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Big Rib River at Rib Falls

Highest listed crest 16.20 ftFlood stage 10.0 ft29 crests since 1926

The Big Rib River at Rib Falls crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 29 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1926 to 2025. The highest, 16.20 ft on August 31, 1938, was major flooding, 6.20 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
16.20 ft
August 31, 1938; 23,800 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
10.0 ft
Major flooding from 15.0 ft
Crests at major
2
46th of 143 gauges in Wisconsin
Most recent flood crest
March 30, 2025
10.42 ft, minor flooding
Location
Marathon County
Near Wausau (12.7 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Big Rib River at Rib Falls
Action stage7.02Mar 23, 2022The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)10.022Mar 30, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage13.82Jun 16, 1990Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage15.02Sep 24, 2010Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

29 crests from 1926 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Big Rib River at Rib Falls, 1926 to 2025 681012141618ft Flood stage 10.0 ftMajor 15.0 ft Aug 21, 1926: 10.80 ft, minor flooding; 15,200 cubic feet per secondSep 26, 1934: 10.30 ft, minor flooding; 13,300 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 1936: 11.50 ft, minor flooding; 18,000 cubic feet per secondAug 31, 1938: 16.20 ft, major flooding; 23,800 cubic feet per secondJun 8, 1940: 10.20 ft, minor flooding; 8,580 cubic feet per secondAug 31, 1941: 13.42 ft, minor flooding; 16,000 cubic feet per secondSep 18, 1942: 14.50 ft, moderate flooding; 19,100 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 1943: 11.60 ft, minor flooding; 11,700 cubic feet per secondJul 28, 1953: 11.34 ft, minor flooding; 11,200 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1990: 14.87 ft, moderate floodingMar 23, 1991: 10.75 ft, minor floodingJun 21, 1993: 11.49 ft, minor floodingApr 19, 1996: 9.87 ft, action stageApr 3, 1997: 10.29 ft, minor floodingSep 24, 2010: 15.15 ft, major flooding; 20,134 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 2011: 13.22 ft, minor flooding; 13,219 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 2014: 10.41 ft, minor flooding; 7,068 cubic feet per secondDec 15, 2015: 11.43 ft, minor flooding; 8,994 cubic feet per secondMar 16, 2016: 12.98 ft, minor flooding; 12,378 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 2017: 11.14 ft, minor flooding; 8,644 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 2017: 10.53 ft, minor flooding; 7,581 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 2017: 10.44 ft, minor flooding; 7,429 cubic feet per secondSep 5, 2018: 12.92 ft, minor flooding; 12,900 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 2019: 12.43 ft, minor flooding; 11,700 cubic feet per secondMar 29, 2020: 10.18 ft, minor flooding; 7,140 cubic feet per secondJul 24, 2021: 6.79 ft, below flood stage; 2,730 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 2022: 9.50 ft, action stage; 6,210 cubic feet per secondApr 11, 2023: 11.20 ft, minor floodingMar 30, 2025: 10.42 ft, minor flooding; 7,242 cubic feet per second Highest, 16.20 ft, Aug 31, 1938 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Big Rib River at Rib Falls 1920s: 1 1930s: 3 1940s: 4 1950s: 1 1960s: 0 1970s: 0 1980s: 0 1990s: 4 2000s: 0 2010s: 10 10 2020s: 3 1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, Big Rib River at Rib Falls
1Aug 31, 193816.20+6.20Major23,800
2Sep 24, 201015.15+5.15Major20,134
3Jun 16, 199014.87+4.87Moderate—
4Sep 18, 194214.50+4.50Moderate19,100
5Aug 31, 194113.42+3.42Minor16,000
6Apr 11, 201113.22+3.22Minor13,219
7Mar 16, 201612.98+2.98Minor12,378
8Sep 5, 201812.92+2.92Minor12,900
9Apr 18, 201912.43+2.43Minor11,700
10Jun 27, 194311.60+1.60Minor11,700
11May 6, 193611.50+1.50Minor18,000
12Jun 21, 199311.49+1.49Minor—
13Dec 15, 201511.43+1.43Minor8,994
14Jul 28, 195311.34+1.34Minor11,200
15Apr 11, 202311.20+1.20Minor—
16Feb 22, 201711.14+1.14Minor8,644
17Aug 21, 192610.80+0.80Minor15,200
18Mar 23, 199110.75+0.75Minor—
19May 18, 201710.53+0.53Minor7,581
20Jun 12, 201710.44+0.44Minor7,429
21Mar 30, 202510.42+0.42Minor7,242
22Apr 11, 201410.41+0.41Minor7,068
23Sep 26, 193410.30+0.30Minor13,300
24Apr 3, 199710.29+0.29Minor—
25Jun 8, 194010.20+0.20Minor8,580
26Mar 29, 202010.18+0.18Minor7,140
27Apr 19, 19969.87−0.13Action—
28Mar 23, 20229.50−0.50Action6,210
29Jul 24, 20216.79−3.21Below flood stage2,730

Other gauges in Marathon County

Flood gauges in Marathon County
Stratford15.524.50 ft, Sep 9, 19383
Kelly9.011.45 ft, Aug 21, 19260
Rothschild25.032.30 ft, Sep 1, 19416
Wausau Dam1,167.01,169.87 ft, Apr 18, 20230

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge RIBW3, 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.