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Baraboo River at Rock Springs

Highest listed crest 28.73 ftFlood stage 18.5 ft41 crests since 1999

The Baraboo River at Rock Springs crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 41 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1999 to 2026. The highest, 28.73 ft on June 11, 2008, was major flooding, 10.23 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
28.73 ft
June 11, 2008; 13,030 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
18.5 ft
Major flooding from 23.0 ft
Crests at major
3
30th of 143 gauges in Wisconsin
Most recent flood crest
April 8, 2026
18.97 ft, minor flooding
Location
Sauk County
Near Reedsburg (5.6 mi), Baraboo (8.9 mi)
Identifiers
NWS RSPW3
No USGS station

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 Rock Springs
Action stage13.519Jun 26, 2017The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)18.59Apr 8, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage21.05Mar 15, 2019Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage23.03Sep 6, 2018Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

41 crests from 1999 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Baraboo River at Rock Springs, 1999 to 2026 1015202530ft Flood stage 18.5 ftMajor 23.0 ft Jul 22, 1999: 13.61 ft, action stageFeb 24, 2000: 14.12 ft, action stage; 1,205 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 2000: 11.68 ft, below flood stageMay 21, 2000: 13.91 ft, action stage; 1,180 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 2000: 21.71 ft, moderate flooding; 3,455 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 2004: 18.21 ft, action stageMay 25, 2004: 20.99 ft, minor flooding; 3,029 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 2005: 14.87 ft, action stageMar 17, 2007: 19.13 ft, minor floodingApr 4, 2007: 14.08 ft, action stageAug 21, 2007: 21.37 ft, moderate flooding; 3,351 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 2008: 12.70 ft, below flood stageApr 5, 2008: 16.66 ft, action stageJun 11, 2008: 28.73 ft, major flooding; 13,030 cubic feet per secondJul 12, 2008: 20.45 ft, minor floodingFeb 11, 2009: 15.07 ft, action stageApr 30, 2009: 15.33 ft, action stageMar 14, 2010: 16.23 ft, action stageApr 9, 2010: 12.66 ft, below flood stageMay 16, 2010: 13.45 ft, below flood stageJul 20, 2010: 19.38 ft, minor floodingFeb 19, 2011: 14.77 ft, action stageMay 7, 2012: 14.40 ft, action stageApr 14, 2013: 17.36 ft, action stageApr 17, 2014: 18.84 ft, minor floodingApr 10, 2015: 17.03 ft, action stageJun 15, 2015: 13.28 ft, below flood stageDec 19, 2015: 17.75 ft, action stage; 1,987 cubic feet per secondAug 28, 2016: 15.16 ft, action stage; 1,500 cubic feet per secondSep 10, 2016: 20.67 ft, minor flooding; 2,930 cubic feet per secondSep 25, 2016: 22.60 ft, moderate flooding; 4,264 cubic feet per secondDec 1, 2016: 13.81 ft, action stage; 1,205 cubic feet per secondJan 24, 2017: 16.43 ft, action stage; 1,636 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 2017: 16.27 ft, action stage; 1,623 cubic feet per secondJul 24, 2017: 21.57 ft, moderate floodingMay 5, 2018: 20.00 ft, minor flooding; 2,600 cubic feet per secondAug 31, 2018: 27.60 ft, major floodingSep 6, 2018: 26.40 ft, major floodingOct 11, 2018: 18.79 ft, minor flooding; 2,248 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2019: 22.17 ft, moderate flooding; 3,575 cubic feet per secondApr 8, 2026: 18.97 ft, minor flooding; 2,292 cubic feet per second Highest, 28.73 ft, Jun 11, 2008 200020052010201520202025

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Baraboo River at Rock Springs 1990s: 0 2000s: 6 2010s: 10 10 2020s: 1 1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 Rock Springs
1Jun 11, 200828.73+10.23Major13,030
2Aug 31, 201827.60+9.10Major—
3Sep 6, 201826.40+7.90Major—
4Sep 25, 201622.60+4.10Moderate4,264
5Mar 15, 201922.17+3.67Moderate3,575
6Jun 2, 200021.71+3.21Moderate3,455
7Jul 24, 201721.57+3.07Moderate—
8Aug 21, 200721.37+2.87Moderate3,351
9May 25, 200420.99+2.49Minor3,029
10Sep 10, 201620.67+2.17Minor2,930
11Jul 12, 200820.45+1.95Minor—
12May 5, 201820.00+1.50Minor2,600
13Jul 20, 201019.38+0.88Minor—
14Mar 17, 200719.13+0.63Minor—
15Apr 8, 202618.97+0.47Minor2,292
16Apr 17, 201418.84+0.34Minor—
17Oct 11, 201818.79+0.29Minor2,248
18Mar 6, 200418.21−0.29Action—
19Dec 19, 201517.75−0.75Action1,987
20Apr 14, 201317.36−1.14Action—
21Apr 10, 201517.03−1.47Action—
22Apr 5, 200816.66−1.84Action—
23Jan 24, 201716.43−2.07Action1,636
24Jun 26, 201716.27−2.23Action1,623
25Mar 14, 201016.23−2.27Action—
26Apr 30, 200915.33−3.17Action—
27Aug 28, 201615.16−3.34Action1,500
28Feb 11, 200915.07−3.43Action—
29Feb 15, 200514.87−3.63Action—
30Feb 19, 201114.77−3.73Action—
31May 7, 201214.40−4.10Action—
32Feb 24, 200014.12−4.38Action1,205
33Apr 4, 200714.08−4.42Action—
34May 21, 200013.91−4.59Action1,180
35Dec 1, 201613.81−4.69Action1,205
36Jul 22, 199913.61−4.89Action—
37May 16, 201013.45−5.05Below flood stage—
38Jun 15, 201513.28−5.22Below flood stage—
39Mar 16, 200812.70−5.80Below flood stage—
40Apr 9, 201012.66−5.84Below flood stage—
41Apr 22, 200011.68−6.82Below 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 11, 2008: 28.73 ft here, major flooding

  • BarabooWI · Jun 13, 2008 · 27.48 ft · Major · its highest
  • La ValleWI · Jun 10, 2008 · 23.23 ft · Major · its highest
  • ReedsburgWI · Jun 10, 2008 · 21.00 ft · Major
  • West BarabooWI · Jun 13, 2008 · 13.69 ft · Major · its highest

August 31, 2018: 27.60 ft here, major flooding

  • BarabooWI · Sep 2, 2018 · 24.47 ft · Major
  • La ValleWI · Aug 29, 2018 · 22.55 ft · Major
  • ReedsburgWI · Aug 29, 2018 · 21.85 ft · Major · its highest
  • West BarabooWI · Sep 1, 2018 · 10.76 ft · Moderate

September 6, 2018: 26.40 ft here, major flooding

  • BarabooWI · Sep 2, 2018 · 24.47 ft · Major
  • ReedsburgWI · Sep 5, 2018 · 19.20 ft · Major
  • La ValleWI · Sep 5, 2018 · 18.09 ft · Moderate
  • 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
ReedsburgWI14.021.85 ft, Aug 29, 20183
Rock Springs this gaugeWI18.528.73 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
Reedsburg14.021.85 ft, Aug 29, 20183
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 RSPW3, 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.