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Kickapoo River at Readstown

Highest listed crest 23.17 ftFlood stage 11.0 ft14 crests since 1951

The Kickapoo River at Readstown crested at major flood stage 7 times among the 14 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1951 to 2026. The highest, 23.17 ft on August 29, 2018, was major flooding, 12.17 feet above flood stage. 6 other gauges on the Kickapoo River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 5 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
23.17 ft
August 29, 2018
Flood stage
11.0 ft
Major flooding from 16.0 ft
Crests at major
7
8th of 143 gauges in Wisconsin
Most recent flood crest
July 3, 2026
12.60 ft, minor flooding
Location
Vernon County
Wisconsin
Identifiers
NWS REAW3
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, Kickapoo River at Readstown
Action stage8.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)11.05Jul 3, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage14.02Jul 20, 2019Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage16.07Aug 29, 2018Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

14 crests from 1951 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Kickapoo River at Readstown, 1951 to 2026 10152025ft Flood stage 11.0 ftMajor 16.0 ft Jul 21, 1951: 19.08 ft, major floodingJul 1, 1978: 18.20 ft, major floodingAug 20, 2007: 18.82 ft, major floodingJun 9, 2008: 19.65 ft, major floodingAug 15, 2010: 13.98 ft, minor flooding; 4,400 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 2014: 11.44 ft, minor flooding; 1,850 cubic feet per secondSep 23, 2016: 18.08 ft, major floodingJul 21, 2017: 18.77 ft, major flooding; 21,653 cubic feet per secondAug 29, 2018: 23.17 ft, major floodingMar 16, 2019: 14.27 ft, moderate flooding; 5,669 cubic feet per secondJul 20, 2019: 14.71 ft, moderate flooding; 6,819 cubic feet per secondSep 22, 2019: 12.09 ft, minor flooding; 2,278 cubic feet per secondOct 4, 2019: 11.36 ft, minor flooding; 1,802 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 2026: 12.60 ft, minor flooding; 2,765 cubic feet per second Highest, 23.17 ft, Aug 29, 2018 1960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Kickapoo River at Readstown 1950s: 1 1960s: 0 1970s: 1 1980s: 0 1990s: 0 2000s: 2 2010s: 9 9 2020s: 1 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, Kickapoo River at Readstown
1Aug 29, 201823.17+12.17Major—
2Jun 9, 200819.65+8.65Major—
3Jul 21, 195119.08+8.08Major—
4Aug 20, 200718.82+7.82Major—
5Jul 21, 201718.77+7.77Major21,653
6Jul 1, 197818.20+7.20Major—
7Sep 23, 201618.08+7.08Major—
8Jul 20, 201914.71+3.71Moderate6,819
9Mar 16, 201914.27+3.27Moderate5,669
10Aug 15, 201013.98+2.98Minor4,400
11Jul 3, 202612.60+1.60Minor2,765
12Sep 22, 201912.09+1.09Minor2,278
13Jun 2, 201411.44+0.44Minor1,850
14Oct 4, 201911.36+0.36Minor1,802

The worst floods along the Kickapoo River

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

August 29, 2018: 23.17 ft here, major flooding

  • OntarioWI · Aug 28, 2018 · 28.50 ft · Major · its highest
  • ViolaWI · Aug 29, 2018 · 23.72 ft · Major · its highest
  • Gays MillsWI · Aug 29, 2018 · 22.31 ft · Major · its highest
  • Soldiers GroveWI · Aug 29, 2018 · 21.06 ft · Major
  • SteubenWI · Aug 30, 2018 · 19.84 ft · Major · its highest
  • La FargeWI · Aug 29, 2018 · 19.42 ft · Major · its highest

June 9, 2008: 19.65 ft here, major flooding

  • OntarioWI · Jun 8, 2008 · 21.96 ft · Major
  • ViolaWI · Jun 9, 2008 · 21.25 ft · Major
  • Soldiers GroveWI · Jun 9, 2008 · 21.21 ft · Major
  • Gays MillsWI · Jun 9, 2008 · 20.44 ft · Major
  • SteubenWI · Jun 10, 2008 · 19.16 ft · Major
  • La FargeWI · Jun 9, 2008 · 15.78 ft · Major

July 21, 1951: 19.08 ft here, major flooding

  • Soldiers GroveWI · Jul 22, 1951 · 21.63 ft · Major · its highest
  • Gays MillsWI · Jul 22, 1951 · 16.00 ft · Moderate
  • La FargeWI · Jul 21, 1951 · 12.32 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Kickapoo River

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

Flood gauges on the Kickapoo River
Gays MillsWI13.022.31 ft, Aug 29, 20186
La FargeWI12.019.42 ft, Aug 29, 20185
OntarioWI16.028.50 ft, Aug 28, 20189
Readstown this gaugeWI11.023.17 ft, Aug 29, 20187
Soldiers GroveWI13.021.63 ft, Jul 22, 19515
SteubenWI12.019.84 ft, Aug 30, 20185
ViolaWI14.023.72 ft, Aug 29, 20186
WiltonWI6.07.35 ft, Apr 4, 20260

Other gauges in Vernon County

Flood gauges in Vernon County
La Farge12.019.42 ft, Aug 29, 20185
Viola14.023.72 ft, Aug 29, 20186
Lock and Dam 8 - Genoa631.0638.40 ft, Apr 22, 19653

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge REAW3, 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.