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Baraboo River at Reedsburg

Highest listed crest 21.85 ftFlood stage 14.0 ft30 crests since 2008

The Baraboo River at Reedsburg crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 30 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2008 to 2026. The highest, 21.85 ft on August 29, 2018, was major flooding, 7.85 feet above flood stage. 4 other gauges on the Baraboo River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
21.85 ft
August 29, 2018; 2,908 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
14.0 ft
Major flooding from 18.0 ft
Crests at major
3
30th of 143 gauges in Wisconsin
Most recent flood crest
April 6, 2026
14.72 ft, minor flooding
Location
Sauk County
Near Reedsburg (0.8 mi), Baraboo (14.4 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 Reedsburg
Action stage12.011Mar 7, 2022The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)14.07Apr 6, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage16.02Jul 23, 2017Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage18.03Sep 5, 2018Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

30 crests from 2008 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Baraboo River at Reedsburg, 2008 to 2026 10121416182022ft Flood stage 14.0 ftMajor 18.0 ft Jun 10, 2008: 21.00 ft, major flooding; 12,000 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 2012: 11.72 ft, below flood stage; 1,000 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 2013: 13.18 ft, action stage; 1,270 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 2014: 12.95 ft, action stage; 1,190 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 2014: 14.38 ft, minor flooding; 1,426 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 2014: 12.66 ft, action stage; 1,146 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 2014: 12.68 ft, action stage; 1,148 cubic feet per secondOct 17, 2014: 10.21 ft, below flood stage; 783 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 2015: 13.12 ft, action stage; 1,212 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 2015: 11.20 ft, below flood stage; 924 cubic feet per secondDec 17, 2015: 13.83 ft, action stage; 1,333 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 2016: 13.00 ft, action stage; 1,200 cubic feet per secondAug 26, 2016: 12.30 ft, action stage; 1,090 cubic feet per secondSep 9, 2016: 15.80 ft, minor flooding; 1,670 cubic feet per secondSep 24, 2016: 16.90 ft, moderate flooding; 1,870 cubic feet per secondOct 27, 2016: 11.85 ft, below flood stage; 1,020 cubic feet per secondDec 5, 2016: 11.92 ft, below flood stage; 1,032 cubic feet per secondJan 24, 2017: 11.98 ft, below flood stage; 1,038 cubic feet per secondJul 23, 2017: 16.00 ft, moderate flooding; 1,710 cubic feet per secondJan 24, 2018: 11.64 ft, below flood stage; 992 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 2018: 14.84 ft, minor flooding; 1,504 cubic feet per secondAug 29, 2018: 21.85 ft, major flooding; 2,908 cubic feet per secondSep 5, 2018: 19.20 ft, major flooding; 2,288 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2019: 15.45 ft, minor flooding; 1,610 cubic feet per secondOct 3, 2019: 14.00 ft, minor flooding; 1,360 cubic feet per secondOct 24, 2020: 14.08 ft, minor flooding; 1,630 cubic feet per secondJul 15, 2021: 12.18 ft, action stage; 1,190 cubic feet per secondAug 11, 2021: 12.09 ft, action stage; 1,100 cubic feet per secondMar 7, 2022: 13.40 ft, action stage; 1,470 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 2026: 14.72 ft, minor flooding; 1,792 cubic feet per second Highest, 21.85 ft, Aug 29, 2018 2010201520202025

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Baraboo River at Reedsburg 2000s: 1 2010s: 9 9 2020s: 2 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 Reedsburg
1Aug 29, 201821.85+7.85Major2,908
2Jun 10, 200821.00+7.00Major12,000
3Sep 5, 201819.20+5.20Major2,288
4Sep 24, 201616.90+2.90Moderate1,870
5Jul 23, 201716.00+2.00Moderate1,710
6Sep 9, 201615.80+1.80Minor1,670
7Mar 15, 201915.45+1.45Minor1,610
8May 5, 201814.84+0.84Minor1,504
9Apr 6, 202614.72+0.72Minor1,792
10Apr 15, 201414.38+0.38Minor1,426
11Oct 24, 202014.08+0.08Minor1,630
12Oct 3, 201914.000.00Minor1,360
13Dec 17, 201513.83−0.17Action1,333
14Mar 7, 202213.40−0.60Action1,470
15Apr 12, 201313.18−0.82Action1,270
16Apr 11, 201513.12−0.88Action1,212
17Mar 18, 201613.00−1.00Action1,200
18Mar 31, 201412.95−1.05Action1,190
19Jun 4, 201412.68−1.32Action1,148
20May 2, 201412.66−1.34Action1,146
21Aug 26, 201612.30−1.70Action1,090
22Jul 15, 202112.18−1.82Action1,190
23Aug 11, 202112.09−1.91Action1,100
24Jan 24, 201711.98−2.02Below flood stage1,038
25Dec 5, 201611.92−2.08Below flood stage1,032
26Oct 27, 201611.85−2.15Below flood stage1,020
27May 7, 201211.72−2.28Below flood stage1,000
28Jan 24, 201811.64−2.36Below flood stage992
29Jun 14, 201511.20−2.80Below flood stage924
30Oct 17, 201410.21−3.79Below flood stage783

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.

August 29, 2018: 21.85 ft here, major flooding

  • Rock SpringsWI · Aug 31, 2018 · 27.60 ft · Major
  • BarabooWI · Sep 2, 2018 · 24.47 ft · Major
  • La ValleWI · Aug 29, 2018 · 22.55 ft · Major
  • West BarabooWI · Sep 1, 2018 · 10.76 ft · Moderate

June 10, 2008: 21.00 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
  • La ValleWI · Jun 10, 2008 · 23.23 ft · Major · its highest
  • West BarabooWI · Jun 13, 2008 · 13.69 ft · Major · its highest

September 5, 2018: 19.20 ft here, major flooding

  • Rock SpringsWI · Aug 31, 2018 · 27.60 ft · Major
  • BarabooWI · Sep 2, 2018 · 24.47 ft · Major
  • La ValleWI · Aug 29, 2018 · 22.55 ft · Major
  • 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 ValleWI15.023.23 ft, Jun 10, 20082
Reedsburg this gaugeWI14.021.85 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
La Valle15.023.23 ft, Jun 10, 20082
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 RBGW3, 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.