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St. Francis River near Saco

Highest listed crest 36.10 ftFlood stage 21.0 ft29 crests since 1983

The St. Francis River near Saco crested at major flood stage 5 times among the 29 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1983 to 2025. The highest, 36.10 ft on November 14, 1993, was major flooding, 15.10 feet above flood stage. 3 other gauges on the St. Francis River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 2 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
36.10 ft
November 14, 1993; 161,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
21.0 ft
Major flooding from 27.0 ft
Crests at major
5
41st of 173 gauges in Missouri
Most recent flood crest
April 5, 2025
28.68 ft, major flooding
Location
Madison County
Missouri

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, St. Francis River near Saco
Action stage19.03Feb 25, 2018The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)21.03May 31, 1997Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage23.08Mar 25, 2023Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage27.05Apr 5, 2025Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

29 crests from 1983 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the St. Francis River near Saco, 1983 to 2025 152025303540ft Flood stage 21.0 ftMajor 27.0 ft Nov 23, 1983: 18.25 ft, below flood stage; 29,000 cubic feet per secondNov 27, 1984: 22.83 ft, minor flooding; 49,100 cubic feet per secondNov 19, 1985: 25.80 ft, moderate flooding; 65,800 cubic feet per secondDec 26, 1987: 19.45 ft, action stage; 33,800 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1989: 16.68 ft, below flood stage; 23,000 cubic feet per secondMay 26, 1990: 18.62 ft, below flood stage; 30,400 cubic feet per secondApr 14, 1991: 18.83 ft, below flood stage; 31,200 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 1992: 17.17 ft, below flood stage; 23,800 cubic feet per secondJan 4, 1993: 26.44 ft, moderate flooding; 57,800 cubic feet per secondNov 14, 1993: 36.10 ft, major flooding; 161,000 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 1995: 22.13 ft, minor flooding; 32,900 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1996: 23.64 ft, moderate flooding; 45,300 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 1997: 22.45 ft, minor flooding; 40,500 cubic feet per secondNov 28, 2005: 16.39 ft, below flood stage; 20,500 cubic feet per secondDec 1, 2006: 17.77 ft, below flood stage; 24,400 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 2008: 28.93 ft, major flooding; 69,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 11, 2009: 16.68 ft, below flood stage; 21,300 cubic feet per secondOct 30, 2009: 25.00 ft, moderate flooding; 50,000 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 2011: 27.94 ft, major flooding; 63,170 cubic feet per secondJan 13, 2013: 20.14 ft, action stage; 31,800 cubic feet per secondDec 21, 2013: 18.68 ft, below flood stage; 27,100 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 2015: 18.55 ft, below flood stage; 26,700 cubic feet per secondDec 28, 2015: 26.50 ft, moderate flooding; 56,500 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 2017: 33.42 ft, major flooding; 110,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 2018: 20.33 ft, action stage; 32,400 cubic feet per secondJan 11, 2020: 25.76 ft, moderate flooding; 53,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 2022: 24.40 ft, moderate flooding; 46,700 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 2023: 23.69 ft, moderate flooding; 44,700 cubic feet per secondApr 5, 2025: 28.68 ft, major flooding; 68,100 cubic feet per second Highest, 36.10 ft, Nov 14, 1993 1990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, St. Francis River near Saco 1980s: 2 1990s: 5 5 2000s: 2 2010s: 3 2020s: 4 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, St. Francis River near Saco
1Nov 14, 199336.10+15.10Major161,000
2Apr 30, 201733.42+12.42Major110,000
3Mar 19, 200828.93+7.93Major69,000
4Apr 5, 202528.68+7.68Major68,100
5Apr 26, 201127.94+6.94Major63,170
6Dec 28, 201526.50+5.50Moderate56,500
7Jan 4, 199326.44+5.44Moderate57,800
8Nov 19, 198525.80+4.80Moderate65,800
9Jan 11, 202025.76+4.76Moderate53,200
10Oct 30, 200925.00+4.00Moderate50,000
11Feb 17, 202224.40+3.40Moderate46,700
12Mar 25, 202323.69+2.69Moderate44,700
13Apr 22, 199623.64+2.64Moderate45,300
14Nov 27, 198422.83+1.83Minor49,100
15May 31, 199722.45+1.45Minor40,500
16May 18, 199522.13+1.13Minor32,900
17Feb 25, 201820.33−0.67Action32,400
18Jan 13, 201320.14−0.86Action31,800
19Dec 26, 198719.45−1.55Action33,800
20Apr 14, 199118.83−2.17Below flood stage31,200
21Dec 21, 201318.68−2.32Below flood stage27,100
22May 26, 199018.62−2.38Below flood stage30,400
23Jun 20, 201518.55−2.45Below flood stage26,700
24Nov 23, 198318.25−2.75Below flood stage29,000
25Dec 1, 200617.77−3.23Below flood stage24,400
26Apr 20, 199217.17−3.83Below flood stage23,800
27Feb 14, 198916.68−4.32Below flood stage23,000
28Feb 11, 200916.68−4.32Below flood stage21,300
29Nov 28, 200516.39−4.61Below flood stage20,500

The worst floods along the St. Francis River

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

November 14, 1993: 36.10 ft here, major flooding

  • PattersonMO · Nov 15, 1993 · 34.50 ft · Major
  • Mill CreekMO · Nov 14, 1993 · 33.10 ft · Major · its highest
  • RoselleMO · Nov 14, 1993 · 26.50 ft · Major · its highest

April 30, 2017: 33.42 ft here, major flooding

  • PattersonMO · Apr 30, 2017 · 37.13 ft · Major · its highest
  • FiskMO · May 3, 2017 · 26.13 ft · Major
  • RoselleMO · Apr 30, 2017 · 21.02 ft · Major
  • Mill CreekMO · Apr 29, 2017 · 24.53 ft · Minor

March 19, 2008: 28.93 ft here, major flooding

  • PattersonMO · Mar 19, 2008 · 30.82 ft · Moderate
  • RoselleMO · Mar 19, 2008 · 18.16 ft · Moderate
  • Mill CreekMO · Mar 19, 2008 · 23.61 ft · Minor

Gauges on the St. Francis River

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

Flood gauges on the St. Francis River
FiskMO20.028.00 ft, Apr 18, 19276
Lake CityAR10.014.37 ft, Apr 2, 19790
MadisonAR32.041.80 ft, Apr 21, 19127
Mill CreekMO16.033.10 ft, Nov 14, 19931
PattersonMO16.037.13 ft, Apr 30, 20174
St. FrancisMO22.028.20 ft, Mar 15, 19350
RoselleMO15.026.50 ft, Nov 14, 19934
Saco this gaugeMO21.036.10 ft, Nov 14, 19935

Other gauges in Madison County

Flood gauges in Madison County
Fredericktown14.026.50 ft, Nov 14, 19931
Mill Creek16.033.10 ft, Nov 14, 19931
Roselle15.026.50 ft, Nov 14, 19934

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SAZM7, 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.