floodingJul 31, 1992: 21.83 ft, moderate floodingJul 26, 1993: 32.07 ft, major floodingJun 24, 1994: 18.84 ft, minor floodingApr 27, 1995: 18.20 ft, minor floodingMay 14, 1995: 23.84 ft, moderate floodingJul 5, 1995: 19.70 ft, minor floodingMay 11, 1996: 21.79 ft, moderate floodingMay 28, 1996: 23.39 ft, moderate floodingJun 17, 1996: 17.87 ft, minor floodingJul 5, 1996: 17.65 ft, minor floodingJul 21, 1996: 21.80 ft, moderate floodingAug 9, 1996: 20.10 ft, minor floodingAug 17, 1996: 18.52 ft, minor floodingNov 17, 1996: 19.76 ft, minor floodingMay 3, 1997: 20.97 ft, minor floodingJun 26, 1997: 20.84 ft, minor floodingSep 2, 1997: 19.56 ft, minor floodingNov 30, 1997: 17.86 ft, minor floodingMar 31, 1998: 20.20 ft, minor floodingApr 9, 1998: 19.28 ft, minor floodingMay 30, 1998: 17.30 ft, minor floodingJun 16, 1998: 23.69 ft, moderate floodingJun 26, 1998: 17.75 ft, minor floodingJul 11, 1998: 19.50 ft, minor floodingApr 16, 1999: 21.59 ft, moderate floodingApr 24, 1999: 17.62 ft, minor floodingApr 28, 1999: 21.26 ft, moderate floodingMay 18, 1999: 20.71 ft, minor floodingMay 22, 1999: 22.61 ft, moderate floodingJun 1, 1999: 18.27 ft, minor floodingJun 14, 1999: 19.40 ft, minor floodingJun 24, 1999: 17.10 ft, minor floodingJun 29, 1999: 21.98 ft, moderate floodingAug 9, 1999: 19.65 ft, minor floodingMay 6, 2001: 21.14 ft, moderate floodingJun 6, 2001: 18.43 ft, minor floodingJun 15, 2001: 17.96 ft, minor floodingJun 21, 2001: 17.08 ft, minor floodingMay 25, 2004: 18.70 ft, minor floodingMay 31, 2004: 20.40 ft, minor floodingMay 14, 2005: 18.02 ft, minor floodingMay 7, 2007: 25.26 ft, moderate flooding; 182,761 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 2007: 17.02 ft, minor flooding; 86,058 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2007: 19.75 ft, minor flooding; 109,600 cubic feet per secondOct 16, 2007: 19.79 ft, minor flooding; 110,080 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 2008: 25.10 ft, moderate floodingJun 27, 2008: 17.12 ft, minor floodingMar 25, 2010: 21.85 ft, moderate floodingJun 2, 2010: 17.98 ft, minor floodingJun 6, 2010: 17.90 ft, minor floodingJun 25, 2010: 26.17 ft, moderate floodingAug 20, 2010: 17.11 ft, minor floodingSep 3, 2010: 17.35 ft, minor floodingSep 28, 2010: 17.05 ft, minor floodingOct 5, 2010: 17.42 ft, minor floodingMay 4, 2011: 17.70 ft, minor floodingJun 28, 2011: 29.97 ft, major floodingApr 16, 2012: 18.27 ft, minor floodingMay 31, 2013: 22.55 ft, moderate floodingJun 5, 2014: 21.04 ft, moderate floodingJun 26, 2014: 20.22 ft, minor floodingJul 3, 2014: 17.85 ft, minor floodingSep 11, 2014: 20.93 ft, minor floodingOct 2, 2014: 20.07 ft, minor floodingMay 17, 2015: 18.59 ft, minor floodingJun 5, 2015: 21.47 ft, moderate floodingJun 12, 2015: 22.99 ft, moderate floodingJun 16, 2015: 21.11 ft, moderate floodingJul 17, 2015: 17.18 ft, minor floodingDec 16, 2015: 21.99 ft, moderate floodingApr 28, 2016: 19.55 ft, minor floodingMay 12, 2016: 20.83 ft, minor floodingMay 28, 2016: 20.70 ft, minor floodingSep 14, 2016: 17.87 ft, minor floodingMay 21, 2017: 21.06 ft, moderate floodingJul 3, 2018: 21.45 ft, moderate floodingAug 22, 2018: 18.45 ft, minor floodingSep 4, 2018: 21.61 ft, moderate floodingOct 10, 2018: 23.99 ft, moderate floodingDec 2, 2018: 19.02 ft, minor floodingMar 22, 2019: 32.07 ft, major flooding; 317,000 cubic feet per secondOct 3, 2019: 24.74 ft, moderate flooding; 176,000 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 2020: 19.55 ft, minor floodingJun 25, 2021: 20.40 ft, minor floodingMay 7, 2024: 17.26 ft, minor floodingMay 23, 2024: 18.65 ft, minor floodingJul 4, 2024: 23.45 ft, moderate floodingMay 19, 2026: 18.52 ft, minor floodingJun 5, 2026: 19.48 ft, minor flooding Highest, 32.07 ft, Jul 26, 1993 1880192019602000

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Missouri River at St. Joseph 1840s: 1 1850s: 0 1860s: 0 1870s: 0 1880s: 2 1890s: 0 1900s: 1 1910s: 0 1920s: 0 1930s: 0 1940s: 7 1950s: 6 1960s: 17 1970s: 26 1980s: 6 1990s: 36 36 2000s: 13 2010s: 35 2020s: 7 1840s1860s1880s1900s1920s1940s1960s1980s2000s2020s
  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

The 50 highest of 158 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Missouri River at St. Joseph
1Jul 26, 199332.07+15.07Major—
2Mar 22, 201932.07+15.07Major317,000
3Jun 28, 201129.97+12.97Major—
4Apr 29, 188127.20+10.20Major—
5Apr 22, 195226.82+9.82Moderate—
6Jun 25, 201026.17+9.17Moderate—
7Mar 3, 197925.78+8.78Moderate—
8Oct 13, 197325.63+8.63Moderate—
9Jun 16, 198425.60+8.60Moderate—
10May 7, 200725.26+8.26Moderate182,761
11Jun 12, 200825.10+8.10Moderate—
12Oct 3, 201924.74+7.74Moderate176,000
13May 1, 184424.50+7.50Moderate—
14Oct 10, 201823.99+6.99Moderate—
15May 14, 199523.84+6.84Moderate—
16Jan 26, 198723.80+6.80Moderate—
17Jun 16, 199823.69+6.69Moderate—
18Jul 4, 202423.45+6.45Moderate—
19May 28, 199623.39+6.39Moderate—
20Jun 12, 201522.99+5.99Moderate—
21Jun 26, 188322.80+5.80Moderate—
22May 22, 199922.61+5.61Moderate—
23Jun 13, 196722.60+5.60Moderate—
24May 31, 201322.55+5.55Moderate—
25Sep 10, 198922.54+5.54Moderate—
26Mar 23, 197822.47+5.47Moderate—
27Dec 29, 197222.41+5.41Moderate—
28Apr 7, 196022.00+5.00Moderate—
29Dec 16, 201521.99+4.99Moderate—
30Jun 29, 199921.98+4.98Moderate—
31Mar 25, 201021.85+4.85Moderate—
32Jul 31, 199221.83+4.83Moderate—
33Jul 21, 199621.80+4.80Moderate—
34May 11, 199621.79+4.79Moderate—
35Jun 20, 199021.77+4.77Moderate—
36Jun 17, 198221.70+4.70Moderate—
37Sep 4, 201821.61+4.61Moderate—
38Apr 16, 199921.59+4.59Moderate—
39Jun 5, 201521.47+4.47Moderate—
40Jul 3, 201821.45+4.45Moderate—
41Mar 7, 194921.40+4.40Moderate—
42Sep 27, 197321.30+4.30Moderate—
43Apr 28, 199921.26+4.26Moderate—
44Jan 24, 197421.15+4.15Moderate—
45May 6, 200121.14+4.14Moderate—
46Jun 16, 201521.11+4.11Moderate—
47May 21, 201721.06+4.06Moderate—
48Jun 5, 201421.04+4.04Moderate—
49May 3, 199720.97+3.97Minor—
50Sep 11, 201420.93+3.93Minor—

The worst floods along the Missouri River

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

July 26, 1993: 32.07 ft here, major flooding

  • BrownvilleNE · Jul 24, 1993 · 44.30 ft · Major
  • St. CharlesMO · Aug 2, 1993 · 40.04 ft · Major
  • GlasgowMO · Jul 29, 1993 · 39.50 ft · Major · its highest
  • Jefferson CityMO · Jul 30, 1993 · 38.65 ft · Major · its highest
  • BoonvilleMO · Jul 29, 1993 · 37.10 ft · Major · its highest
  • HermannMO · Jul 31, 1993 · 36.97 ft · Major · its highest
  • PlattsmouthNE · Jul 25, 1993 · 35.65 ft · Major
  • WashingtonMO · Jul 31, 1993 · 35.40 ft · Major · its highest
  • LeavenworthKS · Jul 28, 1993 · 35.34 ft · Major · its highest
  • ChamoisMO · Jul 31, 1993 · 33.30 ft · Major · its highest

March 22, 2019: 32.07 ft here, major flooding

  • BrownvilleNE · Mar 16, 2019 · 45.73 ft · Major · its highest
  • PlattsmouthNE · Mar 16, 2019 · 40.62 ft · Major · its highest
  • ParkvilleMO · Mar 23, 2019 · 35.01 ft · Major · its highest
  • WaverlyMO · Mar 26, 2019 · 31.61 ft · Major
  • LeavenworthKS · Mar 23, 2019 · 31.31 ft · Major
  • AtchisonKS · Mar 22, 2019 · 31.20 ft · Major
  • Nebraska CityNE · Mar 16, 2019 · 30.12 ft · Major · its highest
  • MiamiMO · Mar 26, 2019 · 29.60 ft · Major
  • RuloNE · Mar 20, 2019 · 28.13 ft · Major · its highest
  • OmahaNE · Mar 17, 2019 · 34.40 ft · Moderate

June 28, 2011: 29.97 ft here, major flooding

  • BrownvilleNE · Jun 23, 2011 · 44.79 ft · Major
  • PlattsmouthNE · Jun 30, 2011 · 36.73 ft · Major
  • La Framboise IslandSD · Jun 22, 2011 · 33.45 ft · Major · its highest
  • AtchisonKS · Jun 29, 2011 · 31.00 ft · Major
  • LeavenworthKS · Jun 30, 2011 · 30.80 ft · Major
  • Farm IslandSD · Jun 21, 2011 · 29.52 ft · Major · its highest
  • VerdelNE · Jun 30, 2011 · 29.12 ft · Major · its highest
  • Nebraska CityNE · Jun 28, 2011 · 28.27 ft · Major
  • RuloNE · Jun 27, 2011 · 27.26 ft · Major
  • NiobraraNE · Jun 26, 2011 · 26.76 ft · Major · its highest

Gauges on the Missouri River

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

Flood gauges on the Missouri River
ParkvilleMO25.035.01 ft, Mar 23, 20191
AtchisonKS22.031.63 ft, Jul 26, 19933
BoonvilleMO21.037.10 ft, Jul 29, 19931
BrownvilleNE34.045.73 ft, Mar 16, 20193
ChamberlainSD65.075.08 ft, Jul 8, 20113
DecaturNE35.044.41 ft, Apr 16, 19521
Farm IslandSD26.029.52 ft, Jun 21, 20111
Gavins Point DamNE1,210.01,212.02 ft, Mar 15, 20190
GlasgowMO25.039.50 ft, Jul 29, 199324
HermannMO21.036.97 ft, Jul 31, 19939
Highway 370 at BellevueNE30.033.78 ft, Jun 29, 20240
Highway 92 at OmahaNE27.532.90 ft, Jun 29, 20240
Jefferson CityMO23.038.65 ft, Jul 30, 199310
Kansas CityMO32.048.87 ft, Jul 27, 19930
La Framboise IslandSD29.033.45 ft, Jun 22, 20111
LeavenworthKS20.035.34 ft, Jul 28, 19933
MiamiMO18.032.60 ft, Jul 30, 19935
NapoleonMO17.029.73 ft, Jun 2, 20190
Nebraska CityNE18.030.12 ft, Mar 16, 20193
NiobraraNE21.026.76 ft, Jun 26, 20111
OmahaNE27.036.29 ft, Jul 2, 20110
PierreSD13.025.35 ft, Apr 10, 19525
PlattsmouthNE26.040.62 ft, Mar 16, 20193
RuloNE17.028.13 ft, Mar 20, 20193
Sioux CityNE30.035.25 ft, Jul 21, 20110
SpringfieldSD11.017.73 ft, Mar 14, 20191
St. CharlesMO25.040.11 ft, Jun 24, 18449
St. Joseph this gaugeMO17.032.07 ft, Jul 26, 19934
WashingtonMO20.035.40 ft, Jul 31, 19935
YanktonSD20.050.50 ft, Apr 5, 188138
BlairNE26.533.50 ft, Apr 17, 19521
ChamoisMO17.033.30 ft, Jul 31, 19931
GreenwoodSD30.038.78 ft, Jul 7, 20112
MaskellNE30.031.86 ft, Jun 29, 20110
PoncaNE20.029.15 ft, Jul 20, 20111
VerdelNE24.029.12 ft, Jun 30, 20112
WaverlyMO20.031.92 ft, Jun 1, 20193

Other gauges in Buchanan County

Flood gauges in Buchanan County
Agency20.036.07 ft, Jul 25, 19937

Buchanan County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Missouri

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SJSM7, 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.