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Baraboo River at La Valle

Highest listed crest 23.23 ftFlood stage 15.0 ft36 crests since 2003

The Baraboo River at La Valle crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 36 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2003 to 2024. The highest, 23.23 ft on June 10, 2008, was major flooding, 8.23 feet above flood stage. 4 other gauges on the Baraboo River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 3 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
23.23 ft
June 10, 2008
Flood stage
15.0 ft
Major flooding from 19.0 ft
Crests at major
2
46th of 143 gauges in Wisconsin
Most recent flood crest
September 5, 2018
18.09 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Sauk County
Near Reedsburg (7.6 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Baraboo River at La Valle
Action stage12.07May 5, 2018The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)15.00—Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage17.02Sep 5, 2018Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage19.02Aug 29, 2018Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

36 crests from 2003 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Baraboo River at La Valle, 2003 to 2024 510152025ft Flood stage 15.0 ftMajor 19.0 ft Mar 18, 2003: 8.50 ft, below flood stageMar 7, 2004: 11.00 ft, below flood stageMay 23, 2004: 12.00 ft, action stageFeb 9, 2005: 8.00 ft, below flood stageMar 15, 2007: 14.00 ft, action stageAug 19, 2007: 13.00 ft, action stageApr 3, 2008: 10.50 ft, below flood stageApr 26, 2008: 11.00 ft, below flood stageJun 10, 2008: 23.23 ft, major floodingJul 12, 2008: 11.00 ft, below flood stageFeb 17, 2009: 7.10 ft, below flood stageApr 28, 2009: 10.00 ft, below flood stageMar 14, 2010: 9.50 ft, below flood stageApr 8, 2010: 7.70 ft, below flood stageMay 14, 2010: 8.00 ft, below flood stageJul 16, 2010: 14.00 ft, action stageJul 26, 2010: 8.50 ft, below flood stageFeb 18, 2011: 6.50 ft, below flood stageMar 23, 2011: 12.00 ft, action stageMay 7, 2012: 9.50 ft, below flood stageJun 13, 2015: 8.00 ft, below flood stageSep 8, 2016: 17.00 ft, moderate floodingJul 22, 2017: 14.88 ft, action stageMay 5, 2018: 13.19 ft, action stageAug 29, 2018: 22.55 ft, major floodingSep 5, 2018: 18.09 ft, moderate floodingOct 11, 2018: 11.57 ft, below flood stageMay 30, 2019: 10.10 ft, below flood stageJul 20, 2019: 10.55 ft, below flood stageOct 2, 2019: 11.67 ft, below flood stageMar 20, 2020: 9.87 ft, below flood stageOct 23, 2020: 11.70 ft, below flood stageAug 9, 2021: 8.74 ft, below flood stageMar 24, 2022: 8.24 ft, below flood stageApr 7, 2023: 8.93 ft, below flood stageMay 22, 2024: 11.38 ft, below flood stage Highest, 23.23 ft, Jun 10, 2008 20052010201520202025

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Baraboo River at La Valle 2000s: 1 2010s: 3 3 2020s: 0 2000s2010s2020s
  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, Baraboo River at La Valle
1Jun 10, 200823.23+8.23Major—
2Aug 29, 201822.55+7.55Major—
3Sep 5, 201818.09+3.09Moderate—
4Sep 8, 201617.00+2.00Moderate—
5Jul 22, 201714.88−0.12Action—
6Mar 15, 200714.00−1.00Action—
7Jul 16, 201014.00−1.00Action—
8May 5, 201813.19−1.81Action—
9Aug 19, 200713.00−2.00Action—
10May 23, 200412.00−3.00Action—
11Mar 23, 201112.00−3.00Action—
12Oct 23, 202011.70−3.30Below flood stage—
13Oct 2, 201911.67−3.33Below flood stage—
14Oct 11, 201811.57−3.43Below flood stage—
15May 22, 202411.38−3.62Below flood stage—
16Mar 7, 200411.00−4.00Below flood stage—
17Apr 26, 200811.00−4.00Below flood stage—
18Jul 12, 200811.00−4.00Below flood stage—
19Jul 20, 201910.55−4.45Below flood stage—
20Apr 3, 200810.50−4.50Below flood stage—
21May 30, 201910.10−4.90Below flood stage—
22Apr 28, 200910.00−5.00Below flood stage—
23Mar 20, 20209.87−5.13Below flood stage—
24Mar 14, 20109.50−5.50Below flood stage—
25May 7, 20129.50−5.50Below flood stage—
26Apr 7, 20238.93−6.07Below flood stage—
27Aug 9, 20218.74−6.26Below flood stage—
28Mar 18, 20038.50−6.50Below flood stage—
29Jul 26, 20108.50−6.50Below flood stage—
30Mar 24, 20228.24−6.76Below flood stage—
31Feb 9, 20058.00−7.00Below flood stage—
32May 14, 20108.00−7.00Below flood stage—
33Jun 13, 20158.00−7.00Below flood stage—
34Apr 8, 20107.70−7.30Below flood stage—
35Feb 17, 20097.10−7.90Below flood stage—
36Feb 18, 20116.50−8.50Below flood stage—

The worst floods along the Baraboo River

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

June 10, 2008: 23.23 ft here, major flooding

  • Rock SpringsWI · Jun 11, 2008 · 28.73 ft · Major · its highest
  • BarabooWI · Jun 13, 2008 · 27.48 ft · Major · its highest
  • ReedsburgWI · Jun 10, 2008 · 21.00 ft · Major
  • West BarabooWI · Jun 13, 2008 · 13.69 ft · Major · its highest

August 29, 2018: 22.55 ft here, major flooding

  • Rock SpringsWI · Aug 31, 2018 · 27.60 ft · Major
  • BarabooWI · Sep 2, 2018 · 24.47 ft · Major
  • ReedsburgWI · Aug 29, 2018 · 21.85 ft · Major · its highest
  • West BarabooWI · Sep 1, 2018 · 10.76 ft · Moderate

September 5, 2018: 18.09 ft here, moderate flooding

  • Rock SpringsWI · Aug 31, 2018 · 27.60 ft · Major
  • BarabooWI · Sep 2, 2018 · 24.47 ft · Major
  • ReedsburgWI · Aug 29, 2018 · 21.85 ft · Major · its highest
  • West BarabooWI · Sep 1, 2018 · 10.76 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Baraboo River

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

Flood gauges on the Baraboo River
Kendall VillageWI5.06.70 ft, Apr 4, 20260
La Valle this gaugeWI15.023.23 ft, Jun 10, 20082
ReedsburgWI14.021.85 ft, Aug 29, 20183
Rock SpringsWI18.528.73 ft, Jun 11, 20083
West BarabooWI9.013.69 ft, Jun 13, 20081
BarabooWI16.027.48 ft, Jun 13, 20082

Other gauges in Sauk County

Flood gauges in Sauk County
Reedsburg14.021.85 ft, Aug 29, 20183
Rock Springs18.528.73 ft, Jun 11, 20083
West Baraboo9.013.69 ft, Jun 13, 20081
Baraboo16.027.48 ft, Jun 13, 20082
Wisconsin Dells16.020.70 ft, Mar 16, 19733

Sauk County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Wisconsin

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge LAVW3, 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.