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Baraboo River at West Baraboo

Highest listed crest 13.69 ftFlood stage 9.0 ft25 crests since 2004

The Baraboo River at West Baraboo crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 25 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2004 to 2018. The highest, 13.69 ft on June 13, 2008, was major flooding, 4.69 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
13.69 ft
June 13, 2008
Flood stage
9.0 ft
Major flooding from 12.5 ft
Crests at major
1
64th of 143 gauges in Wisconsin
Most recent flood crest
September 7, 2018
10.52 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Sauk County
Near Baraboo (1.1 mi), Reedsburg (12.6 mi)
Identifiers
NWS BBOW3
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 West Baraboo
Action stage7.07Jul 22, 2017The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)9.00—Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage10.52Sep 7, 2018Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage12.51Jun 13, 2008Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

25 crests from 2004 to 2018. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Baraboo River at West Baraboo, 2004 to 2018 468101214ft Flood stage 9.0 ftMajor 12.5 ft May 23, 2004: 7.41 ft, action stageJun 10, 2004: 7.23 ft, action stageFeb 16, 2005: 4.62 ft, below flood stageMar 15, 2007: 6.28 ft, below flood stageAug 21, 2007: 7.57 ft, action stageApr 6, 2008: 5.26 ft, below flood stageApr 11, 2008: 5.53 ft, below flood stageJun 13, 2008: 13.69 ft, major floodingJul 12, 2008: 7.85 ft, action stageFeb 11, 2009: 4.41 ft, below flood stageApr 28, 2009: 4.67 ft, below flood stageMar 13, 2010: 5.56 ft, below flood stageJul 15, 2010: 7.25 ft, action stageFeb 19, 2011: 4.50 ft, below flood stageMar 24, 2011: 6.22 ft, below flood stageApr 11, 2013: 5.86 ft, below flood stageApr 14, 2014: 6.32 ft, below flood stageApr 11, 2015: 5.31 ft, below flood stageDec 19, 2015: 5.17 ft, below flood stage; 1,926 cubic feet per secondSep 11, 2016: 6.52 ft, below flood stageSep 26, 2016: 7.67 ft, action stage; 3,415 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 2017: 4.66 ft, below flood stage; 1,252 cubic feet per secondJul 22, 2017: 7.46 ft, action stageSep 1, 2018: 10.76 ft, moderate flooding; 6,059 cubic feet per secondSep 7, 2018: 10.52 ft, moderate flooding; 5,797 cubic feet per second Highest, 13.69 ft, Jun 13, 2008 200520102015

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Baraboo River at West Baraboo 2000s: 1 2010s: 2 2 2000s2010s
  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 West Baraboo
1Jun 13, 200813.69+4.69Major—
2Sep 1, 201810.76+1.76Moderate6,059
3Sep 7, 201810.52+1.52Moderate5,797
4Jul 12, 20087.85−1.15Action—
5Sep 26, 20167.67−1.33Action3,415
6Aug 21, 20077.57−1.43Action—
7Jul 22, 20177.46−1.54Action—
8May 23, 20047.41−1.59Action—
9Jul 15, 20107.25−1.75Action—
10Jun 10, 20047.23−1.77Action—
11Sep 11, 20166.52−2.48Below flood stage—
12Apr 14, 20146.32−2.68Below flood stage—
13Mar 15, 20076.28−2.72Below flood stage—
14Mar 24, 20116.22−2.78Below flood stage—
15Apr 11, 20135.86−3.14Below flood stage—
16Mar 13, 20105.56−3.44Below flood stage—
17Apr 11, 20085.53−3.47Below flood stage—
18Apr 11, 20155.31−3.69Below flood stage—
19Apr 6, 20085.26−3.74Below flood stage—
20Dec 19, 20155.17−3.83Below flood stage1,926
21Apr 28, 20094.67−4.33Below flood stage—
22Jun 26, 20174.66−4.34Below flood stage1,252
23Feb 16, 20054.62−4.38Below flood stage—
24Feb 19, 20114.50−4.50Below flood stage—
25Feb 11, 20094.41−4.59Below 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 13, 2008: 13.69 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
  • ReedsburgWI · Jun 10, 2008 · 21.00 ft · Major

September 1, 2018: 10.76 ft here, moderate 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
  • ReedsburgWI · Aug 29, 2018 · 21.85 ft · Major · its highest

September 7, 2018: 10.52 ft here, moderate flooding

  • Rock SpringsWI · Aug 31, 2018 · 27.60 ft · Major
  • 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

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 SpringsWI18.528.73 ft, Jun 11, 20083
West Baraboo this gaugeWI9.013.69 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
Rock Springs18.528.73 ft, Jun 11, 20083
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 BBOW3, 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.