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Fox River at Burlington

Highest listed crest 16.15 ftFlood stage 11.0 ft38 crests since 2002

The Fox River at Burlington crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 38 crests the National Weather Service lists from 2002 to 2020. The highest, 16.15 ft on July 13, 2017, was major flooding, 5.15 feet above flood stage. 6 other gauges on the Fox River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
16.15 ft
July 13, 2017
Flood stage
11.0 ft
Major flooding from 14.0 ft
Crests at major
1
64th of 143 gauges in Wisconsin
Most recent flood crest
May 18, 2020
11.38 ft, minor flooding
Location
Racine County
Near Burlington (0.3 mi), Salem Lakes (12.1 mi), Elkhorn (13.5 mi)
Identifiers
NWS BRGW3
Out of service

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Fox River at Burlington
Action stage9.024Jan 21, 2017The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)11.09May 18, 2020Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage12.03Apr 19, 2013Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage14.01Jul 13, 2017Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

38 crests from 2002 to 2020. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Fox River at Burlington, 2002 to 2020 81012141618ft Flood stage 11.0 ftMajor 14.0 ft Apr 10, 2002: 9.80 ft, action stageJun 5, 2002: 9.98 ft, action stageMay 15, 2004: 10.30 ft, action stageMay 24, 2004: 11.65 ft, minor flooding; 4,050 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 2005: 9.63 ft, action stageMar 14, 2007: 10.30 ft, action stageApr 4, 2007: 9.91 ft, action stageApr 14, 2007: 9.03 ft, action stageAug 21, 2007: 12.50 ft, moderate flooding; 5,200 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2008: 9.92 ft, action stageApr 1, 2008: 10.56 ft, action stageApr 11, 2008: 11.44 ft, minor flooding; 3,750 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 2008: 13.54 ft, moderate flooding; 6,300 cubic feet per secondJul 12, 2008: 9.50 ft, action stageDec 29, 2008: 10.54 ft, action stageFeb 12, 2009: 9.65 ft, action stageApr 28, 2009: 11.14 ft, minor floodingMar 14, 2010: 9.94 ft, action stageApr 7, 2010: 9.61 ft, action stageJun 24, 2010: 9.73 ft, action stageFeb 21, 2011: 9.60 ft, action stageMar 24, 2011: 10.39 ft, action stageApr 19, 2013: 12.91 ft, moderate flooding; 5,600 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 2014: 9.39 ft, action stage; 2,100 cubic feet per secondJul 12, 2014: 9.03 ft, action stageApr 10, 2015: 9.40 ft, action stageJun 16, 2015: 8.61 ft, below flood stageNov 28, 2015: 9.39 ft, action stage; 2,100 cubic feet per secondDec 2, 2015: 9.23 ft, action stage; 1,940 cubic feet per secondDec 15, 2015: 9.30 ft, action stage; 2,000 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 2017: 9.11 ft, action stage; 1,846 cubic feet per secondJul 13, 2017: 16.15 ft, major floodingFeb 21, 2018: 11.27 ft, minor flooding; 3,550 cubic feet per secondOct 7, 2018: 11.33 ft, minor flooding; 3,613 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2019: 11.90 ft, minor flooding; 4,191 cubic feet per secondSep 14, 2019: 11.19 ft, minor flooding; 3,478 cubic feet per secondOct 3, 2019: 11.57 ft, minor flooding; 3,843 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 2020: 11.38 ft, minor flooding Highest, 16.15 ft, Jul 13, 2017 2005201020152020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Fox River at Burlington 2000s: 5 2010s: 7 7 2020s: 1 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, Fox River at Burlington
1Jul 13, 201716.15+5.15Major—
2Jun 15, 200813.54+2.54Moderate6,300
3Apr 19, 201312.91+1.91Moderate5,600
4Aug 21, 200712.50+1.50Moderate5,200
5Mar 15, 201911.90+0.90Minor4,191
6May 24, 200411.65+0.65Minor4,050
7Oct 3, 201911.57+0.57Minor3,843
8Apr 11, 200811.44+0.44Minor3,750
9May 18, 202011.38+0.38Minor—
10Oct 7, 201811.33+0.33Minor3,613
11Feb 21, 201811.27+0.27Minor3,550
12Sep 14, 201911.19+0.19Minor3,478
13Apr 28, 200911.14+0.14Minor—
14Apr 1, 200810.56−0.44Action—
15Dec 29, 200810.54−0.46Action—
16Mar 24, 201110.39−0.61Action—
17May 15, 200410.30−0.70Action—
18Mar 14, 200710.30−0.70Action—
19Jun 5, 20029.98−1.02Action—
20Mar 14, 20109.94−1.06Action—
21Mar 15, 20089.92−1.08Action—
22Apr 4, 20079.91−1.09Action—
23Apr 10, 20029.80−1.20Action—
24Jun 24, 20109.73−1.27Action—
25Feb 12, 20099.65−1.35Action—
26Feb 15, 20059.63−1.37Action—
27Apr 7, 20109.61−1.39Action—
28Feb 21, 20119.60−1.40Action—
29Jul 12, 20089.50−1.50Action—
30Apr 10, 20159.40−1.60Action—
31Apr 15, 20149.39−1.61Action2,100
32Nov 28, 20159.39−1.61Action2,100
33Dec 15, 20159.30−1.70Action2,000
34Dec 2, 20159.23−1.77Action1,940
35Jan 21, 20179.11−1.89Action1,846
36Apr 14, 20079.03−1.97Action—
37Jul 12, 20149.03−1.97Action—
38Jun 16, 20158.61−2.39Below flood stage—

The worst floods along the Fox River

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

July 13, 2017: 16.15 ft here, major flooding

  • New MunsterWI · Jul 13, 2017 · 17.47 ft · Major · its highest
  • AntiochIL · Jul 17, 2017 · 8.13 ft · Major
  • Lake VillaIL · Jul 17, 2017 · 8.01 ft · Major
  • Fox LakeIL · Jul 17, 2017 · 7.97 ft · Major
  • JohnsburgIL · Jul 17, 2017 · 7.37 ft · Moderate
  • WaukeshaWI · Jul 12, 2017 · 6.97 ft · Minor

June 15, 2008: 13.54 ft here, moderate flooding

April 19, 2013: 12.91 ft here, moderate flooding

Gauges on the Fox River

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

Flood gauges on the Fox River
AlgonquinIL3.04.50 ft, Apr 1, 191612
Algonquin tailwaterIL9.514.00 ft, Jul 5, 19386
Burlington this gaugeWI11.016.15 ft, Jul 13, 20171
DaytonIL12.036.47 ft, Jan 25, 19605
ElginIL713.0713.11 ft, Jul 24, 20170
Fox LakeIL6.08.12 ft, Apr 5, 19606
Lake VillaIL6.08.90 ft, Jul 4, 19387
McHenry (Stratton Lock and Dam) tailwaterIL4.09.00 ft, Jul 5, 19386
MontgomeryIL13.516.50 ft, Jul 18, 19961
RochesterWI6.06.29 ft, Apr 21, 20260
South Elgin DamIL14.515.04 ft, Apr 18, 20130
WaukeshaWI6.08.85 ft, Jun 9, 20080
Yorkville (Palmer Dam)IL15.521.00 ft, Jul 18, 19961
AntiochIL6.08.34 ft, Apr 5, 19606
JohnsburgIL6.58.90 ft, Jul 4, 19382
New MunsterWI11.017.47 ft, Jul 13, 20175

Other gauges in Racine County

Flood gauges in Racine County
Rochester6.06.29 ft, Apr 21, 20260
Raymond9.012.13 ft, Jun 9, 20081
Racine7.011.29 ft, Jun 9, 20083

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BRGW3, 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.